Effects of Personality Style, Negative Stressful Events, and Social Support on Quality of Life and Depression in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

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Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that can negatively impact a person’s mental health, including depression and anxiety. The impact of social support on negative, stressful events can be analyzed in relation to different personality styles. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of personality style, negative, stressful events, and social support on depression and the quality of life of MS patients. Methods: This observational, descriptive study utilized a regression analysis method. The study population consisted of all MS patients, who were members of the Zahedan MS Society in Zahedan, Iran, during the 2019 internship. The study sample included 101 patients who were selected through convenience sampling. These patients completed various scales, including the Personal Style Inventory (PSI), Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL), and Life Events Schedule (LES). Results: Negative, stressful events accounted for 22% of the variance in the quality of life of sociotropic patients (P = 0.036), while social support explained 33% of the variance in quality of life (P = 0.008). Moreover, adverse stressful events within this group accounted for 33% of the variance in depression (P = 0.007). In contrast, social support accounted for 60% of the variance in depression (P < 0.001). In the group with autonomous personalities, it was found that negative, stressful events accounted for 22% of the variance in the quality of life (P = 0.014), while social support did not account for any variance in the quality of life (P = 0.204). Conclusions: Social support can moderate and protect individuals from negative, stressful events, particularly for those who are sociotropic or autonomous. However, the moderating effect was more significant in the sociotropic group than in the autonomous group.