Self-Management in Multiple Sclerosis: Impact on Quality of LIfe

The purpose of this study is to assess the role of self-management in reducing the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) on quality of life (QOL) and psychosocial function. This study wi1l also include the psychometric evaluation of two newly developed instruments that have significant potential for clinical and research use among individuals \vith MS. It has consistently been shown that people \vith MS report lower levels of QOL than both people without chronic i1lnesses and persons with such chronic illnesses as rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, and diabetes I. Although a relatively recent endeavor 1, understanding the impact of MS on QOL has become a critical concern among clinicians, researchers, and persons with MS 2. Unfortunately, however, understanding the apparently unique impact of MS on QOL has been \videly overlooked in both clinical practice and clinical trials I. This study will evaluate the impact of MS on QOL in the context of a specific model of this impact, in which perceived control over specific domains of life is reduced by the experience of living with MS, resulting in reduced overall QOL. Self-management and enhanced control are proposed to reduce this impact.