Effect of self - care program on the level of applying comparative methods on multiple sclerosis patients

Considering chronic nature of multiple sclerosis (MS), it is necessary to utilize appropriate methods in order to improve coping in MS patients. So, this study was conducted on patients with MS supported by the Iranian MS Society in 2001 for determining the effect of self - care program on their Applying coping mechanism. In this semi - experimental study 34 patients with MS who were not in the acute phase of disease were selected. The data was collected via personal questionnaires, problem list, jalowice standard coping scale and self- report check lists. The validity of jalowice coping scale was approved in Iran and the Reability of questionaires was then approved using a pilot study on the first 10 samples revealing a high correlation coefficient (r=0.87). self - care program (self – care for muscular spasm, fatigue, constipation and amnesia and…) was educated, then self - care program was performed for one month period and the data was analyzed using paired t- test, wilcoxon, croscal - wallis and manwithney tests. Application of self - care program reduced applying affective - focused coping and reduced some symptoms such as muscular spasm, fatigue, constipation and amnesia in MS patients. The, mean valve of affective - focused coping reduced from 81/61 before performing the program to 64 after the program (p<0.05) Self-care program can be an effective method for reducing applying affective - focused coping of MS patients.