Stress and depression symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis: the mediating role of the loss of social functioning.

OBJECTIVE: Depression symptoms are very frequent in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and have been associated with several quality of life indicators, especially physical and social functioning. The objectives were as follows: (i) to analyse the extent to which the loss of physical and social functioning may explain the depression symptoms observed in 65 Spanish patients diagnosed with MS; and (ii) to analyse the degree to which loss of social functioning may act as a mediator between depression symptoms and the stress associated with the disease.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants were 65 Spanish patients diagnosed with MS and recruited from several MS centres and foundations.
RESULTS: The loss of social functioning had greater explanatory power as regards depression symptoms than did the loss of physical functions. Social functioning was also found to have an important mediating effect between MS stress and depression symptoms: specifically, more than half (52%) of the relationship between MS stress and depression symptoms was mediated by the perceived loss of social functions in Spanish patients with MS.
CONCLUSION: The importance of social functioning for Spanish patients with MS may have noteworthy implications when designing prevention and treatment programmes aimed at improving their quality of life.