Background and Aim Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease that can affect patients’ health‐promoting lifestyle and psychological well‐being and may also place substantial demands on family caregivers. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a family‐centered empowerment intervention based on the Family‐Centered Empowerment Model (FCEM) on health‐promoting lifestyle and psychological well‐being among patients with MS, with the active involvement of their primary family caregivers. Methods This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted from February to April 2025 at an MS clinic in Fars Province, southern Iran. It included 70 patient‐caregiver dyads, comprising 70 patients with MS and their primary family caregivers. The dyads were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group, with 35 dyads in each group. Patients and caregivers in the intervention group took part in a structured family‐centered empowerment program based on the four‐stage FCEM. The program consisted of five to seven face‐to‐face educational sessions attended jointly by the patients and their primary family caregivers. The control group continued to receive routine care. Health‐promoting lifestyle and psychological well‐being were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at the 2‐month follow‐up. Results At baseline, the two groups did not differ significantly in health‐promoting lifestyle or psychological well‐being ( p > 0.05). Following the intervention, the mean health‐promoting lifestyle score was 126.40 ± 25.18 in the intervention group and 102.62 ± 25.18 in the control group ( p < 0.001). At the 2‐month follow‐up, the corresponding scores were 124.34 ± 22.39 and 104.22 ± 20.23, respectively ( p < 0.001). A similar pattern was observed for psychological well‐being. Immediately after the intervention, the mean score was 73.68 ± 13.83 in the intervention group, compared with 59.62 ± 10.24 in the control group ( p < 0.001). At 2 months, the scores were 71.51 ± 12.82 and 61.34 ± 11.55, respectively ( p < 0.001). Within the intervention group, scores increased significantly from baseline to both the post‐intervention assessment and the 2‐month follow‐up ( p < 0.001). Changes in the control group were comparatively small. Conclusion A family‐centered empowerment intervention based on the FCEM was associated with greater improvements in health‐promoting lifestyle and psychological well‐being among patients with MS compared with routine care. Involving primary family caregivers in MS education and self‐management support may be a useful component of family‐centered care. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials: IRCT registration number: IRCT20190917044802N12. Registration date: 10/01/2025.
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Ranjber et al. (2026) studied this question.
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