The interrelations between spiritual well-being, pain interference and depressive symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Journal of behavioral medicine Vol. 39; no. 2; pp. 355 - 363
• Main Authors: Nsamenang, Sheri A., Hirsch, Jameson K., Topciu, Raluca, Goodman, Andrew D., Duberstein, Paul R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.04.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living - psychology; Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Aged; Care and treatment; Chronic illnesses; Chronic pain; Chronic Pain - psychology; Comorbidity; Coping; Depression; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Development and progression; Family Medicine; Female; Functional assessment; General Practice; Health Psychology; Humans; Interference; Male; Meaning; Mediation; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Meditation; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Models, Psychological; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis - complications; Multivariate Analysis; Nervous system diseases; Neurology; Pain; Patients; Peace; Preventive medicine; Promotion; Psychiatry; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Religion; Sclerosis; Self report; Spiritual well being; Spirituality; Symptoms; Well being; United States; New York; United States > US; Depressive symptoms; Multiple sclerosis; Spiritual well-being; Pain interference
• ISSN: 0160-7715; 1573-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s10865-016-9712-3

Depressive symptoms are common in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), and are frequently exacerbated by pain; however, spiritual well-being may allow persons with MS to more effectively cope with pain-related deficits in physical and role functioning. We explored the associations between spiritual well-being, pain interference and depressive symptoms, assessing each as a potential mediator, in eighty-one patients being treated for MS, who completed self-report measures: Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Pain Effects Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised. At the bivariate level, spiritual well-being and its subscale of meaning and peace were negatively associated with depression and pain interference. In mediation models, depression was not related to pain interference via spiritual well-being, or to spiritual well-being via pain interference. Pain interference was related to depression via spiritual well-being and meaning/peace, and to spiritual well-being and meaning/peace via depressive symptoms. Finally, spiritual well-being and meaning/peace were related to depression via pain interference, and to pain interference via depressive symptoms. For patients with MS, a multi-faceted approach to treatment that includes pain reduction and promotion of spiritual well-being may be beneficial, although amelioration of depression remains a critical task.