Affective disorders and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in adolescents and young adults with Multiple Sclerosis (MS): the moderating role of resilience.

Purpose: To investigate the moderating role of resilience in the relationship between affective disorders and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) for adolescents and young adults with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: A quantitative methodology was adopted. Fifty-three adolescents and young adults were interviewed to assess resilience as a personality trait (Ego-Resiliency Scale) and resilience as an interactive competence (CYRM-28), Health-Related Quality of Life (PedsQL 4.0), depression and anxiety (BDI-II and STAI-Y).

Results: Affective disorders, both depression (β = -.38, p < .001) and anxiety (State β = -.35, p < .001; Trait β = -.41, p < .001), were negatively associated with HRQoL. Data also showed that the resilience competencies using Individual (β = .22, p < .001) and relational resources (β = .12, p < .05) are significantly associated HRQoL. According to the regression analyses, we tested the moderating role of resilience competence using individual resources on the relationship between the Depression Cognitive Factor and Emotional Functioning. Data show that in step 2 of the regression analysis, we obtained a variation of β = -.45 (p < .001) to β = -.30 (p < .001) in the dimension for the Depression Cognitive Factor. The Sobel test showed that the moderating effect of resilience was significant regarding the increase in R (p < .01).

Conclusions: Resilience competence using individual resources moderates the relationship between the Depression Cognitive Factor and Emotional Functioning in adolescents with MS. Our study suggests that to improve well-being for adolescents with MS resilience could play a key role.