The relationship between body image and depression in women diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

Little is known about perceptions of body image in women diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). This descriptive correlational study was conducted to describe how women perceive their body image while living with RRMS, and to examine a potential relationship between body image and depression in women who have RRMS. A convenience sample of 30 women from a western Canadian multiple sclerosis (MS) clinic completed a demographic questionnaire, the Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire (BIQ), and the Beck Depression Inventory Short Form (BDI-SF). Body image and depression scores were highly correlated (r = 0.814, p = 0.01) indicating that a more positive body image was associated with less depression. The findings of this study suggest that there are important psychological aspects to which clinicians might need to attend when working with women who have RRMS. However, further research needs to be done in this area.