Atieh Kaveh
Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disease. It is the result of damage caused by a substance called myelin. The main purpose of the present research is to compare five personality factors, locus of control and coping with stress in patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy people in Alborz Province. In the present research which was conducted via casual-comparative method, 191 patients with MS in Alborz province and 191 patients' caregivers were examined that they were matched in terms of age, gender, marital status and education level. Demographic questionnaire, NEO Five-Factor personality Inventory, Levenson's Locus of Control and Endler and Parker coping with stress questionnaires have been used as the instruments for the analysis. Results from the present research indicated that patients with MS differ from healthy people in NEO Five-Factor personality Inventory in two personality traits of neuroticism and responsibility and they differ from healthy people in locus of control in sub-scale of internal locus of control and chance. Further, these patients differ from healthy people in avoidance-coping strategy.