title: Body Esteem Among Women with Multiple Sclerosis and its Relationship with Demographic, Clinical and Socio-Psychological Factors.
abstract: The principal aim of this study was to verify if specific socio-demographic, clinical, and socio-psychological factors are correlates of body esteem in women with multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  
  The study included 185 women with MS who completed the Body Esteem Scale (BES), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ), Actually Received Support Scale (a part of the Berlin Social Support Scale), and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The patients were recruited as a result of cooperation with the Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Centre in Borne Sulinowo and Polish Society of Multiple Sclerosis. The demographic characteristics of the participants and their illness-related problems were determined with a self-report survey.
  
  
  
  A hierarchical multiple regression revealed that four factors, psychological condition (R (2) = 0.23, p ≤ 0.001), received support (R (2) = 0.28, p ≤ 0.001), personal control (R (2) = 0.30, p ≤ 0.001), and physical condition (R (2) = 0.31, p ≤ 0.001), were significant correlates of the general body esteem in our study group of women with MS. The model explained 31 % of variance in body esteem.
  
  
  
  Positive body esteem, an important component of self-esteem in women with MS, is associated with better social support, overcoming negative illness-related appraisals and improvement of psychological well-being. Subjective perception of a negative impact of MS on one's physical condition may be helpful in the identification of women with MS being at increased risk of decreased body esteem.
authors.affiliation: University School of Physical Education, ul. Królowej Jadwigi 27/39, 61-871, Poznań, Poland. mwilski@wp.pl.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilski
authors.affiliation: University School of Physical Education, ul. Królowej Jadwigi 27/39, 61-871, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tasiemski
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Multidisciplinary Municipal Hospital, ul. Szwajcarska 3, 61-285, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dąbrowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body esteem; Illness perception; Multiple sclerosis; Self-esteem; Social support