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PubMed · 8945113

Psychological adjustment to systemic sclerosis.

V L Malcarne·H L Greenbergs
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of demographic, disability, appraisal, and coping variables in predicting psychological adjustment in individuals with systemic sclerosis. METHODS: Two hundred forty-two individuals with systemic sclerosis (SSc; diffuse and limited) were surveyed by mail. Demographics, functional disability, pain, control appraisals, 8 types of coping, and individual psychosocial adjustment were assessed by self-report questionnaires with established reliability and validity. RESULTS: In regression analysis, 3 coping strategies emerged as significant predictors of adjustment: Wishful Thinking, Blaming Self, and Problem-Focused Coping. Self-reports of disability and control appraisals were also significant predictors. Collectively, 46% of the variance in adjustment was explained by these 5 predictor variables. The strongest predictor of overall adjustment was wishful thinking, explaining 22% of the variance in adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Potentially modifiable appraisal and coping variables, along with disease-related disability, appear to play an important role in predicting adjustment to SSc, while demographic variables explained little of the variability in patient adjustment.

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Activities of Daily LivingAdaptation, PsychologicalFantasyFemaleHumansInternal-External ControlMaleMiddle AgedPredictive Value of TestsProblem SolvingRegression AnalysisScleroderma, SystemicSurveys and QuestionnairesJournal Article

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V L Malcarne, H L Greenbergs. 1996. Psychological adjustment to systemic sclerosis.. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.1790090110

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