Mediating Role of Coping Strategies Between Self-Perceived Burden and Disability Acceptance in Parkinson's Disease .

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the associations among self-perceived burden (SPB), medical coping strategies, and acceptance of disability (AOD) and evaluated whether avoidance coping mediated the relationship between SPB and AOD in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 180 patients with PD admitted to the Department of Neurology, Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between September 2024 and July 2025 was conducted to collect data on SPB, coping strategies, and AOD using validated questionnaires. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the SPB scale, the Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire, and the Acceptance of Disability Scale‑Revised. RESULTS: Correlation analysis demonstrated significant associations between SPB, coping strategies, and AOD (all p < 0.01). Mediation analysis indicated that avoidance coping partially mediated the relationship between SPB and AOD, accounting for 33.84% of the total effect of SPB on AOD in the structural equation model. CONCLUSION: SPB and avoidance coping demonstrated predictive value for AOD in patients with PD-related disability, and avoidance coping partially mediated the association between SPB and AOD. These findings suggest that psychosocial and rehabilitation interventions should aim to reduce reliance on avoidance coping and strengthen active coping to improve disability acceptance.