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The Effect of Telephone-Administered Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy on Quality of Life among Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Past research has found that a variety of physical, psychological, and social factors can affect quality of life (QOL). These previous findings suggest that interventions that address these factors could potentially improve QOL.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can improve QOL, and if so, explore which factors might mediate this effect.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. One hundred twenty-seven participants with multiple sclerosis and depression were randomly assigned to either a telephone-administered CBT (T-CBT) or telephone-administered supportive emotion-focused therapy (T-SEFT) intervention.

Results

Patients assigned to T-CBT showed significantly greater improvements in QOL compared with those assigned to T-SEFT. The greater improvement in QOL among T-CBT recipients was mediated by improvements in depression and positive affect. There was also inconsistent support for the superior effect of CBT on QOL being mediated by improvement in fatigue.

Conclusions

T-CBT provided greater QOL benefits compared with T-SEFT, which controlled for non-specific treatment components. This study further suggests that T-CBT procedures specific to the management of depression and positive affect were uniquely useful in improving QOL.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by research grants R01-MH059708 and R01-HD043323 from the National Institutes of Health to David C. Mohr, Ph.D.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors do not have any conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Center for the Management of Complex Chronic Care, 5000 S. 5th Ave, Hines, IL, 60141, USA

    David Cosio Ph.D. & David C. Mohr Ph.D.

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 N. Lakeshore Drive, Suite 1220, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Ling Jin M.S, Juned Siddique Dr.P.H. & David C. Mohr Ph.D.

Authors
  1. David Cosio Ph.D.
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  2. Ling Jin M.S
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  3. Juned Siddique Dr.P.H.
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  4. David C. Mohr Ph.D.
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Correspondence to David C. Mohr Ph.D..

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Cosio, D., Jin, L., Siddique, J. et al. The Effect of Telephone-Administered Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy on Quality of Life among Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. ann. behav. med. 41, 227–234 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9236-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9236-y

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