By Laurie Dempsey, B.A.
An Undergraduate Honors Thesis Defended 2009
The objectives of this study were to identify the most important predictors of self-perceived burden and to examine the role of self-perceived burden in mediating the association of functional impairment with symptoms of depression in individuals with chronic movement disorders. One hundred fourteen individuals with chronic movement disorders completed paper-and-pencil measures of psychological distress, functional impairment, and perceived burden. Mediation regression analyses supported self-perceived burden as mediating the association of functional impairment with depressive symptoms. Findings highlight self-perceived burden as a critical factor relative to individual's adaptation to chronic illness. Future research should investigate risk and protective factors of perceived burden, as well as its role in interpersonal relationships.