Outcomes of a Peer Support Program in Multiple Sclerosis in an Australian Community Cohort: A Prospective Study
Table 2
Change scores in subscales for measurement scales over time.
Scales
T1 baseline Md (IQR)
T2 6-week Md (IQR)
T3 12-month Md (IQR)
values
Effect size
T1-T2
T1–T3
T1-T2
T1–T3
DASS
Total (0–126)
24 (13 to 41)
16 (8 to 27.5)
22 (12 to 34.5)
−2.86*
−1.93
0.35
0.25
Depression (0–42)
10 (4 to 19)
4 (0 to 12)
7 (2 to 14)
−2.36*
−1.47
0.29
0.19
Anxiety (0–42)
4 (2 to 13)
4 (0 to 7)
4 (2 to 8)
−2.22*
−1.59
0.28
0.20
Stress (0–42)
12 (5 to 17)
6 (3 to 11)
10 (4 to 14)
−2.54*
−2.41*
0.32
0.31
MQOL#
Total (0–160)
91 (78.5 to 111)
94 (81 to 120.5)
96.5 (84.2 to 123.7)
−0.73
−1.06
0.09
0.14
Single-item scale (SIS) (0–10)
6 (4 to 8)
7 (5 to 8)
7 (5 to 8)
−2.07*
−2.30*
0.26
0.29
Physical well-being item (0–10)
6 (4 to 8)
6 (4.2 to 8)
7 (5 to 8)
−0.64
−1.16
0.08
0.15
Physical symptoms (0–30)
16 (10.5 to 19)
15 (10.5 to 19.5)
15 (8.5 to 21.7)
−0.35
−0.04
0.04
0.01
Psychological symptoms (0–40)
27 (22 to 37)
31 (24.5 to 36.8)
31 (26 to 38)
−1.20
−1.69
0.15
0.22
Existential well-being (0–60)
37 (30 to 43)
40 (31.8 to 48.5)
39.5 (30.2 to 49.5)
−0.64
−0.91
0.08
0.12
Support (0–20)
15 (11.5 to 17.5)
15 (11.5 to 17.5)
16 (12 to 18.7)
−0.88
−1.19
0.11
0.15
Brief COPE
Total (28–112)
63 (54.5 to 69.5)
64 (57.2 to 67)
64 (56.2 to 70)
−0.34
−0.18
0.04
0.02
Problem-focused coping strategies
Active coping (2–8)
6 (4.5 to 7)
7 (5 to 8)
6 (5 to 7.7)
−0.31
−0.25
0.04
0.03
Planning (2–8)
6 (4.5 to 7)
6 (5 to 7.7)
6 (5 to 7.7)
−0.52
−0.02
0.06
0.00
Positive reframing (2–8)
6 (4.5 to 7.5)
6 (5 to 7)
6 (4 to 7)
−0.33
−0.72
0.04
0.09
Acceptance (2–8)
6 (5.5 to 8)
6.5 (5.2 to 8)
6 (5 to 7)
−0.37
−0.84
0.05
0.11
Humour (2–8)
4 (3 to 6)
4 (3 to 7)
5 (4 to 6.7)
−0.56
−1.46
0.07
0.19
Religion (2–8)
3 (2 to 5.5)
4 (2 to 6)
3.5 (2 to 4.7)
−1.18
−0.06
0.15
0.01
Using emotional support (2–8)
5 (3 to 7)
5 (4 to 7)
5 (4 to 7)
−0.27
−1.09
0.03
0.14
Using instrumental support (2–8)
4 (3 to 7)
5 (4 to 7)
4.5 (4 to 6)
−0.29
−0.07
0.04
0.01
Emotion-focused coping strategies
Self-distraction (2–8)
5 (4 to 6)
5 (3.2 to 6)
5 (4 to 6)
−1.43
−1.30
0.18
0.17
Denial (2–8)
2 (2 to 3)
2 (2 to 3)
2 (2 to 3.7)
−0.29
−0.15
0.04
0.02
Venting (2–8)
3 (2 to 4)
3 (2 to 4)
4 (3 to 4)
−0.86
−0.02
0.11
0.00
Substance use (2–8)
2 (2 to 2)
2 (2 to 2)
2 (2 to 2)
−0.44
−0.18
0.05
0.02
Behavioural disengagement (2–8)
2 (2 to 3)
2 (2 to 4)
2 (2 to 3)
−0.79
−0.25
0.10
0.03
Self-blame (2–8)
2 (2 to 4.5)
2 (2 to 4)
3 (2 to 4)
−2.37*
−1.17
0.29
0.15
Correlation significant at 0.05 level (2-tailed).
#In scoring MQOL, data were transposed prior to data analysis where necessary (items 1–3 and 5–8), so that a score of “0” always indicated the least desirable and “10” the most desirable situation. For items 1–3, a transposed score of “10” is assigned when the symptom indicated is “none.” DASS: Depression Anxiety Stress Scale; IQR: interquartile range; Md: median; MQOL: McGill Quality of Life; : total number.
