Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and hopelessness: psychosocial factors

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) Vol. 55; no. 12; pp. 2131 - 2140
• Main Authors: Plahuta, Janice M, McCulloch, B.Jan, Kasarskis, Edward J, Ross, Mark A, Walter, Rhoda A, McDonald, Evelyn R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2002; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Series: Social Science & Medicine
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - physiopathology; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Disease; Female; Goals; Health; Hopelessness; Humans; Illness; Internal-External Control; Locus of control; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Morale; Neurology; Patients; Perceptions; Pessimism; Philadelphia; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychosocial Factors; Purpose in life; Quality of Life; San Francisco; Social sciences; Social Support; Spirituality; Techniques and methods; Terminal Illness; U.S.A; United States; USA; USA Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Locus of control Hopelessness Purpose in life; Washington; United States; North America; America; San Francisco; Philadelphia; Washington; Purpose in life; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; USA; Locus of control; Hopelessness; Human; Nervous system diseases; Statistical analysis; Hopelessness Scale Beck; Questionnaire; Hope hopelessness; Exploration; Patient; Psychometrics; Psychosocial factor; Multiple regression; Social Support Questionnaire Sarason et al; Cross sectional study; Central nervous system disease; Purpose in Life Test Crumbaugh; Degenerative disease; Predictive factor; Spinal cord disease
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/S0277-9536(01)00356-2

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of psychosocial factors to the presence of hopelessness among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Secondary cross-sectional analyses were conducted with data collected from 136 ALS patients. Primary research questions were examined using hierarchical multiple regression procedures. Results showed that
health locus of control and
purpose in life were significant predictors of hopelessness among ALS patients. Other factors, including socioeconomic and demographic variables, variables measuring length and severity of illness, and additional psychosocial variables (social support satisfaction and degree to which spiritual beliefs help to cope with ALS) were not significant predictors of hopelessness. Results are discussed in light of the benefit to ALS patients of psychosocial interventions in disease management.