Flexibility to Manage and Enhance Quality of Life among People with Motor Neurone Disease

Ando, Hikari and Cousins, Rosanna and Young, Carolyn A. (2020) Flexibility to Manage and Enhance Quality of Life among People with Motor Neurone Disease. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. ISSN 1748-3107 (Accepted for Publication)

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Abstract

Objectives: To identify influential factors for quality of life (QoL) among individuals with motor neurone disease (MND) and explore how regulatory flexibility and psychological flexibility may contribute towards maintaining and improving QoL.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 individuals with MND. Thematic analysis, using both inductive and deductive analyses, was employed to examine subjective QoL in view of previous understanding of QoL.

Results: Four factors were important for the QoL of participants: perceived illness prognosis, sense of self, concerns for significant others, and life to enjoy. These factors reflected psychological stress caused by MND, the participant’s value system, and their beliefs about life. Both regulatory flexibility and psychological flexibility were essential to maintain and enhance QoL. Often, regulatory flexibility was perceived among those employing a mindful approach, and psychological flexibility was found to involve savouring positive experiences.

Conclusions: People with MND reported that seeking ways to both maintain and enhance their QoL is crucial, and that this may be accomplished by increasing flexibility through mindfulness and savouring.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	quality of life; motor neurone disease; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; qualitative; positive psychology; savouring; flexibility; coping
Faculty / Department:	Faculty of Human and Digital Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User:	Rosanna Cousins
Date Deposited:	04 Nov 2020 11:15
Last Modified:	04 Nov 2020 11:15
URI:	https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/3171

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