Fear of negative evaluation and social well-being in patients with multiple sclerosis: the moderating role of disease duration

Introduction: Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) can be accompanied by fear of negative evaluation (FNE). Emerging MS symptoms and FNE affect patients' health in dimensions including social well-being (SWB). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between FNE and SWB among Iranian patients with MS. In addition, the moderating role of disease duration on this relationship was examined. Methods: In this descriptive correlational study, 200 MS patients were recruited from two clinics in Qazvin, Iran, through convenience sampling. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Brief FNE Scale, and the SWB Questionnaire. Results: Mean scores for FNE and SWB were 35.12 ± 13.39 and 100.11 ± 9.81, respectively. We did not find a significant relationship between FNE and SWB (b = 0.092, P = 0.321). However, there was a statistically significant positive association between the duration of the disease and SWB (b = 0.928, P = 0.001). Moreover, there was a statistically significant interaction between the duration of the disease and FNE in predicting SWB (b = -0.025, P = 0.049). Conclusion: The study showed that the strength of the relationship between FNE and SWB depends on the disease duration. More specifically, FNE predicts well-being in patients with longer disease duration but not in patients with shorter disease duration.