INFLUENCING FACTOR OF SELF-CONCEALMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Main Article Content
Keywords
Pain, punishing, self-concealment, psychological well-being, social support, Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Abstract
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, in which patients suffer from chronic and excruciating pain. Pain is considered a factor that leads towards a compromised quality of life among sufferers. Considering the prevalent cases of RA, the current research explored the impact of self -concealment and social support on the quality of life of patients with RA.
Method: Cross-sectional research using correlational design was used in the present study. The research employed N=150 patients suffering from RA. The scales used in this research included the West Haven Multidimensional Pain Inventory Scale (WHYMPI-Kerns et al., 1985), Self-Concealment Scale (SCS-Larson & Chastain, 1990), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS-Zimet, 1988), and World Health Organization-Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF WHO, 2004). The analyses employed to compute results included descriptive statistics, Pearson product moment correlation, and linear regression performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
Results: Results showed a significant relationship between self-concealment, social support, and quality of life. Self-concealment had an inverse relationship with social support and quality of life. Social support significantly predicted pain among the RA patients with 21% of variance in pain.
Conclusion: The study concluded that social support is a protective factor against pain as evident presently. The findings are supported by the collectivistic culture of Pakistan that encourages social support and can have significant implications for the psychological management of chronic pain by encouraging and educating the social support resources available to patients of RA.
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Uzma ILYAS
Principal Lecturer, Psychology Department, University of Central Punjab, Lahore
Khurram AWAN
Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Lahore Garrison University, DHA, Lahore
Amber BASEER
Lecturer, Psychology Department, University of Central Punjab, Lahore
Muhammad Suleman SHAKOOR
Bio-statistician, Pakistan Institute of Learning and Living
Dr. Sidra AFZAL
Assistant Professor, University of Sunderland, UK
DR. NEELOFAR REHMAN
Associate Professor, La Trobe University, Australia