Comparison of Coping Strategies with Stress and Self-Compassion in Women with and without Rheumatoid Arthritis

The purpose of the present study was to compare strategies for coping with stress and self-compassion in women with and without rheumatoid arthritis. The method of this study was descriptive and causal-comparative. The statistical population of this study was all women with rheumatoid arthritis in Ardabil city in 2018. 80 women with rheumatoid arthritis and 74 women without rheumatoid arthritis were selected through available sampling. Were. Billings & Mouse (1981) and Self-Compassion (2003) were used to collect data. Research data were also analyzed using a multivariate analysis of variance. Findings from the analysis of research data showed that women with rheumatoid arthritis used cognitive and behavioral coping and compassionate behavior less than normal women and more avoidant coping (p<0.001). Given that there are fewer strategies for coping with stress and self-compassion in women with rheumatoid arthritis, these variables can play an important role in preventing the exacerbation and relapse of rheumatoid arthritis pain. Therefore, the specialists and psychologists in this field need to pay more attention to the psychological aspects of the disease.