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Journal of Health Psychology
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Making Sense of Illness or Disability

The Nature of Sense Making in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Kenneth I. Pakenham

University of Queensland, Australia, kenp{at}psy.uq.edu.au

This study investigated sense making in multiple sclerosis (MS) and relations with illness, religious-spiritual beliefs and adjustment (life satisfaction, positive states of mind, depression, anxiety). Four hundred and eight persons with MS completed a questionnaire. Half the sample generated sense making explanations for their illness. Content analyses revealed 16 sense making themes. Participants who reported having a religious-spiritual belief were more likely to report sense making than those who did not have such a belief. Sense making was related to lower disability and disease severity and evidenced beneficial direct effects on positive adjustment outcomes and depression after controlling for illness and religious-spiritual belief.

Key Words: adjustment • multiple-sclerosis • meaning • quality of life • sense making

Journal of Health Psychology, Vol. 13, No. 1, 93-105 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1359105307084315
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[Abstract] [PDF]