Objective: This study examines how concepts from motivation and personality research contribute to understanding coping strategies in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Effective treatment requires a comprehensive approach that considers not only physical symptoms but also emotional, cognitive, and social factors. Although neither a definitive cure nor a fully comprehensive explanatory model for PD exists, scientific efforts have increasingly shifted toward prevention and strategies for managing the disease to influence its progression (Fahn, 2018).

Method: In this case report, we applied the diagnostic tools of the Personality Systems Interactions Theory (PSI, Kuhl, 2001) to explore three key psychological functions: decisiveness (the ability to act on complex intentions), self-growth (learning from adversity), and motive congruence (pursuing goals that align with intrinsic needs). Their effectiveness is influenced by subtle fluctuations in affect, making emotional self-regulation a crucial factor in psychological resilience and the ability to cope with PD.

We recruited Patient A (male, 76) and Patient B (male, 68), both diagnosed with PD (stages 1–2 according to Hoehn & Yahr), who were willing to fill out the Evolvement-Oriented-Scanning (EOS) method (Kuhl & Henseler, 2017).

Results: Based on our findings, we explore personalized approaches for self-help and therapeutic interventions. The two case studies reveal different coping mechanisms. Patient A demonstrates a strong ability to regulate negative emotions (self-soothing) and align goals with intrinsic needs. Patient B, however, struggled with self-soothing, exhibited heightened self-inhibition, and experienced conflicting motives.

Conclusion: By applying PSI theory, this study provides a framework for understanding how emotional states, motivation, and volitional processes interact in PD. According to PSI theory, effective coping relies on the flexible coordination of cognitive macro-systems, facilitated by emotional regulation. Just as muscle rigidity and motor dysfunctions impair physical movement, rigid affective patterns can limit psychological adaptability and stability.

The insights from this study could inform future research aimed at refining coping strategies and optimizing therapeutic approaches for individuals with PD, promoting a more personalized and integrative model of patient care.

References: Fahn S. (2018). The 200-year journey of Parkinson disease: Reflecting on the past and looking towards the future. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, 46 Suppl 1, S1–S5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2017.07.020

Kuhl, J. (2001). Motivation und Persönlichkeit: Interaktionen psychischer Systeme [Motivation and personality: Architectures of mood and mind]. Hogrefe.

Kuhl, J., & Henseler, W. (2017). Entwicklungsorientiertes Scanning (EOS) [Development-oriented personality scanning]. In J. Erpenbeck, L. von Rosenstiel, S. Grote & W. Sauter (Eds.), Handbuch Kompetenzmessung: Erkennen, verstehen und bewerten von Kompetenzen in der betrieblichen und psychologischen Praxis (3rd ed., pp. 362–387). Schaeffer-Poeschel.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/coping-with-parkinsons-disease-through-the-lens-of-personality-systems-interactions-psi-theory-two-case-studies/