Coping with Ankylosing Spondyltis

Background: The study focused on individuals with the chronic condition Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and addressed the following questions:What does it mean to live with this condition on a daily basis? What methods do people use to cope with the condition? Are these methods related to the individual’s general style of coping,or to the severity of symptoms? Can a brief coping-based intervention bring benefits to AS patients? The intervention tested her was based on Pennebaker’s emotional expression paradigmin which participants write about a stressful (experimental condition) or neutral (control) topic for 20 minutes on three consecutive days.Results: AS has negative impacts on many areas of life. In addition to the physical effects of the condition, AS was associated with changes to the individual’s working life, social life, personal relationships and mood. However, the majority of participants were also able to describe positive implications of their condition (e.g. a greater sense of meaning/purpose in life, new or stronger relationships, feelings of achievement). The methods participants used to cope with AS were influenced both by their general style of coping and by daily fluctuations in pain and mood. The emotional writing exercise was associated with significantly improved global health ratings at follow-up relative to controls.Conclusion: Although chronic conditions may be associated with negative changes in many areas of life, patients are often able to cite benefits. Emotional expression may aid in the process offinding meaning from adversity and lead to a more positive perception of the condition.