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Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings

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01-12-2011

Adversarial Growth in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis and their Partners: Relationships with Illness Perceptions, Disability and Distress

Authors: Katie Ackroyd, Dónal G. Fortune, Siân Price, Stephen Howell, Basil Sharrack, Claire L. Isaac

Published in: Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings | Issue 4/2011

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their partners show adversarial growth and to examine which psychological and disability variables contribute to this in patients and their partners. The study also investigated the relationship between growth and distress. Seventy-two patients with MS and their partners provided demographic information and completed measures of posttraumatic growth, illness perceptions, depression, cognitive function and disability. Both patients and partners showed adversarial growth, with patients reporting significantly higher growth than partners. The only significant predictor for patient growth was partner growth, and vice versa. Dissimilarity in illness representations between patients and their partners on the consequences of MS dimension, patient mood and patient growth accounted for significant variance in partner growth. The findings support the idea of a ‘communal search for meaning’ where patients and their partners experience the trauma of having a chronic illness and subsequently find positive aspects together.

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Title: Adversarial Growth in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis and their Partners: Relationships with Illness Perceptions, Disability and Distress
Authors: Katie Ackroyd
Dónal G. Fortune
Siân Price
Stephen Howell
Basil Sharrack
Claire L. Isaac
Publication date: 01-12-2011
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings / Issue 4/2011
Print ISSN: 1068-9583
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3572
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-011-9265-0

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Adversarial Growth in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis and their Partners: Relationships with Illness Perceptions, Disability and Distress

Abstract

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