Social Identity in People with Multiple Sclerosis: An Examination of Family Identity and Mood.

Background: Mood disorders are highly prevalent in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). MS causes changes to a person's sense of self. The Social Identity Model of Identity Change posits that group membership can have a positive effect on mood during identity change. The family is a social group implicated in adjustment to MS. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether family identity can predict mood in people with MS and to test whether this prediction was mediated by social support and connectedness to others.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey of 195 participants comprised measures of family identity, family social support, connectedness to others, and mood.

Results: Family identity predicted mood both directly and indirectly through parallel mediators of family social support and connectedness to others.

Conclusions: Family identity predicted mood as posited by the Social Identity Model of Identity Change. Involving the family in adjustment to MS could reduce low mood.