Testing an uncertainty model for women with multiple sclerosis

This study sought to explain adaptation to the uncertainty of multiple sclerosis (MS) in women. A causal model, developed from the literature and from interviews with four women with MS, was tested on a sample of 90 women with MS. Successful adaptation was measured by self-esteem and mastery. The model accounted for 26% of the variance in mastery, with an empirical model accounting for a higher degree of variance (41%). Findings suggest that the negative impact of uncertainty in women with MS is significantly reduced by their spiritual and social relationships.