Coping with Huntington's Disease in Patients and At-Risk Individuals

Background: Huntington's disease (HD) presents patients and individuals at risk for HD with significant levels of stress. However, relatively little research has examined how individuals cope with stress related to the disease or the association of specific coping strategies with psychological symptoms. Objective: This study examined the ways in which HD patients and at-risk individuals cope with HD-related stress using a control-based model of coping and the association of coping strategies with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Methods: HD patients (n = 49) and at-risk individuals (n =76) completed the Responses to Stress Questionnaire - Huntington's Disease Version to assess coping strategies in response to HD-related stress, as well as standardized measures of depression and anxiety symptoms. Patient health records were accessed to obtain information related to disease characteristics. Results: Patients and at-risk individuals reported using comparable levels of primary control coping, secondary control coping, and disengagement coping strategies. In linear regression analyses, only secondary control coping was significantly associated with lower depression (9 = -0.62, p <0.001) and anxiety (9 = -0.59, p <0.001) symptoms in patients and at-risk individuals (9 = -0.55, p <0.001 and 9 = -0.50, p <0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Secondary control coping may be beneficial for both HD patients and at-risk individuals. Future research using the control-based model of coping in longitudinal studies with the HD population is needed, and future interventions could test the effects of cognitive reframing and acceptance as coping strategies for families affected by HD.