The Relationship Among Couple Relationship Quality, Physical Functioning, and Depression in Multiple Sclerosis Patients and Partners

Using Engel's biopsychosocial model and family systems theory, this study explored the associations between multiple sclerosis (MS) patient and partner reports of physical functioning, depression, and couple relationship quality. Fifty-four couples recruited from the MS society completed self-report questionnaires about couple relationship quality, demographic data, and physical functioning. In regression analyses, couple relationship quality positively related to MS patient physical functioning and depression negatively related to MS patient physical functioning. Both MS patient and partner reports of couple relationship quality negatively related to depression scores in partners. While MS patient reports of couple relationship quality negatively related to MS patient depressions scores, partner reports of couple relationship quality were not significantly related. Depression and couple relationship quality were associated with MS patient physical functioning. Couples with higher relationship quality may be better able to cope with the stresses of MS. Thus, clinicians and health care providers need to include partners in MS patient treatment. Further research is needed to better explain causality between MS patient physical functioning, depression, and couple relationship quality.