Psychological and physical predictors of illness intrusiveness in patients with multiple sclerosis

Physical disability as well as psychological factors may contribute to illness intrusiveness. The aim of this study was to determine if level of disability, anxiety, and depression predicted illness intrusiveness in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A second aim of this study was to determine if anxiety and depression moderated the impact of disability on illness intrusiveness. MS (N = 185) patients were recruited from a MS outpatient clinic that was part of a major medical center in New Jersey. Hierarchical linear regressions demonstrated that disability, anxiety, and depression each independently predicted illness intrusiveness. Anxiety and depression were not shown to moderate the impact of disability on illness intrusiveness. Implications of results from the first aim suggest that reducing psychological distress such as anxiety and depression may also reduce illness intrusiveness in patients with MS.