Final published version
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The association between body image and psychological outcomes in multiple sclerosis
T2 - A systematic review
AU - McCormack, Derval
AU - O'Keeffe, Fiadhnait
AU - Seery, Christina
AU - Eccles, Fiona
PY - 2025/1/31
Y1 - 2025/1/31
N2 - BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating autoimmune condition, in which body image may be altered due to a range of biopsychosocial factors. The aim of this review was to examine whether there is a relationship between body image and psychological outcomes in MS, in order to guide clinical intervention development.MethodsPsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL and Scopus databases were searched systematically in November 2023 for eligible studies, using terms relating to MS and body image. Quantitative studies, published in English, that examined the relationship between body image and psychological outcomes in adults with MS were included. The QualSyst tool was used to assess risk of bias across studies. Screening and quality appraisal was verified by the third author. A narrative synthesis was used to report patterns in findings.ResultsThirteen studies (ten cross-sectional and three intervention studies) met inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. The sample size across all included studies totalled 1533. The results suggested that positive body image was associated with improved mood, lower anxiety, increased self-esteem, and better quality of life. However, the causal nature of these relationships was unclear.ConclusionThe findings offer preliminary evidence to suggest that a more negative body image is associated with higher levels of psychological distress in MS, indicating that body image may be a target for intervention. Further research is necessary to provide a greater understanding of this association, and to inform future clinical practice.
AB - BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating autoimmune condition, in which body image may be altered due to a range of biopsychosocial factors. The aim of this review was to examine whether there is a relationship between body image and psychological outcomes in MS, in order to guide clinical intervention development.MethodsPsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL and Scopus databases were searched systematically in November 2023 for eligible studies, using terms relating to MS and body image. Quantitative studies, published in English, that examined the relationship between body image and psychological outcomes in adults with MS were included. The QualSyst tool was used to assess risk of bias across studies. Screening and quality appraisal was verified by the third author. A narrative synthesis was used to report patterns in findings.ResultsThirteen studies (ten cross-sectional and three intervention studies) met inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. The sample size across all included studies totalled 1533. The results suggested that positive body image was associated with improved mood, lower anxiety, increased self-esteem, and better quality of life. However, the causal nature of these relationships was unclear.ConclusionThe findings offer preliminary evidence to suggest that a more negative body image is associated with higher levels of psychological distress in MS, indicating that body image may be a target for intervention. Further research is necessary to provide a greater understanding of this association, and to inform future clinical practice.
U2 - 10.1016/j.msard.2024.106226
DO - 10.1016/j.msard.2024.106226
M3 - Journal article
VL - 93
JO - Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
JF - Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
SN - 2211-0348
M1 - 106226
ER -