Department of Psychology, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.
Psychol Health. 2010 Jun;25(5):617-32. doi: 10.1080/08870440902721818.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease, which can lead to considerable psychological distress. The present study evaluated anxiety and depression symptoms for this chronic and painful illness within the framework of the conservation of resources (COR) theory. Coping strategies, coping self-efficacy, religiousness and social support are very important personal resources, which have been found to protect individuals from psychological distress. The aim of the present study was to examine the predictive values of socio-demographic and illness-related variables, perceived social support, ways of coping, religiousness, arthritis self-efficacy and resource loss for psychological distress in a sample of 117 RA patients from Turkey, a secular, Islamic, non-western developing country. The results revealed that RA patients experience considerable anxiety and depressive symptoms. The results of the regression analysis showed that gender, helplessness coping and resource loss are significant predictors of anxiety, whereas arthritis self-efficacy and resource loss are significant predictors of depression. Resource loss appeared as an important predictor for both anxiety and depression. This finding was consistent with the COR theory. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
类风湿关节炎（RA）是一种慢性疾病，可导致相当大的心理困扰。本研究在资源保存（COR）理论框架内评估了这种慢性和痛苦疾病的焦虑和抑郁症状。应对策略、应对自我效能、宗教信仰和社会支持是非常重要的个人资源，它们被发现可以保护个人免受心理困扰。本研究的目的是检验社会人口学和疾病相关变量、感知社会支持、应对方式、宗教信仰、关节炎自我效能和资源损失对来自土耳其的 117 名 RA 患者心理困扰的预测价值，土耳其是一个世俗的、伊斯兰的、非西方的发展中国家。结果表明，RA 患者经历了相当大的焦虑和抑郁症状。回归分析的结果表明，性别、无助应对和资源损失是焦虑的显著预测因素，而关节炎自我效能和资源损失是抑郁的显著预测因素。资源损失似乎是焦虑和抑郁的一个重要预测因素。这一发现与 COR 理论一致。讨论了这些发现的临床意义。
