Longitudinal association between depressive symptoms and walking impairment in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Journal of Health Psychology: An Interdisciplinary, International Journal
Published online on May 18, 2015
Abstract
Worsening depressive symptoms and walking impairment are significant burdens in multiple sclerosis. We explored the reciprocal relationship between depressive symptoms and walking impairment in a cohort of 269 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis over 2 years. The data were examined using longitudinal panel analysis in Mplus. Baseline depressive symptoms predicted change in walking impairment at 1-year follow-up (path coefficient = .074), and change in walking impairment at 1-year follow-up predicted change in depressive symptoms at 2-year follow-up (path coefficient = .177). Our study provides preliminary evidence for initiation of a reciprocal relationship between depressive symptoms and walking impairment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.