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Maryam Shahmoradi Pilehrood; Majid Zarghamhajebi; Malek Mirhashemi
Abstract
Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a common and chronic disease of the central nervous system that leads to the destruction of neuron myelin, causing disturbances in movement, speech, memory, and other bodily functions. The exact cause of this disease is still unknown, but genetic and environmental ...
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Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a common and chronic disease of the central nervous system that leads to the destruction of neuron myelin, causing disturbances in movement, speech, memory, and other bodily functions. The exact cause of this disease is still unknown, but genetic and environmental factors play a role in its development. MS is three times more common in women than men and typically occurs between the ages of 20 and 50. The progression of the disease is unpredictable, and it can either progress rapidly or in periodic episodes. Patients with MS face anxiety and uncertainty about their future. A negative orientation towards problems, especially in the face of stress caused by the disease, leads to a reduced ability to solve problems and increased worry among patients. This study examines psychological tools, particularly the Negative Problem Orientation questionnaire, in MS patients, with the aim of validating the Persian version of this questionnaire. Method: This study was a descriptive correlational research conducted on 350 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who visited various centers in Tehran in 2022. The patients were categorized based on the duration of their illness (ranging from less than 5 years to over 20 years). The tools used included the Ambiguity Tolerance Scale and the Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire, which were translated into Persian using the back-translation method. Data analysis was performed through confirmatory factor analysis using various model fit indices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the Persian version of the Negative Problem Orientation Questionnaire in MS patients. Results: The results of the confirmatory factor analysis empirically supported the unidimensional structure of the Persian version of the Negative Problem Orientation Questionnaire in multiple sclerosis patients. Additionally, a significant positive correlation between negative problem orientation, cognitive avoidance, and ambiguity tolerance supported the construct validity of the questionnaire. The internal consistency of the questionnaire, measured by Cronbach's alpha, was found to be 0.945. This study analyzed the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Negative Problem Orientation Questionnaire in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The results confirmed the unidimensional structure of the questionnaire, supporting its construct validity. Significant positive correlations between negative problem orientation, ambiguity intolerance, and cognitive avoidance further supported the tool's validity. Additionally, the internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha) confirmed the tool’s reliability. Conclusion: The findings highlighted that MS patients' negative problem orientation is linked to higher levels of ambiguity intolerance and cognitive avoidance, which aligns with previous studies. Limitations included the lack of additional psychometric tests like convergent and divergent validity and the absence of gender-based analysis in the factor structure. Despite these, the study provided strong evidence for the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the questionnaire for assessing negative problem orientation in MS patients.
