Feasibility of Addressing the Spiritual Well-Being of Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation.

Abstract

Spiritual well-being is an important aspect of health-related quality of life for persons with chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis (MS), yet research on interventions remains limited. To assess the feasibility of an occupational therapy intervention addressing the spiritual well-being of people with MS. Mixed-methods program evaluation using theoretical thematic analysis of qualitative data. Community center serving people with MS in a midwestern U.S. city. A total of 42 participants attended at least one session; 22 participants provided qualitative data. Ten met the inclusion criteria for quantitative analysis, including completion of pretest and posttest measures and attendance of at least half of the sessions. Making Meaning, a group intervention based on the Model of Occupational Wholeness, was conducted over eight weekly 45-min sessions. The focus was on exploring and integrating spiritual practices into daily life. Participants completed the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being 12-Item Scale (FACIT-Sp-12) to measure spiritual well-being and answered open-ended questions. Attendance was recorded and the facilitator and observers provided qualitative observations. Pretest-posttest comparisons of FACIT-Sp-12 scores indicated a moderate improvement in spiritual well-being (d = 0.41). Attendance and qualitative data supported the intervention's feasibility and suggested areas for refinement. Making Meaning is a feasible intervention, showing promise for promoting spiritual well-being for people with MS. Further research is warranted. Plain-Language Summary: This study introduces a practical and acceptable occupational therapy group intervention, Making Meaning, which shows promising potential for improving the spiritual well-being of people with multiple sclerosis.