Development and effectiveness of a psychoeducational wellness program for people with multiple sclerosis: description and outcomes.
BACKGROUND
Multiple sclerosis (MS) mostly affects young and middle-aged adults and is known to be associated with a host of factors involved in overall quality of life and well-being. The biopsychosocial model of disease takes into account the multifaceted nature of chronic illness and is commonly applied to MS. The present investigation examined the effectiveness of a 10-week psychoeducational MS wellness program that was developed on the basis of the biopsychosocial model and a wellness approach to treatment.


METHODS
The program consisted of 90-minute, weekly psychoeducational wellness group sessions aimed at improving quality of life by increasing awareness of the various social, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual factors that can affect the overall well-being of people living with MS. Fifty-four individuals with MS participated in the study (43 individuals who completed the wellness intervention and 11 individuals with MS who did not participate; "controls"). All participants completed a series of self-report questionnaires at baseline and at the 10-week follow-up, assessing depression, anxiety, perceived stress, cognitive complaints, pain, social support, and fatigue.


RESULTS
Repeated-measures analysis revealed improvements in depression, anxiety, overall mental health, perceived stress, and pain in the treatment group compared with the control group. No significant differences were observed between the groups on measures assessing social support, cognitive complaints, and fatigue.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that a psychoeducational wellness program is effective in improving the overall quality of life and well-being of individuals with MS.
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, USA (KBM); Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, USA (JSR, LS, NDC, JD); and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (KBM, JSR, LS, NDC, JD) and Department of Neurology and Neurosciences, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA (JD).
Kimberly Beckwith
KB
McGuire
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, USA (KBM); Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, USA (JSR, LS, NDC, JD); and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (KBM, JSR, LS, NDC, JD) and Department of Neurology and Neurosciences, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA (JD).
Jelena
J
Stojanovic-Radic
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, USA (KBM); Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, USA (JSR, LS, NDC, JD); and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (KBM, JSR, LS, NDC, JD) and Department of Neurology and Neurosciences, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA (JD).
Lauren
L
Strober
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, USA (KBM); Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, USA (JSR, LS, NDC, JD); and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (KBM, JSR, LS, NDC, JD) and Department of Neurology and Neurosciences, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA (JD).
Nancy D
ND
Chiaravalloti
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, USA (KBM); Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, USA (JSR, LS, NDC, JD); and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (KBM, JSR, LS, NDC, JD) and Department of Neurology and Neurosciences, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA (JD).
John
J
DeLuca