Title
Coping with medically unexplained physical symptoms: The role of illness beliefs and behaviors
Author ORCID Identifier
Lisa McAndrew: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1350-8773
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2019
DOI
10.1007/s12529-019-09817-z
Abstract
Background: Medically unexplained syndromes (MUS) are both prevalent and disabling. While illness beliefs and behaviors are thought to maintain MUS-related disability, little is known about which specific behavioral responses to MUS are related to disability or the way in which beliefs and behaviors interact to impact functioning. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between illness beliefs and disability among patients with MUS, and assess the extent to which behaviors mediate this relationship. Methods: The study examined data from the baseline assessment of a multi-site randomized controlled trial (RCT). Participants were 248 veterans with MUS. Illness beliefs, behavioral responses to illness, and disability were assessed through self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed using mediation analysis. Results: Threat-related beliefs predicted greater disability through decreased activity and increased practical support seeking. Protective beliefs predicted less disability through reductions in all-or-nothing behavior and limiting behavior. Conclusions: These outcomes suggest that all-or-nothing behavior, limiting behavior, and practical support seeking are important in the perpetuation of disability among those with MUS. This has implications for improving MUS treatment by highlighting potential treatment targets.
Recommended Citation
McAndrew, Lisa M.; Sullivan, Nicole; Phillips, L. Alison; Pigeon, Wilfred R.; Quigley, Karen s.; Graff, Fiona; Litke, David R.; Helmer, Drew A.; and Rath, Joseph F., "Coping with medically unexplained physical symptoms: The role of illness beliefs and behaviors" (2019). Educational & Counseling Psychology Faculty Scholarship. 18.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/edpsych_fac_scholar/18
Included in
Clinical Psychology Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Health Psychology Commons, Pain Management Commons
Terms of Use
This article is made available under the Scholars Archive Terms of Use.
Comments
Publisher Acknowledgment:
This is the author's Accepted Manuscript. The version of record can be found here: Sullivan, N., Phillips, L.A., Pigeon, W.R., Quigley, K.S., Graff, F., Litke, D., Helmer, D.A., Rath, J.F., & McAndrew, L.M.* (2019). Coping with medically unexplained physical symptoms: The role of illness beliefs and behaviors. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 26. 665-672. http://doi: 10.1007/s12529-019-09817-z.