Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis: The Predictive Roles of Positive Body Image and Meaning in Life

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease with a global prevalence that has risen over the past decade. The literature suggests that in comparison with a healthy control (HC) group, people with MS experience lower levels of quality of life (QoL). The purpose of this study was (1) to investigate the differences in QoL and a set of psychosocial variables between MS patients and an HC group; (2) to examine the correlations between QoL and psychosocial, sociodemographic, and clinical variables; and (3) to assess the predictive value of a set of psychosocial, sociodemographic, and clinical variables for the QoL of patients with MS. Participants in the clinical group (n = 135) and the HC group (n = 170) filled in a sociodemographic questionnaire and self-report assessments measuring QoL, body appreciation, body acceptance by others, functionality appreciation, body responsiveness, meaning in life, and difficulties in emotion regulation. The results show that the MS group had lower general, physical, psychological, and social QoL than the HC group and that body appreciation, body acceptance by others, body functionality, meaning in life, and difficulties in emotion regulation are important predictors of QoL.