Dyadic Coping of NMOSD and MOGAD patients and their partners: a sociological and psychological examination of strategies (CoMMOnsense-Study)

Walz A, Tkachenko D, Hümmert MW, Schindler P, Bellmann-Strobl J, Paul F, Aktas O, Ringelstein M, Giglhuber K, Zappe C, Leypoldt F, Lüssi F, Ayzenberg I, Schwake C, Wallwitz U, Kretschmer JR, Bütow F, Angstwurm K, Husseini L, Häußler V, Then Bergh F, Haarmann A, Lehrieder D, Warnke C, Kümpfel T, Engels D, Zimmermann T, Trebst C, Albrecht P, Asseyer S, Bayas A, Bednarz N, Behnke S, Berthele A, Bittner S, Buttmann M, Dawin E, Dersch R, Duchow A, Etgen T, Finke C, Fischer K, Foerster M, Fousse M, Frank B, Freitag F, Gahlen A, Gass A, Gehrig J, Geis C, Goereci Y, Gold R, Gomes ABAGR, Graf J, Groppa S, Gutbrod J, Guthke K, Hastermann M, Hellwig K, Hemmer B, Herfurth M, Herwerth M, Hoffmann F, Hoffmann O, Hofstadt-Van Oy U, Ingenhoven K, Junghans J, Kaste M, Kern K, Kern P, Kermer P, Kleinschnitz C, Koehler W, Koerbel K, Kowarik M, Kraemer M, Krumbholz M, Kunzmann V, Kurka N, Ladopoulos T, Landwehr A, Langel S, Lauenstein AS, Laurent S, Lee DH, Liebetrau M, Lindenblatt G, Linker R, Lohmann L, Luedemann P, Maiworm M, Marziniak M, Mayer C, Meister S, Melms A, Mering Mv, Metz I, Meuth S, Naumann J, Nenkov M, Neuhaus O, Neziraj T, Niederschweiberer M, Niehaus S, Oertel FC, Otto C, Pache F, Pakeerathan T, Paryjas S, Pawlitzki M, Pepping S, Pfeuffer S, Pompsch M, Pretzsch RA, Proebstel AK, Protopapa M, Puhlmann HU, Pul R, Rauer S, Rehfeldt T, Retzlaff N, Riedlinger A, Rommer P, Rostasy K, Rothhammer V, Rueckriem L, Ruprecht K, Ruschil C, Saggau C, Schraad M, Schwab M, Schwarz P, Seipelt M, Sieb JP, Soloroza G, Sommer C, Stefanou A, Steinbrecher A, Stephanik H, Steuerwald V, Stoppe M, Stuerner K, Suesse M, Tarampanis A, Tauber S, Tsaktanis T, Tumani H, Wandinger KP, Weber MS, Weise J, Wickel J, Wiendl H, Winkelmann A, Wohlrab F, Yalachkov Y, Zettl U, Ziemann U, Zipp F (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Book Volume: 7

Article Number: e001193

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1136/bmjno-2025-001193

Abstract

Background Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated diseases (MOGAD) impose psychological burdens on patients. Chronic illnesses create challenges for both patients and their partners, who also play a crucial role in managing disease-related stress. Despite its relevance, little is known about the role of dyadic coping (DC) in these conditions. This study investigates DC in NMOSD and MOGAD, aiming to provide clinical recommendations. Methods The CoMMOnsense-Study is a cross-sectional, prospective study of 59 NMOSD and 50 MOGAD patients and their respective partners, recruited from 15 centres of the German Neuromyelitis Optica Study Group registry. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on DC, depression, anxiety and quality of relationship. Correlation analyses were performed to compare findings based on antibody status. Subsequently, multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify relevant predictors of DC. Results Patients with NMOSD and MOGAD demonstrated higher levels of depressive symptoms (NMOSD: p=0.007; MOGAD: p=0.023) and stress communication scores (NMOSD: p=0.022; MOGAD: p=0.013) than their partners. Negative coping was low across all subgroups (Stanine 1). Despite high DC and relationship quality, discrepancies were observed in the coping perceptions between partners. Conclusions Coping is highly shared within partnerships affected by NMOSD and MOGAD, while discrepancies in coping perceptions and protective buffering suggest the presence of unfavourable coping mechanisms. Reducing protective buffering and illness-related distortions shows potential areas for enhancing DC.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Katharinenhospital Stuttgart Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Münster Germany (DE) Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Jena Germany (DE) Kliniken Maria Hilf GmbH Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Essen Germany (DE) Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH) / Hannover Medical School Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Göttingen Germany (DE) Klinikum Bremen-Nord Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Regensburg Germany (DE) Städtisches Klinikum Görlitz Germany (DE) St. Josefs-Hospital Wiesbaden Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin Rostock Germany (DE) Schlosspark-Klinik Germany (DE) Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Leipzig Germany (DE) Technische Universität München (TUM) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Tübingen Germany (DE) Alfried Krupp Krankenhaus Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main (KGU) Germany (DE) Isar-Amper-Hospital Germany (DE) Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim gemeinnützige GmbH Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Köln Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) Germany (DE) Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Germany (DE) Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg Germany (DE) Universität Leipzig Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Mannheim / University Medical Centre Mannheim (Universitätsmedizin Mannheim) Germany (DE) Klinikum rechts der Isar Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes (UKS) Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz Germany (DE) Kliniken Südostbayern AG Germany (DE) Knappschaftsklinikum Saar Germany (DE) Katholisches Klinikum Bochum (St. Josef- und St. Elisabeth-Hospital gGmbH) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Freiburg Germany (DE) Universität Regensburg Germany (DE) Krankenhaus Martha-Maria Halle-Dölau Germany (DE) Klinikum der Universität München (LMU Klinikum) Germany (DE) Nordwest-Krankenhaus Sanderbusch Germany (DE) Klinikum Westfalen Germany (DE) Asklepios Kliniken Germany (DE) Universitätsspital Basel Switzerland (CH) Universitätsspital Zürich (USZ) Switzerland (CH) Agaplesion Ev. Bathildiskrankenhaus Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin Greifswald / Universitätsklinikum Greifswald Germany (DE) Landeskrankenhaus (AöR) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg A.ö.R. Germany (DE) HELIOS Kliniken Germany (DE) Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Klinikum Germany (DE) Vestische Caritas-Kliniken GmbH Germany (DE) Universität Wien / University of Vienna Austria (AT) Universitätsklinikum Brandenburg an der Havel Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg (UKGM) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Aachen (UKA) Germany (DE) MediClin Hedon Klinik Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Ulm Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Walz, A., Tkachenko, D., Hümmert, M.W., Schindler, P., Bellmann-Strobl, J., Paul, F.,... Zipp, F. (2025). Dyadic Coping of NMOSD and MOGAD patients and their partners: a sociological and psychological examination of strategies (CoMMOnsense-Study). BMJ Neurology Open, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjno-2025-001193

MLA:

Walz, Anna, et al. "Dyadic Coping of NMOSD and MOGAD patients and their partners: a sociological and psychological examination of strategies (CoMMOnsense-Study)." BMJ Neurology Open 7.2 (2025).

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