• Maciej Wilski, Piotr Kocur, Mirosław Górny, Magdalena Koper, Anna Nadolska, Bartosz Chmielewski, and Maciej Tomczak.
• Department of Adapted Physical Activity, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland. Electronic address: mwilski@wp.pl.
• J Pain Symptom Manage. 2019 Sep 1; 58 (3): 437-444.

ContextPatients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience many negative, seriously aggravating disease symptoms, and hence, research studies are utmost required to improve their coping with symptoms. Our research is an attempt to show ways to increase participation of patients with MS in the treatment and treatment planning process, as well as in managing the symptoms of the disease.ObjectivesTo examine the relationship between perception of MS impact and treatment efficacy beliefs in patients with MS and the extent to which self and illness appraisals can be regarded as mediator variables in this relationship.MethodsThe cross-sectional study included 278 MS patients who completed the Treatment Beliefs Scale, Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants were collected with a self-report survey.ResultsIllness perception and general self-efficacy mediated the relationship between perception of MS impact and treatment efficacy beliefs under the control of age and time from diagnosis. The standardized indirect effects for illness perception and general self-efficacy were -0.131 95% CI [-0.2029, -0.0739] and -0.086 95% CI [-0.1663, -0.0165], respectively.ConclusionOur results indicate that worse perception of physical condition in patients with MS is associated with more negative treatment efficacy beliefs, and that this association is mediated by self-efficacy and illness perception. To inhibit the increase of negative treatment efficacy beliefs, health care specialists can work on improving self-efficacy and illness appraisals.Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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