Soheila Banifalebi - MSc in Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
Shahram Etemadifar - Assistant Professor, Community-oriented Nursing Midwifery Research Center, Department of Adult and Geriatric Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
Soleiman Kheiri - Professor of Biostatistics, Modeling in Health Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
Reza Masoudi - Associate Professor, Community-oriented Nursing Midwifery Research Center, Department of Adult and Geriatric Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

Background and aims: Caring for patients with multiple sclerosis causes family caregivers many problems and challenges. Self-managementinterventions can facilitate the caring process and increase the quality of patient care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate theeffect of a self-management program on Self-concept of the family caregivers of multiple sclerosis patients.Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in ۲۰۱۸ at the MS Treatment Center of Shahrekord. The samples were selectedthrough convenience sampling method. First, participants were assigned to two groups of men and women by stratified random sampling,and then men and women were assigned randomly to intervention (n=۳۵) and control (n=۳۵) groups. For the intervention group, the selfmanagementprogram was implemented twice a week in ۸ sessions. Data collection was performed using the Coopersmith self-conceptInventory in two groups before, immediately after, and three months after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS version ۱۶.۰.Results: The mean scores of self-concept in the intervention and control groups before the intervention were ۷۲.۶±۹.۱ and ۷۲±۱۰.۶,respectively. There was no significant difference between the mean score of self-concept between the intervention and control groupsbefore the intervention (P > ۰.۰۵). The mean scores of self-concept immediately after the intervention in the two groups were ۸۶.۴±۹.۲ and۷۳±۱۰.۶, and three months after the intervention, they were ۱۰۳±۷.۴ and ۷۳.۹±۱۰.۵, respectively. A significant increase in the scores ofself-concept in the intervention group (P<۰.۰۰۱) was observed. Moreover, the independent t test showed a significant difference in the twogroups immediately after and three months after the intervention (P<۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: Self-management program increased the self-concept of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients’ caregivers. Therefore, selfmanagementcan play a critical role in improving the quality of life of family caregivers and coping with the physical and psychologicalstress related to their caring role.

Multiple sclerosis, Caregivers, Self-management Plan, Self-concept