Multiple sclerosis is associated with psychological distress and stigma, which are related to psychological well-being and engagement in health-promoting behaviors. The aim of this study was to examine the association between stigma, psychological well-being, and physical activity, while also exploring relationships with perceived health status and sociodemographic/clinical variables in people with multiple sclerosis. One hundred and twenty-seven participants with multiple sclerosis completed an online survey assessing depression, anxiety and stress (DASS-21), stigma (SSCI-8), happiness (OHQ-8), perceived health status (SF-12) and physical activity (IPAQ-Single Item). Regression models were used to determine the predictors for the psychological outcomes and the level of physical activity. In addition, an open-ended question, analyzed using qualitative content analysis, was used to explore participants’ perceived needs to improve their quality of life. Internalized stigma significantly predicted higher levels of depression (OR = 1.57, 95% CI [1.27–1.94], p < 0.001), anxiety (OR = 1.24, 95% CI [1.03–1.49], p = 0.021), stress (OR = 1.47, 95% CI [1.15–1.87], p = 0.002), and a lower level of happiness (OR = 0.36, 95% CI [0.24–0.56], p < 0.001). Internalized stigma was also associated with lower weekly physical activity (OR = 0.50 [CI_95% = 0.31–0.83], p = 0.007). In addition, the qualitative analysis revealed a strong demand for expert-guided physical activity, psychological support, and person-centered care. Internalized stigma was associated with both the psychological well-being and health behaviors of people with multiple sclerosis. An integrated care approach may support not only psychological well-being but also physical activity, contributing to a higher quality of life.

Background: Stigma is a pervasive, though understudied, psychosocial factor affecting people with multiple sclerosis. This review synthesizes the literature on the impact of perceived, enacted, and internalized stigma on psychological health and illness identity in PwMS. Methods: A comprehensive narrative review approach was adopted, integrating findings from peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative studies. Databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched using combinations of terms such as “multiple sclerosis”, “stigma”, “internalized stigma”, “mental health”, and “illness identity”. Studies were included if they reported on stigma-related outcomes in PwMS, discussed psychological or identity variables, or examined interventions aimed at reducing stigma or enhancing adaptive identity. The analysis focused on thematic synthesis, identifying recurrent findings, mediating mechanisms, and clinical implications. Results: Stigma in MS is consistently linked to higher depression, anxiety, and lower quality of life. Internalized stigma disrupts illness identity, often fostering engulfment and rejection of the self. Psychological mediators—such as cognitive fusion, diminished self-compassion, and weakened sense of coherence—amplify these outcomes. Particularly vulnerable are individuals with progressive disease, severe disability, minority status, or limited social support. A recursive loop emerges: stigma triggers psychological distress, which increases stigma awareness and social withdrawal. In addition to traditional psychological interventions, several emerging approaches have shown promise in reducing internalized stigma and fostering adaptive identity integration. Conclusions: Stigma is a central factor in emotional suffering and identity fragmentation in PwMS. Integrative, narrative-informed, and culturally sensitive interventions are essential to reduce stigma and foster resilience. Future research should prioritize longitudinal, mixed-method approaches to develop effective, scalable solutions.

Postural stability is influenced by several anthropometric factors as well as age. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between body height, body mass, BMI, and arch index with stabilometric parameters in physically active young adults. A total of 169 sport science university students participated in the study. Their arch index and their stabilometric parameters were measured using the P-Walk BTS platform. Spearman’s rank correlations showed a significant positive correlation between body mass and arch index (r = 0.25, p = 0.001), and BMI and arch index (r = 0.30, p < 0.001). Also, negative correlations were observed between body height and CoP speed (r = −0.22, p = 0.004) and CoP distance (r = −0.23, p = 0.003), as well as body weight and CoP speed (r = −0.17, p = 0.028) and CoP distance (r = −0.19, p = 0.015). Age was negatively correlated to postural sway variables (i.e., CoP distance, CoP area, and CoP speed). The findings suggest that, in physically active people, larger anthropometric values may confer stabilizing advantages, potentially due to increased body volume. Also, the significant correlation of age to stability metrics may highlight enhanced proprioceptive integration or adaptive neural mechanisms. The results highlight the importance of individualised proprioceptive training programmes, particularly for athletes of lower body mass or stature. Future research should extend on the results’ potential training and rehabilitative implications.

Background: Enjoyment in sport has emerged as a key psychological factor influencing exercise adherence and cognitive and emotional development. This exploratory study examined pre–post changes in selected cognitive and motor variables over a 15-week observation period and whether average enjoyment during soccer training was associated with cognitive and motor performance indices. Fifty-six players (M = 52; F = 4; age: 9.98 ± 0.70) were observed across 30 soccer training sessions over 15 weeks. Methods: Enjoyment was rated after each session using an emoji-based visual analogue scale, and cognitive performance was assessed before and after the observation period with tablet-based tasks. Results: Pre–post analyses showed significant changes in the Motor Efficiency Test (t55 = 3.15; p = 0.003; Δ = −19.4%; Cohen’s d = 0.42) and FlankTime (W = 1345; p < 0.001; Δ = −8.1%; rank-biserial correlation = 0.68). FlankAcc showed only a nominal, uncorrected distributional change (W = 323; p = 0.015; Δ = 0.0%). Enjoyment was not significantly associated with any of the cognitive or motor performance indices. However, enjoyment scores were clustered toward the upper end of the scale, indicating restricted variability that may have limited the ability to detect associations. Conclusions: These preliminary findings indicate changes in selected cognitive and motor indices over the 15-week observation period, without evidence of direct associations between perceived enjoyment and the cognitive or motor performance indices examined.