THE ROLE OF HELPLESSNESS IN THE RESPONSE TO DISEASE-MODIFYING DRUGS IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

Fifty patients with rheumatoid arthritis participated in an assessment of their helplessness before and after a 3-month disease modifying dr ug trial. A multidimensional approach measuring helplessness was used, assessing cognitive, affective, and behavioral components. Both befor e and after the drug trial, helplessness indices accounted for a highl y significant amount of variation in self-reported pain and functional disability. Moreover, Time 1 helplessness predicted greater flare act ivity after the drug trial. Helplessness indices, however, did not cor relate with joint examination measures within time periods, nor did th ey predict change in these measures over the drug trial. The importanc e of the role of helplessness in subjective and objective measures of clinical status in persons undergoing drug therapy is discussed.