Stress, Coping, and Depression in Patients with Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship of coping strategies (adaptive & maladaptive) with stress and depression among functional neurological symptom disorder patients. A purposive sample of 250 patients (m=78; f=172), aged between 13-65 years (m.a=25.43years; sd= 11.94) was selected from four different hospitals of lahore. Data was collected by administering a demographic questionnaire, holmes and rahe stress scale (hrss), brief cope scale, and beck depression inventory (bdi-ii). Ex post facto research design was used. Data was analyzed by using pearson’s product moment coefficient of correlation and mediation analysis. Individual testing with one time approach to participants was employed. result indicated a significant relationship of coping strategies with stress and depression among fnsd patients. Findings revealed maladaptive coping strategies (avoidance, emotional focused, denial etc.) were positively correlated with stress and depression, whereas high stress and depression were correlated with less usage of adaptive strategies (problem focused, planning, humor, religious, etc.).