Abstract
Emotional competencies (i.e., understanding emotions in self and others) are crucial for psychological well-being and successful social interaction. However, despite the deficits in psychological well-being and social interaction among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), emotional competencies have not been broadly investigated in MS. The present study: (1) compared emotional competencies between persons with MS and (a) previously published norms for the general population and (b) persons with major depressive disorder; and (2) investigated the association between emotional competencies and symptoms of insomnia, depression, fatigue, and paresthesia in persons with MS. The sample of 1135 persons with MS (mean age: 34.6 years; 81.1% female; median EDSS: 2; range: 0 - 5) self-rated emotional competencies and symptoms of insomnia, symptoms of depression, fatigue, and paresthesia. Data on emotional competencies of historical samples (general population: N=622; mean age: 22.0 years; 61% females; outpatients with major depressive disorders (MDD); N=50; mean age: 42.46 years; 68% females) were used for comparison. Persons with MS reported lower levels of emotional competencies than both the general population (t (1, 1756)=55.18, p < 0.001, d=1.66; large effect size) and outpatients with MDD (t (1, 1183)=3.48, p <0.001, d=0.50; medium effect size). Among persons with MS, lower levels of emotional competencies were associated with higher MS-related symptoms of insomnia(r=- 0.24; p < 0.001), depression (r=- 0.42; p < 0.001), fatigue (r=- 0.31; p < 0.001), and paresthesia (r=- 0.18; p < 0.001). Persons with MS reported significantly lower scores for emotional competencies when compared with the general population and outpatients with MDD. Further, lower scores for emotional competencies were associated with typical MS-related symptoms of insomnia, depression, fatigue and paresthesia. These findings suggest that emotional competencies may be an important target for intervention in persons with MS.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.