Multiple Sclerosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Multiple Sclerosis, including details on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, prognosis.

Postpartum emotional distress in mothers with multiple sclerosis.

Gulick EE, Kim S

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, College of Nursing, 180 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102, USA. gulick@nightengale.rutgers.edu

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS)-related symptoms and both received social support and perceived deficits in social support on emotional distress in mothers with MS at 1, 3, and 6 months postpartum. DESIGN: Longitudinal correlation descriptive study. SETTING: Community-residing women in North America. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of 174 postpartum mothers with MS. METHOD: Mothers completed the MS-Related Symptom Scale and Postpartum Support Questionnaire at 1, 3, and 6 months postpartum. Bivariate correlations and hierarchical regression analyses determined relationships between the dependent variable, emotional distress, and independent variables: participant characteristics, MS-related symptoms, and social support. RESULTS: The authors found moderately strong positive correlations between MS-related symptoms and emotional distress at each assessment. Significant negative correlations existed between received social support and emotional distress at 1 month but not at 3 and 6 months. Significant positive correlations existed between MS-related symptoms and social support deficits at each assessment. Explained variance in emotional distress across the three assessments ranged between 2% and 4% for participant characteristics, 49% and 60% for MS-related symptoms, 2% and 7% for social support, and 57% and 66% for total variance. CONCLUSION: MS-related symptoms created considerable emotional distress in mothers that was minimally alleviated by the support given them. In fact, many needed more support than they received.

Published 24 November 2004 in J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs, 33(6): 729-38.
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