With the strength to carry on.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Pulmonology
• Health Sciences

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presents significant psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, and reduced quality of life.
• While protective psychological factors aid disease adaptation, research in COPD populations remains limited.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sense of coherence (SOC), resilience, and social support as potential protective factors in COPD.
• To determine the association between these factors and reduced psychological symptoms and perceived disability.
• To identify key resources for improving coping mechanisms in COPD patients.

Main Methods:

• An online study surveyed 531 participants diagnosed with COPD.
• Validated questionnaires assessed sense of coherence (SOC), resilience, social support, anxiety and depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and disease-specific disability (COPD Disability Index).
• Regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between variables, controlling for confounders and disease severity.

Main Results:

• Sense of coherence (SOC) and resilience significantly predicted lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms in individuals with COPD.
• Both SOC and resilience were also associated with reduced disease-specific disability.
• Sense of coherence (SOC) demonstrated the strongest predictive power for anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Sense of coherence (SOC) and resilience are identified as valuable individual resources that facilitate adaptation to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• These psychological strengths can mitigate psychological distress and functional limitations associated with COPD.
• Interventions aimed at enhancing SOC and resilience may improve outcomes for individuals living with COPD.