Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T10:01:18.671Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Coping with multiple sclerosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Sheila M. Greene
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Trinity College, Dublin 2

Abstract

A questionnaire containing the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale, a focus of coping scale, the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, and the Hopelessness scale was posted to 50 male and 50 female Dublin members of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland. The aim of the study was to examine ways in which people with multiple sclerosis cope with their illness, and to determine whether the coping strategies used were effective or ineffective in terms of the relations between the scales that were used. Sex differences on each of the scales were also examined. Results indicated that there were some sex differences on the locus of control scale. However, no sex differences were found on the focus of coping, or on the depression and hopelessness scales. Rather, both sexes were found to have mean depression and hopelessness scores above what is considered to be the norm for both of these scales.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Ron, M A. Multiple Sclerosis: psychiatric and psychometric abnormalities. J. Psychosom. Research 1986; 30(1): 311.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Lazarus, R S. The stress and coping paradigm. In: Eisdorfer, C, Cohen, D, Kleinman, A, Maxim, P, Eds. Models for Clinical Psychopathology. New York: Spectrum, 1981.Google Scholar
3.Folkman, S. An approach to the measurement of coping, Journal of Occupational Behaviour 1982; 3: 95107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Lazarus, R S, Averill, J R, Opton, E M. The psychology of coping: issues of research and assessment. In: Coelho, GV, Hamburg, DA, Adams, JE, Eds. Coping and Adaptation. New York: Basic Books 1974.Google Scholar
5.Billings, A G, Moos, R H. The role of coping responses and social resources in attenuating the stress of life events. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 1981; 4(2): 139–57.Google ScholarPubMed
6.Folkman, S, Lazarus, R S. An analysis of coping in a middle-aged community sample. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour 1980; 21: 219–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Cohen, F, Lazarus, R S. Coping and adaptation in health and illness. In: Mechanic, D, Ed. Handbook of Health, Health Care, and the Health Professions. New York: Free Press, 1983.Google Scholar
8.Ray, C, Lindop, J, Gibson, S. The concept of coping. Psychological Medicine 1982; 12: 385–95.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Wallston, B S, Wallston, K A, Kaplan, G D, Maides, S A. Development and validation of the Health Locus of Control (HLC) scale. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1976; 44(4): 580–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Wallstonn, K A, Wallston, B S, DeVellis, R. Development of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) scales. Health Education Monographs 1978; 6(2): 160–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Rotter, J B. Generalized expectancies for internal vs external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs 1966; 80(1): 128.Google Scholar
12.Bulman, R J, Wortman, C B. Attribution of blame and coping in the “real world”: severe accident victims react to their lot. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1977; 35(5): 351363.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Lefcourt, H M. Personality and locus of control. In: Garber, J, Seligman, M E P, Eds. Human helplessness: theory and applications. New York: Academic Press, 1980.Google Scholar
14.Greene, S M. The relationship between hopelessness and depression: implications for current theories of depression. British Journal of Psychiatry. (In press).Google Scholar
15.Strickland, B. Internal-external expectancies and health-related behaviours. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1978; 45: 11921211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Prociuk, T J, Breen, L J, Russier, R J. Hopelessness, internal-external locus of control, and depression. Journal of Clinical Psychology 1976; 32: 299300.3.0.CO;2-G>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Strickland, B, Haley, W E. Sex differences on the Rotter I-E scale. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1980; 39(5): 930–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Radloff, L S, Rae, D S. Susceptibility and precipitating factors in depression: sex differences and similarities. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 1979; 88(2): 174–81.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Weissman, M M, Klerman, G L. Sex differences and the epidemiology of depression. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 1977; 34: 98111.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Greene, S M. Levels of measured hopelessness in the general popularion. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 1981; 20: 1114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21.Radloff, L S. The CES-D scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement 1977; 1(3): 385401.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Beck, A T, Weissman, A, Lester, D, Trexler, L. The measurement of pessimism: the Hopelessness Scale. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1974; 42(6): 861–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23.Greene, S M. Hopelessness: A Conceptual and Empirical Investigation. Unpublished PhD thesis, Dublin University 1982.Google Scholar
24.Greene, S M, O'Mahony, P D, Rumgasamy, P. Levels of measured hopelessness in physically-ill patients. J. Psychosom. Res. 1982; 26(6): 591–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.Khatami, M, Rush, A J. A pilot study of the treatment of outpatients with chronic pain: symptom control, stimulus control and social system intervention. Paris 1978; 5: 163–72.Google ScholarPubMed
26.Wetzel, R DHopelessness, depression, and suicide intent. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 1976; 33: 1069–73.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27.Lester, D, Beck, A T, Mitchell, B. Extrapolation from attempted suicides to completed suicides: a test. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 1979; 88: 7880.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28.Phares, E J. Introduction to Personality. USA: Bell and Howell Company, 1984.Google Scholar
29.Taylor, S E. Adjustment to threatening events: a theory of cognitive adaptation. American Psychologist 1983; 38: 1161–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30.Honer, W G, Hurwitz, T, Li, D K B, Palmer, M, Paty, D W. Temporal lobe involvement in multiple sclerosis patients with psychiatric disorders. Arch Neurol 1987; 44: 187–90.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31.Whitlock, F A, Siskind, M M. Depression as a major symptom of multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1980; 43: 861–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
32.Rabins, P V, Brooks, B R, O'Donnell, P, Pearlson, G D, Moberg, P, Jubett, B, Coyle, P, Dalos, N, Folstein, M F. Structural brain correlates of emotional disorder in multiple sclerosis. Brain 1986; 109: 585597.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33.Joffe, R T, Lippert, G P, Gray, T A, Sawa, G, Horvath, Z. Mood disorder and multiple sclerosis. Arch Neurol 1987; 44: 376–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34.Schiffer, R B. The spectrum of depression in multiple sclerosis: An approach for clinical management. Arch Neurol 1987; 44: 596–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed