Volume 29, Issue 10 (12-2022)                   RJMS 2022, 29(10): 10-23 | Back to browse issues page

Research code: 01
Ethics code: 01
Clinical trials code: 01

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Assistant Professor of Science, Faculty of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Branch of Roudehen, Roudehen, Iran , hem_psy@yahoo.com
Abstract:   (793 Views)
Background & Aims: Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease that brings many physical and psychological complications, the chronic nature of which, the lack of definite prognosis and treatment, and the involvement of a person at a young age cause many psychological problems in patients, including psychological distress. Becomes According to the results of research, people with multiple sclerosis suffer from psychological distress due to their disease. So that the severity and catastrophizing of pain along with psychological distress is always considered a significant problem in multiple sclerosis patients. Psychological distress has negative and irreparable effects on physical, mental, and behavioral health, which is very costly for a person and will bring adverse consequences; for this reason, it is necessary to know the factors affecting it. Mindfulness can be one of the important and influential factors in people's psychological distress. Mindfulness is a person's clear awareness of what is happening inside and in interaction with the external environment in successive moments of perception, which can help free people from automatic thoughts, habits, and unhealthy behavior patterns. Mindfulness is paying attention in a special and purposeful way, in the present tense and without judgment and prejudice. Based on the background, if it is possible to deal with unpleasant emotions and symptoms of psychological distress by developing mindfulness skills, it can be expected that weakness in these skills will increase the possibility of a person suffering from psychological distress. Also, the research background has shown that mindfulness can play a role in the relationship between mental health and psychological distress, which indicates that mindfulness can reduce the negative consequences of psychological distress in people. In addition to mindfulness, which plays an important role in psychological distress, Zuckerman's alternative five-factor model personality traits are also a determining and important factor in predicting psychological distress. Human personality can be defined as a dynamic organization within a person consisting of biological-psychological and social systems, which are responsible for regulating and adapting to the changing environment. Clinical findings show that mental pressure caused by daily life events gradually affects the activity of different body systems, including the immune system, and can weaken and disturb patients with multiple sclerosis, and among them, personality traits can have this effect. Adjust or strengthen. On the other hand, people with multiple sclerosis show different reactions to this disease according to their personality traits, which can affect their quality of life. The quality of life is expressed from an objective point of view, while others express it from a subjective point of view. The objective view considers the quality of life as obvious and related to living standards, which include physical health, personal conditions, social relationships, or other social and economic factors. On the other hand, the subjective point of view considers the quality of life synonymous with the happiness or satisfaction of the individual and emphasizes cognitive factors in the evaluation of the quality of life. The research that has investigated the relationship of these variables by considering the mediating role of the quality of life-related to health in the form of a research model has been less investigated. Therefore, in this research, the question is answered whether psychological distress is predicted based on mindfulness and personality traits with a mediating role of health-related quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Methods: The statistical population of this descriptive-correlation study included all patients with multiple sclerosis who were referred to the MS Association of Tehran and were studying in 2020-2021, and 400 people were selected by the available non-random sampling method (online method). And they responded to Kessler et al.'s Psychological Distress Questionnaire (2003), Baer et al.'s Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (2006), Zuckerman-Coleman Zuckerman Personality Questionnaire (2002), and World Health Quality of Life Questionnaire Short Version (2004). Then the proposed model was analyzed through the structural equation model.
Results: The results showed that the direct paths of mindfulness, anxiety/neuroticism, sociability, activity, and aggression/hostility were significant for psychological distress. But the direct path of sensation seeking/impulsivity on psychological distress was not significant.
Also, the indirect effects of mindfulness, anxiety / neuroticism, sensationalism / impulsivity, and aggression / hostility through the mediating role of health-related quality of life on psychological distress were significant. However, the indirect effects of socialization and activity through the mediating role of health-related quality of life on psychological distress were not significant. The structural model of the research had a favorable fit.
Conclusion: In general, it can be said that psychological categories are important in patients with multiple sclerosis, and the results of this study are an important step toward knowing the factors affecting psychological distress in patients with multiple sclerosis. One of the limitations of the research was the data collection, and implementation of part of the research questionnaires offline, that is, by creating a link, placing the questionnaires in it, and sharing in virtual social media, which allows the researcher to directly monitor the response of the sample. There were no In using the results, it should be noted that the findings of this research were limited to patients with multiple sclerosis who referred to the MS Association of Tehran, so caution should be used in generalizing the results to other cities due to ethnic and cultural differences. Observed in the generalization of the results. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, the questionnaires were implemented online and the other part was face-to-face, this possibility was only available for multiple sclerosis patients who had access to the questionnaire link or were present in the association at the time of the research. Therefore, many other patients who did not have access to the online link or were not present in the forum at the time of the research did not have a chance to answer the questions of the questionnaires, which was beyond the control of the researcher. It is suggested that in the next research, all questionnaires should be administered in person, observing social distancing, so that the researcher can be a guide for sample people to answer if necessary.
 
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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Clinical Psychiatry

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