Table 3.
Disease-related characteristics in relation to the dependent variables.
| Multiple Sclerosis Characteristics | N (%) A | Stress B Mean (SD) p-Value t/F d or ω2 |
Resilience B Mean (SD) p-Value t/F d or ω2 |
Well-Being B Mean (SD) p-Value t/F d or ω2 |
Satisfaction with Life B Mean (SD) p-Value t/F d or ω2 |
Sleep Quality B Mean (SD) p-Value t/F d or ω2 |
Fatigue B Mean (SD) p-Value t/F d or ω2 |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time since MS diagnosis | |||||||||||||
| Less than two years | 55 (22.6%) | 21.4 (7.4) | 21.4 (8.4) | 87.7 (15.4) | 20.0 (7.8) | 8.7 (4.2) | 48.9 (10.5) | ||||||
| Between 2 to 5 years | 56 (23.0%) | 20.6 (5.2) | 21.5 (7.0) | 86.5 (12.0) | 19.0 (7.2) | 8.5 (4.0) | 51.1 (10.7) | ||||||
| Between 5 to 10 years | 51 (21.0%) | 18.4 (6.5) | 21.3 (7.6) | 88.3 (14.9) | 21.9 (7.5) | 9.4 (3.9) | 49.9 (10.3) | ||||||
| Between 10 to 20 years | 47 (19.3%) | 18.2 (6.2) | 23.1 (7.9) | 88.7 (14.2) | 21.1 (6.6) | 8.9 (4.0) | 48.8 (12.3) | ||||||
| More than 20 years | 34 (14.0%) | 18.2 (6.2) | 0.039 | 23.6 (7.9) | 0.55 | 91.3 (12.0) | 0.703 | 22.4 (6.6) | 0.285 | 9.3 (4.4) | 0.654 | 44.4 (13.6) | 0.208 |
| F | 2.573 | 0.764 | 0.545 | 1.457 | 0.335 | 1.624 | |||||||
| ω2 | 0.028 | −0.004 | −0.009 | 0.009 | −0.016 | 0.013 | |||||||
| Multiple Sclerosis Type | |||||||||||||
| Relapsing Remitting (RRMS) | 154 (63.1%) | 19.1 (6.6) | 22.2 (7.5) | 88.8 (13.9) | 20.7 (6.9) | 8.7 (4.1) | 48.5 (12.0) | ||||||
| Secondary Progressive (SPMS) | 23 (9.4%) | 18.4 (5.3) | 24.0 (7.7) | 91.9 (14.6) | 21.9 (7.7) | 9.6 (4.2) | 46.4 (12.2) | ||||||
| Primary Progressive (PPMS) | 25 (10.2%) | 21 (7.3) | 21.2 (8.2) | 86.7 (12.8) | 21.0 (9.6) | 10.1 (4.0) | 50.6 (9.4) | ||||||
| Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS-MS) | 14 (5.7%) | 20.8 (5.5) | 25.1 (8.1) | 88.8 (13.3) | 21.8 (6.3) | 8.7 (4.3) | 48.5 (7.3) | ||||||
| Unknown to the participant | 28 (11.5%) | 21.7 (5.0) | 0.237 | 18.5 (8.1) | 0.081 | 83.3 (13.3) | 0.320 | 18.9 (7.6) | 0.715 | 8.7 (3.7) | 0.450 | 52.4 (10.4) | 0.412 |
| F | 1.395 | 2.107 | 1.181 | 0.483 | 0.783 | 0.836 | |||||||
| ω2 | 0.007 | 0.020 | 0.004 | −0.010 | −0.005 | −0.003 | |||||||
| Time since the last exacerbation | |||||||||||||
| Less than 3 months | 30 (12.8%) | 20.5 (5.8) | 22.1 (8.5) | 88.1 (15.1) | 20.7 (7.9) | 11.8 (3.7) | 53.3 (9.9) | ||||||
| Between 3 months and a year | 59 (25.2%) | 21.8 (6.1) | 20.9 (8.1) | 85.4 (13.5) | 19.2 (7.5) | 8.8 (3.6) | 52.0 (9.5) | ||||||
| Between 1 to 3 years | 79 (33.8%) | 18.8 (6.9) | 22.1 (6.7) | 88.6 (13.5) | 21.2 (7.2) | 8.1 (3.7) | 47.5 (10.6) | ||||||
| More than 3 years | 66 (28.2%) | 18.4 (6.9) | 0.016 | 22.6 (8.5) | 0.695 | 90.2 (13.9) | 0.381 | 21.1 (7.2) | 0.501 | 8.5 (4.3) | 0.002 | 46.8 (13.7) | 0.015 |
| F | 3.517 | 0.482 | 1.029 | 0.789 | 5.176 | 3.298 | |||||||
| ω2 | 0.034 | −0.007 | 0.00 | −0.003 | 0.069 | 0.035 | |||||||
| Comorbidities C | |||||||||||||
| At least 1 | 135 (54%) | 20.7 (6.2) | 21.0 (8.3) | 86.7 (14.6) | 19.9 (7.5) | 9.4 (4.0) | 50.7 (10.0) | ||||||
| None | 115 (46%) | 18.2 (6.4) | 0.003 | 23.5 (6.9) | 0.01 | 90.5 (14.5) | 0.024 | 22.0 (6.8) | 0.018 | 8.3 (4.0) | 0.091 | 46.5 (12.8) | 0.005 |
| t | −2.989 | 2.343 | 1.991 | 2.119 | −1.701 | −2.579 | |||||||
| Cohen’s d | −0.402 | 0.318 | 0.283 | 0.302 | −0.260 | −0.371 | |||||||
| Mobility and Functioning (self-rated) D | |||||||||||||
| No disability, no or minor symptoms | 116 (47.7%) | 18.7 (6.2) | 23.3 (7.4) | 90.7 (13.6) | 21.9 (6.6) | 7.4 (3.8) | 46.2 (12.0) | ||||||
| Any level of disability | 127 (52.3%) | 20.4 (6.5) | 0.02 | 21.0 (7.9) | 0.012 | 86.1 (13.8) | 0.01 | 19.8 (7.8) | 0.021 | 10.2 (3.8) | <0.001 | 51.3 (10.4) | <0.001 |
| t | −2.064 | 2.277 | 2.353 | 2.048 | −4.797 | −3.141 | |||||||
| Cohen’s d | −0.277 | 0.307 | 0.332 | 0.288 | −0.731 | −0.449 | |||||||
| Diagnosed Mental Health Conditions E | |||||||||||||
| Anxiety | 40 (16.0%) | 23.2 (6.0) | <0.001 | 16.6 (7.5) | <0.001 | 81.2 (13.6) | <0.001 | 16.3 (8.4) | <0.001 | 10.3 (3.1) | 0.034 | 54.7 (7.2) | <0.001 |
| t | −3.767 | 4.904 | 3.316 | 3.907 | −1.836 | −3.166 | |||||||
| Cohen’s d | 0.693 | 0.893 | 0.631 | 0.753 | −0.411 | −0.620 | |||||||
| Depression | 41 (16.4%) | 24.5 (6.5) | <0.001 | 15.6 (7.6) | <0.001 | 77.9 (13.1) | <0.001 | 15.2 (6.9) | <0.001 | 10.8 (3.8) | 0.007 | 56.5 (6.1) | <0.001 |
| t | −5.405 | 6.067 | 5.031 | 5.050 | −2.504 | −4.202 | |||||||
| Cohen’s d | −0.973 | 1.0 | 0.957 | 0.961 | −0.541 | −0.823 | |||||||
| On Disease Modifying Therapy | |||||||||||||
| Yes | 203 (83.2%) | 20.0 (6.2) | 21.8 (7.4) | 88.2 (14.2) | 20.7 (7.3) | 9.0 (4.2) | 49.0 (11.4) | ||||||
| No | 41 (16.8%) | 19.5 (6.5) | 0.652 | 23.6 (9.2) | 0.09 | 89.0 (12.0) | 0.754 | 21.0 (7.3) | 0.822 | 8.7 (3.3) | 0.757 | 48.0 (11.8) | 0.602 |
| t | 0.452 | 1.329 | 0.314 | 0.225 | −0.310 | −0.461 | |||||||
| Cohen’s d | 0.081 | 0.240 | 0.058 | 0.042 | −0.066 | −0.089 | |||||||
| Experiencing MS symptoms last week F | |||||||||||||
| Yes | 210 (86.1%) | 20.0 (6.3) | 21.9 (7.9) | 87.7 (13.6) | 20.3 (7.3) | 9.4 (4.0) | 50.4 (10.2) | ||||||
| No | 34 (13.9%) | 16.5 (6.6) | 0.006 | 22.9 (6.9) | 0.29 | 92.8 (14.7) | 0.041 | 24.2 (5.9) | 0.005 | 6.2 (3.1) | <0.001 | 38.5 (14.5) | <0.001 |
| t | −2.773 | 0.553 | 1.752 | 2.571 | −3.734 | −5.148 | |||||||
| Cohen’s d | −0.560 | 0.114 | 0.374 | 0.540 | −0.821 | −1.102 | |||||||
| Have seen a therapist post-diagnosis | |||||||||||||
| Yes | 112 (46.3%) | 20.8 (6.1) | 20.7 (7.2) | 86.1 (14.5) | 20.0 (7.2) | 9.5 (3.9) | 52.1 (9.5) | ||||||
| No | 130 (53.7%) | 18.6 (6.4) | 0.005 | 23.3 (8.1) | 0.006 | 90.2 (13.1) | 0.021 | 21.4 (7.3) | 0.081 | 8.5 (4.1) | 0.075 | 46.4 (12.3) | <0.001 |
| t | −2.571 | 2.530 | 2.049 | 1.400 | −1.612 | −3.551 | |||||||
| Cohen’s d | −0.347 | 0.343 | 0.290 | 0.198 | −0.246 | −0.511 | |||||||
| Have participated in MS group support | |||||||||||||
| Yes | 54 (77.9%) | 20.1 (6.4) | 20.4 (8.5) | 85.3 (14.0) | 19.6 (7.0) | 10.0 (3.7) | 48.9 (12.4) | ||||||
| No | 190 (22.1%) | 19.5 (6.4) | 0.523 | 22.5 (7.5) | 0.05 | 89.1 (13.7) | 0.057 | 21.1 (8.3) | 0.123 | 8.6 (4.1) | 0.029 | 48.8 (11.2) | 0.797 |
| t | −0.639 | 1.651 | 1.584 | 1.162 | −1.902 | −0.028 | |||||||
| Cohen’s d | −0.105 | 0.271 | 0.277 | 0.200 | −0.343 | −0.005 | |||||||
A Of 270 respondents, 259 met all four inclusion criteria: age above 18, residence in Israel, the ability to answer independently in Hebrew, and a confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Not all participants completed the whole questionnaire, but all separate scales received at least 196 valid responses. B Stress was quantified through the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Resilience through the Connor-Davidson 10-item Scale (CD-RISC-10), Well-being through the 18-Item Ryff’s Psychological Well-being, Satisfaction with Life through the 5-item Satisfaction with Life Scale, Sleep Quality through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Fatigue through the Fatigue Severity Scale (9-item). C The diagnoses included: hypercholesterolemia (32), autoimmune disorders (30), thyroid disorders (20), hypertension (16), diabetes (12), cancer (5), and fibromyalgia (4). Other diagnoses included: cardiovascular disease (3), psoriasis (3), epilepsy (3), COPD (1), tachycardia (1), osteoporosis (1), chronic migraines (1), anemia (1), Darier’s Disease (1), arthritis (1), and irritable bladder (1). D The perceived ability and disability levels were rated by the participants using the following descriptions (as translated from Hebrew): TABLE X. E In addition to depression and anxiety, 3 persons reported being diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and 2 people with borderline personality disorder. F The following list of symptoms was included, as examples of the most common MS symptoms: double vision; unintentional movement of the eyes; inability to focus one’s sight; temporary loss of sensation; heaviness or weakness unrelated to physical exertion; a sensation of tingling or “electric currents”; tics; extreme fatigue or inability to focus; nerve pain; migraines; unrelenting itching; an unusual sensation of hot or cold; dizziness; loss of coordination or balance; falls; bladder control issues; and digestive issues unrelated to a food allergy or sensitivity. The significant p-values are presented in bold.