Coping with multiple sclerosis as a couple: ‘peaks and troughs’ – an interpretative phenomenological exploration

Abstract

Purpose: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic degenerative condition where illness uncertainty is a key difficulty that people with MS and their significant others have to cope with. Clinicians acknowledge that people with MS need to be seen in the context of their families, however there is little knowledge on what to expect about how people cope as a couple, which this study set out to explore. Method: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) exploring, through semi-structured interviews, how seven couples, where one had MS, experienced coping with their situation. Results: Two overarching themes pertaining to coping as a couple emerged from the data: Coping Together: “Peaks and Troughs” and Coping Over the Long Haul, with each overarching theme relating to sub-themes. Two integrative themes emerged also, which were called Faith in Self and Faith in Each Other. Conclusions: These results will assist clinicians better comprehend how those with MS and their spouses cope in an interconnected way and this in turn affects their experience of rehabilitation. Results from this research indicated that clinicians need to be sensitive to the individual coping strategies of both members of a couple where one has MS, and address the changing needs of their relationship.Implications for RehabilitationIt is important to consider how people with MS and their significant others cope as a couple when planning rehabilitation interventionHealth professionals need to be mindful that the coping strategies of people with MS and their partners’ is reliant on concentrating on the presentHealth professionals could take a greater role in considering couples’ relationships and the role of optimism as part of rehabilitation