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Updated: Sep 25, 2026

Evaluation of Changes in Hydration and Body Cell Mass with Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis after Exercise Program for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Published on: July 14, 2023
Effect of valued activity disability, social comparisons, and satisfaction with ability on depressive symptoms in
Alyson Neugebauer1, Patricia P Katz, Lauri A Pasch
1Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Rosalind Russell Medical Research Center for Arthritis, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0920, USA.
Abstract:
This longitudinal study identified a model through which function affects the psychologicalwell-being of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Results of hierarchical linear regression analyses (N = 436) demonstrated that greater physical impairment resulted in greater disability in valued activities and engagement in unfavorable social comparisons. All 3 factors--greater physical impairment, greater disability in valued activities, and unfavorable comparison evaluations--predicted low satisfaction with abilities. Low satisfaction with abilities was the most important predictor of higher depressive symptoms and mediated the impact of physical impairment, valued activity disability, and unfavorable comparisons on depressive symptoms. Results highlight the role of personal meaning attached to changes in functional status in predicting the long-term psychological well-being of individuals with chronic illnesses such as RA.
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