Lancaster Katie, Thomson Sarah J, Chiaravalloti Nancy D, Genova Helen M
Kessler Foundation; West Orange, NJ, USA; Rutgers NJ Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Newark, NJ, USA.
Boston University; Boston, MA, USA.
Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022 Apr;60:103643. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103643. Epub 2022 Jan 30.
Over a third of people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) struggle with poor mental health, which exacerbates physical symptoms and complicates clinical treatment. To address this, we tested the efficacy of an interpersonal emotion regulation intervention: this intervention seeks to improve mental health by teaching participants to use emotion regulation strategies which leverage social support (e.g., reaching out to others for comfort when experiencing a stressful event).
Nineteen PwMS completed this prospective, blinded randomized controlled trial (intervention n = 10; control n = 9). Intervention participants met with an interventionist over six weeks to discuss their emotional challenges and develop goals to use interpersonal emotion regulation strategies. Participants in the control condition met with the interventionist on the same schedule but their emotion regulation strategies were only measured and not manipulated. Pre-registered primary outcomes were self-reported depression, stress, and quality of life (QoL). The pre-registered secondary outcome was self-reported social support.
Intervention participants' depression scores improved from time 1 to time 2 (mean difference=3.60, 95% CI [0.44-6.76]), yet remained unchanged for the control group (mean difference=-1.67, 95% CI [-5.00-1.67], overall interaction, F(1,17)=5.84, p=.027, η=.256). The remaining primary (stress and QoL) and secondary (social support) outcomes did not show a significant effect of the intervention (stress: p=.601, η=.016; QoL: p=.179, η=.104; social support: p=.140, η=.124).
Interpersonal emotion regulation is beneficial in improving depression in PwMS. Consequently, these strategies can be implemented in conjunction with existing mental health treatments in a holistic approach to improving well-being.
超过三分之一的多发性硬化症患者（PwMS）存在心理健康问题，这会加剧身体症状并使临床治疗复杂化。为了解决这一问题，我们测试了一种人际情绪调节干预措施的效果：该干预措施旨在通过教导参与者使用利用社会支持的情绪调节策略（例如，在经历压力事件时向他人寻求安慰）来改善心理健康。
19名PwMS完成了这项前瞻性、双盲随机对照试验（干预组n = 10；对照组n = 9）。干预组参与者在六周内与一名干预者会面，讨论他们的情绪挑战，并制定使用人际情绪调节策略的目标。对照组参与者按照相同的时间表与干预者会面，但他们的情绪调节策略仅被测量而未被操纵。预先登记的主要结局指标是自我报告的抑郁、压力和生活质量（QoL）。预先登记的次要结局指标是自我报告的社会支持。
干预组参与者的抑郁得分从时间1到时间2有所改善（平均差异 = 3.60，95%置信区间[0.44 - 6.76]），而对照组保持不变（平均差异 = -1.67，95%置信区间[-5.00 - 1.67]，总体交互作用，F(1,17)=5.84，p = 0.027，η = 0.256）。其余主要结局指标（压力和QoL）和次要结局指标（社会支持）未显示出干预的显著效果（压力：p = 0.601，η = 0.016；QoL：p = 0.179，η = 0.104；社会支持：p = 0.140，η = 0.124）。
人际情绪调节有助于改善PwMS患者的抑郁症状。因此，这些策略可以与现有的心理健康治疗方法结合实施，以全面改善患者的幸福感。
