Volume : 13, Issue : 06, June – 2026
Title:
EXPLORING COMMON PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS: SINGLE CENTER SAUDI EXPERIENCE
Running Title: Psychological symptoms in multiple sclerosis
Authors :
Tajeldinn Adam A. Ibrahim, Naif Edah Al Omiri
Abstract :
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a destructive and incurable disease, mostly accompanied with disability; therefore, it demonstrates significant psychological symptoms that may impact seriously the socioeconomic status, autonomy, dignity and overall quality of life of the affected patients.
Objectives: To explore prevalence and associated factors of depression, anxiety and stress among patients with MS.
Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Neurology department, Al-Hada Armed Forces hospital, Taif city, Saudi Arabia. All patients diagnosed with MS for at least 6 months throughout the period between November, 2025 and January, 2026 and attended for follow-up were eligible for inclusion in the study. A questionnaire was used for data collection, which composed of two main parts. The first part included demographic and medical characteristics of the participants and the second part was the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to assess depression, anxiety and stress.
Results: A total of 84 patients with MS were included in the study. Almost two-thirds (54; 64.3%) were females. Their age at onset of the disease ranged between 14 and 56 years with a mean±SD of 30.8±9.5 years. Majority of them (65; 80.2%) had Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and only 11 (13.6%) had clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Duration of the disease ranged between one and 35 years with a mean±SD of 7.6±6.0 years. Severe depression was observed among 30 patints (35.7%) while severe anxiety was reported by 43 patients (51.2%). Severe stress was observed in 31 patients (36.9%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis (fixed model) revealed no significant determinants for the development of psychological problems among patients with MS; mostly due to relatively small sample size.
Conclusion: Psychological sysptoms of depression, anxiety and stress are common among patients with MS, with no difference between them as regards demographic and disease-related characteristics.
Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, depression, Anxiety, Stress, Psychological symptoms
Cite This Article:
Please cite this article in press Naif Edah Al Omiri et al., Exploring Common Psychological Symptoms In Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Single Center Saudi Experience, Indo Am. J. P. Sci, 2026; 13(06).
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