Coping Strategies Furthering Post-Traumatic Growth in Multiple Sclerosis: A Longitudinal Study

Irene Gil-González; Agustín Martín-Rodríguez; Rupert Conrad; María Ángeles Pérez-San-Gregorio

doi:10.3390/ijerph191912679

Coping Strategies Furthering Post-Traumatic Growth in Multiple Sclerosis: A Longitudinal Study

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Oct 4;19(19):12679. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912679.

Authors

Irene Gil-González¹, Agustín Martín-Rodríguez¹, Rupert Conrad², María Ángeles Pérez-San-Gregorio¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatment, University of Seville, 41018 Seville, Spain.
² Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany.

Abstract

(1) Background: Patients' behavioral attempts in dealing with Multiple sclerosis (MS) play an important role in post-traumatic growth (PTG). In a longitudinal study, we aimed to identify coping strategies predicting PTG. (2) Methods: 260 MS patients answered the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory and the Brief COPE Questionnaire at three time points during a 36-month follow-up period. (3) Results: an interaction effect between PTG level and assessment time was found for emotional support, positive reframing, active coping, and planning coping strategies. Positive reframing, emotional support, instrumental support, religion, planning, and self-distraction positively predicted PTG. (4) Conclusions: to encourage PTG development, early interventions in MS patients are recommended to promote adaptive coping, particularly positive reframing, social support, active coping, planning, religion, and self-distraction.

Keywords: coping strategies; multiple sclerosis; post-traumatic growth.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Psychological
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Multiple Sclerosis*
Posttraumatic Growth, Psychological*
Social Support

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports under University Professor Training Program Grant no. FPU 17/04240. It was co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Regional Ministry for Economy Transformation, Industry, Knowledge, and Universities of the Junta de Andalucía [Andalusian Regional Govt.], under Operational Program ERDF 2014–2020 (reference: US-1379382).