Development of a Talk Therapy Protocol to Help Patients Make Treatment Decisions in MS (MIMS)

Between 15-20% of MS patients decide not to initiate disease modifying therapies after being diagnosed with MS. For this study, we will develop a telephone-based talk therapy intervention and then conduct a randomized controlled trial. Patients will be assigned to either 5 weekly 20 minute telephone sessions of psychotherapy or a brief education control condition. We hypothesize that patients undergoing phone therapy will be more likely to indicate they are interested in initiating disease modifying medications than patients given brief education and treatment as usual.

Multiple Sclerosis, Disease modifying medication, Relapsing-Remitting MS, Motivational Interviewing, Telephone Counseling

Patients receive five 20 minute phone sessions of motivational interviewing/cognitive behavioral therapy weekly along with a brief educational packet.

Whether the patient indicates if he/she decided to re-initiate disease modifying therapies on a "yes"/"no" question.

Whether the patient reports that he/she plans to discuss disease modifying therapies with a care provider on a "yes"/"no" question.

Whether the patient reports that he/she plans to discuss disease modifying therapies with a care provider on a "yes"/"no" question.

Whether the patient indicates if he/she decided to re-initiate disease modifying therapies on a "yes"/"no" question.

Whether there is increased self-reported motivation to take disease modifying therapies on a 1-10 likert-type scale.

Whether there is increased self-reported motivation to take disease modifying therapies on a 1-10 likert-type scale.

Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosis of relapsing remitting MS based on established guidelines Not taking recommended therapy Provider recommendation for DMT use At least 18 years of age Access to a telephone English speaking Exclusion Criteria: -