Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Quality of Life and Sense of Coherence in People with Arthritis

  • Published:
Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study investigated the physical and psychological impact of arthritis on people's quality of life. A range of variables were examined in a sample of 375 participants who comprised three groups: people with arthritis receiving a support-based service from the Arthritis Foundation of Victoria, people with arthritis receiving standard treatment, and a group of people from the general population. The results revealed that the two arthritis groups reported a significantly higher level of functional impairment, pain, and negative affectivity, and lowered mood, positive affect, and Sense of Coherence, compared to the general population group. They also reported normal levels of importance, but lower levels of satisfaction on various life domains. After statistically controlling for pain however, group differences were eliminated on all variables except for functional impairment and for all satisfaction domains except health. These data are interpreted as evidence that the combination of low domain satisfaction coupled with high domain importance yields a negative psychological state. This, then suggests the possibility of a therapy based on reducing the perceived importance of health.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Abbey, A., Abrams, D. J., & Caplan, R. D. (1985). Effects of different sources of social support and social conflict on emotional well–being. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 6, 111–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abbey, A., & Andrews, F. M. (1985). Modeling the psychological determinants of life quality. Social Indicators Research, 16, 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abraido–Lanza, A. F., Guier, C., & Revenson, T. A. (1996). Coping and social support resources among Latinas with arthritis. Arthritis Care and Research, 9, 501–508.

    Google Scholar 

  • Achterberg–Lawlis, J. (1992). The psychological dimensions of arthritis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical psychology, 50, 984–992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Affleck, G., Pfeiffer, C., Tennen, H., & Fifield, J. (1988). Social support and psychosocial adjustment to rheumatoid arthritis: Quantitative and qualitative findings. Arthritis Care and Research, 1, 71–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Affleck, G., Tennen, H., Pfeiffer, C., & Fifield, J. (1987). Appraisals of control and predictability in adapting to a chronic disease. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 273–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, K.O., Bradley, L. A., Young, L.D., & Wise, C.M. (1985). Rheumatoid arthritis: Review of psychological factors related to etiology, effects and treatment. Psychological Bulletin, 98, 358–387.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonovsky, A. (1979). Health, stress and coping. San Francisco: Jossey–Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonovsky, A. (1987). Unraveling the mystery of health. San Francisco: Jossey–Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonovsky, A. (1992). Can attitudes contribute to health? Advances, 8, 33–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonovsky, A. (1993). The structure and properties of the Sense of Coherence scale. Social Science and Medicine, 36, 725–733.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonovsky, A., & Sagy, S. (1986). The development of a sense of coherence and its impact on responses to stress situations. Journal of Social Psychology, 126, 213–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics. (1999). 1995 National Health Survey. Commonwealth of Australia.

  • Baker, G. H. (1982). Life events before the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 38, 173–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barlow, J., & Kirby, N. (1991). Residential satisfaction of persons with an intellectual disability living in an institution or in the community. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 17, 7–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brickman, P., Coates, D., & Janoff–Bulman, R. (1978). Lottery winners and accident victims: Is happiness relative? Journal of Personality and Social psychology, 36, 917–927.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, G. K., Nicassio, P. M., & Wallston, K. A. (1989). Social support and depression in rheumatoid arthritis: A one year prospective study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 19, 1164–1181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burckhardt, C. (1985). The impact of arthritis on quality of life. Nursing Research, 34, 11–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callahan, L. F., & Pincus, T. (1995). The sense of coherence scale in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care and Research, 8, 28–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carmel, S., & Bernstein, J. (1989). Trait–anxiety, sense of coherence and medical school stressors: Observations at three stages. Anxiety Research, 3, 51–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chamberlain, K., Petrie, K., & Azariah, R. (1992). The role of optimism and sense of coherence in predicting recovery following surgery. Psychology and Health, 7, 301–310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chamberlain, K., & Zika, S. (1992). Stability and change in subjective well–being over short time periods. Social Indicators Research, 26, 101–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (1995). On the trail of the gold standard for subjective well–being. Social Indicators Research, 35, 179–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R.A. (1996). The domains of life satisfaction:Anattempt to order chaos. Social Indicators Research, 38, 303–332.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (1997). The Comprehensive Quality of Life for Adults (ComQol–A5) (5th ed.). Melbourne: Deakin University, School of Psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R.A. (1999). Apsychometric evaluation of the Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale—Fifth Edition. In L. L. Yuan, B. Yuen, & C. Low (Eds.), Urban quality of life: Critical issues and options. Singapore: University of Singapore Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., McCabe, P., Gullone, E., & Romeo, Y. (1994). The Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale: Instrument development and psychometric evaluation on college staff and students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54, 372–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Vries, J., & Van Heck, G. L. (1994). The assessment of quality of life in refugees. In J. Orley & W. Kuyken (Eds.), Quality of life assessment: International perspectives (pp. 161–175). New York, London: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dowdy, S.W., Dwyer, K. A., Smith, C. A., & Wallston, K. A. (1996). Gender and psychological well–being of persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care and Research, 9, 449–456.

    Google Scholar 

  • Downe–Wamboldt, B. L., & Melanson, P. M. (1995). Emotions, coping and psychological well–being in elderly people with arthritis. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 17, 250–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earle, D. R., Perricone, P. J., Maultsby, D. M., Perricone, N., Turner, R. A., & Davis, J. (1979). Psychosocial adjustment of rheumatoid arthritis patients from two alternative treatment settings. Journal of Rheumatology, 6, 80–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elst, P., Sybesman, T., van der Stadt, R. J., Prins, A. P. A., Muller, W. H., & den Butter, A. (1984). Sexual problems in rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 27, 217–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felce, D., & Perry, J. (1995). Quality of life: Its definition and measurement. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 16, 51–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick, P., Newman, S., Lamb, R., & Shipley, M. (1988). Social relationships and psychological well–being in rheumatoid arthritis. Social Science and Medicine, 27, 399–403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flannery, R. B., & Flannery, G. J. (1990). Sense of coherence, life stress, and psychological distress: A prospective methodological inquiry. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 46, 415–420.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flannery, R. B., Perry, C. J., Penk, W. E., & Flannery, G. J. (1994). Validating Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 50, 575–577.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank, R.G., Beck, N. C., Parker, J. C., Kashani, J. H., Elliott, T. R., Haut, A. E., Smith, E., Atwood, C., Brownlee–Duffeck, M., & Kay, D. R. (1988). Depression in rheumatoid arthritis. The Journal of Rheumatology, 15, 920–925.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frenz, A.W., Carey, M. P., & Jorgensen, R. S. (1993). Psychometric evaluation of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale. Psychological Assessment, 5, 145–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher, T. J., Morton, W. O., Baro, F., & Haepers, K. (1994). Sense of coherence and caregiver role overload. Social Science and Medicine, 39, 1615–1622.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodenow, C., Reisine, S. T., & Grady, K. E. (1990). Quality of social support and associated social and psychological functioning in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Health Psychology, 9, 266–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawley, D. J., & Wolfe, F. (1988). Anxiety and depression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A prospective study in 400 patients. Journal of Rheumatology, 15, 923–941.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawley, D. J., Wolfe, F., & Cathey, M. A. (1992). The Sense of Coherence Questionnaire in patients with rheumatoid disorders. Journal of Rheumatology, 19, 1912–1918.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalimo, R., & Buori, J. (1990). Work and sense of coherence: Resources for competence and life satisfaction. Behavioural Medicine, 16, 76–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerns, R.D., Haythronthwaite, J., Southwick, S., & Giller, E. L., Jr. (1990). The role of marital interaction in chronic pain and depressivesymptomseverity. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 34, 401–408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korotkov, D. L. (1993). An assessment of the (Short–Form) sense of coherence personality measure: Issues of validity and wellbeing. Personality and Individual Differences, 14, 575–583.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraaimaat, F. W., Van Dam–Baggen, R. M. J., & Bijlsma, J. W. J. (1995). Association of social support and the spouse's reaction with psychological distress in male and female patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Rheumatology, 22, 644–648.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kravetz, S., Drory, Y., & Florian, V. (1993). Hardiness and sense of coherence and their relation to negative affect. European Journal of Personality, 7, 233–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krol, B., Sanderman, R., & Suurmeijer, T. B. B. M. (1993). Social support, rheumatoid arthritis and quality of life: Concepts, measurement and research. Patient Education and Counselling, 20, 101–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaBorde, J. J., & Powers, M. J. (1980). Satisfaction with life for patients undergoing hemodialysis and patients suffering from osteoarthritis. Research in Nursing and Health, 3, 19–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, V. A. (1985). Study factors associated with psychological well–being in rheumatoid arthritic women. Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 17, 50–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, V. A., Lambert, C. E., Klipple, G. L., & Mewshaw, E. (1989). Social support, hardiness and psychological well–being in women and arthritis. Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 21, 128–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsson, G., & Kallenberg, K. (1999). Dimensional analysis of sense of coherence using structural equation modelling. European Journal of Personality, 13(1), 51–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lerman, C. E. (1987). Rheumatoid arthritis: Psychological factors in the etiology, course and treatment. Clinical Psychology Review, 7, 413–425.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liang, M., Larso, M., Thompson, M., Eaton, H., McNamara, E., Katz, R., & Taylor, J. (1984). Costs and outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 27, 522–529.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manne, S. L., & Zautra, A. J. (1989). Spouse criticism and support: Their association with coping and psychological adjustment among women with rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 608–617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Margalit, M. (1985). Perception of parents' behaviour, familial satisfaction, and sense of coherence in hyperactive children. Journal of School Psychology, 23, 355–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meenan, R. F., Gertman, P. M., & Mason, J. H. (1980). Measuring health status in arthritis: The Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 23, 146–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meenan, R. F., Gertman, P. M., Mason, J. H., & Danaif, R. (1982). The Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales: Further investigations of a health status measure. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 25, 1048–1053.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meenan, R. F., Mason, J. H., Anderson, J. L., Guccione, A. A., & Kazis, L. E. (1992). AIMS 2: The content and properties of a revised and expanded Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales Questionnaire. Arthritis And Rheumatism, 35, 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meenan, R. F., Yelin, E. H., Nevitt, M., & Epstein, W.V. (1981). The impact of chronic disease: A sociomedical profile of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 24, 544–549.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muthny, F. A., Koch, U., & Stump, S. (1990). Quality of life in oncology patients. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, 54, 145–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman, S. P., Fitzpatrick, R., Lamb, R., & Shipley, M. (1989). The origins of depressed mood in rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Rheumatology, 16, 740–744.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, D. L., Morgan, M., & Charlton, J. R. H. (1986). Psychosocial support and change in the health status of physically disabled people. Social Science and Medicine, 22, 1347–1354.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pow, J. M. (1987). The role of psychological influence in rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 31, 223–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reisine, S. T., Goodenow, L., & Grady, E. I. (1987). The impact of rheumatoid arthritis on the homeless. Social Science and Medicine, 25, 89–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Revenson, T. A., Schiaffino, K. M., Majerovitz, D., & Gibofsky, A. (1991). Social support as a double–edged sword. The relation of positive and problematic support to a depression among rheumatoid arthritis patients. Social Science and Medicine, 33, 807–813.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryland, E., & Greenfield, S. (1991). Work stress and well–being: An investigation of Antonvsky's sense of coherence model. Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality, 6, 39–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sagy, S. S., & Antonovsky, A. (1990). Explaining life satisfaction in later life: The sense of coherence model and activity theory. Behaviour, Health, and Aging, 1, 11–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schultz, R., & Decker, S. (1985). Long–term adjustment to physical disability: The role of social support, perceived control, and self–blame. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 1162–1172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaul, M. (1995). Quality of life among older women with rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Women and Aging, 7, 101–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, C. A., Wallston, K. A., & Dwyer, K. A. (1995). On babies and bathwater: Disease impact and negative affectivity in the self–reports of persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Health Psychology, 14, 64–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, T.W., & Christensen, A. J. (1996). Positive and negative affect in rheumatoid arthritis: Increased specificity in the assessment of emotional adjustment. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 18, 75–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, M. J., Wallston, K. A., and Nicassio, P. M., & Castner, N. M. (1988). Correlates of a clinical classification schema for the Arthritis Helplessness subscale. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 31, 876–881.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stolar, E. G., MacEntee, M. I., & Hill, P. (1992). Seniors' assessment of their health and life satisfaction: The case for contextual evaluation. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 35, 305–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Lankveld, W., Naring, G., Van Der Staak, C., Van't Pad Bosch, P., & Van De Putte, L. (1993). Stress caused by rheumatoid arthritis: Relation among stressors of the disease, disease status, and well–being. Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 16, 309–321.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Lankveld, W., Van't Pad Bosch, P., Van De Putte, L., Naring, G., & Van Der Staak, C. (1994). Disease specific stressors in rheumatoid arthritis: Coping and well–being. British Journal of Rheumatology, 33, 1067–1073.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1063–1070.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinberger, M., Hiner, S. L., & Tierney, W. M. (1986). Improving functional status in arthritis:The effect of social support. Social Science and Medicine, 23, 899–904.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    D. Germano, R. Misajon & R. A. Cummins

Authors
  1. D. Germano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. Misajon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. A. Cummins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Germano, D., Misajon, R. & Cummins, R.A. Quality of Life and Sense of Coherence in People with Arthritis. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings 8, 253–261 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011964729100

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011964729100

Search

Navigation