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Depression in multiple sclerosis as a function of length and severity of illness, age, remissions, and perceived social support
Author(s) -
McIvor Geraldine P.,
Riklan Manuel,
Reznikoff Marvin
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198407)40:4<1028::aid-jclp2270400427>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - psychology , multiple sclerosis , depression (economics) , perception , population , intervention (counseling) , social perception , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , environmental health , neuroscience , economics , macroeconomics
Degree of depression found in 120 spinal multiple sclerosis (MS) outpatients was related significantly to selected illness, demographic, and social variables. The more depressed individuals tended to be more disabled, older, and, in particular, perceived their families and friends as providing less social support than those who were less depressed. Those who had experienced at least one remission were less depressed than those who never had had a remission. Contrary to hypothesized expectations, the results also suggested that the longer a patient has MS, the more depressed he will be. Such results raise implications for psychotherapeutic intervention in this population, as well as suggest the need for future investigations of the MS patients's body image, self‐concept, and perception of disability.