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Clinical Psychology Review Aug 2022Extensive literature addresses the correlates of communication behaviors within couples in the specific stressful context of oncology. This literature focused mainly on... (Review)
Review
Extensive literature addresses the correlates of communication behaviors within couples in the specific stressful context of oncology. This literature focused mainly on the concepts of disclosure, concealment, holding back and protective buffering to gain more insight into the potential benefits of open communication on the psychological and relational wellbeing of the patient, the spouse and the dyad. The current systematic review aims to present this literature, summarize research findings and suggest empirical, theoretical and clinical implications. Methods: The search method applied in this review was in line with the PRISMA guidelines. Key words related to couples' communication and oncology were used to identify relevant studies according to title and abstract fields from 1.1.2000 until 31.1.22. Results: Out of 3277 papers, a total of 55 articles were identified as relevant for this review. These quantitative studies used cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. Overall, integrating findings from different studies showed that while avoiding communication is negatively associated with psychological and relational wellbeing, the benefits of disclosure seems to be dependent on different factors including the partner's responsiveness, contextual factors and personal characteristics. The existing literature is limited in providing data regarding the nature of adequate or helpful partner responses, the best timing, and the specific topics that are recommended to be disclosed such as specific fears. Most importantly, it is limited in heterogeneity of constructs of communication that were studied, scales that were used and diverse mediators and moderators that were examined. Accordingly, an effort to reach consensus of definition and assessment of communicative behavior is recommended for future studies, and addressing responsiveness to communicative initiations seems to be important for clinical practice.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Communication; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Neoplasms; Spouses
PubMed: 35700574
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102176 -
Pain Dec 2019Pain catastrophizing has been shown to predict greater pain and less physical function in daily life for chronic pain sufferers, but its effects on close social partners...
Pain catastrophizing has been shown to predict greater pain and less physical function in daily life for chronic pain sufferers, but its effects on close social partners have received much less attention. The overall purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which pain catastrophizing is an interpersonal coping strategy that is maladaptive for patients and their spouses. A total of 144 older knee osteoarthritis patients and their spouses completed baseline interviews and a 22-day diary assessment. Multilevel lagged models indicated that, on days when patients reported greater catastrophizing in the morning, their spouses experienced more negative affect throughout the day. In addition, a higher level of punishing responses from the spouse predicted greater pain catastrophizing the next morning, independent of patient pain and negative affect. Multilevel mediation models showed that patients' morning pain catastrophizing indirectly impacted spouses' negative affect and punishing responses through patients' own greater negative affect throughout the day. There was no evidence that spouses' empathic or solicitous responses either followed or preceded patients' catastrophizing. These findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral interventions that reduce pain catastrophizing should be modified for partnered patients to address dyadic interactions and the spouse's role in pain catastrophizing.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Affect; Aged; Catastrophization; Empathy; Female; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Spouses
PubMed: 31408052
DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001673 -
Addiction (Abingdon, England) May 2023Preclinical and human studies suggest that a social partner's genotype may be associated with addiction-related outcomes. This study measured whether spousal genetic...
AIMS
Preclinical and human studies suggest that a social partner's genotype may be associated with addiction-related outcomes. This study measured whether spousal genetic makeup is associated with risk of developing drug use disorder (DUD) during marriage and whether the risk associated with a spouse's genotype could be disentangled from potentially confounding rearing environmental effects.
DESIGN
Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses.
SETTING
Sweden.
PARTICIPANTS
Men and women born between 1960 and 1990 and in opposite-sex first marriages before age 35 (n = 294 748 couples).
MEASUREMENTS
Outcome was DUD diagnosis (inclusive of opioids, sedatives/hypnotics/anxiolytics, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine and other psychostimulants, hallucinogens, other drugs of abuse and combinations thereof) obtained from legal, medical and pharmacy registries. The focal predictor was family genetic risk scores for DUD (FGRS-DUD), which were inferred from diagnoses in first- through fifth-degree relatives and weighted by degree of genetic sharing. FGRS-DUD were calculated separately for each partner in a couple.
FINDINGS
Marriage to a spouse with a high FGRS-DUD was associated with increased risk of developing DUD during marriage, OR = 1.68 (95% CI = 1.50, 1.88) and OR = 1.35 (1.16, 1.56), above and beyond the risk associated with one's own FGRS-DUD. The risk associated with a spouse's FGRS-DUD remained statistically significant after covarying for parental education. As indicated by a series of null interaction effects, there was no evidence that the risk associated with a spouse's FGRS-DUD differed depending on whether the spouse was DUD-affected, probands' probable contact with in-laws and whether the spouse was raised by his/her biological parents or in another home.
CONCLUSIONS
There is relatively robust evidence that a person's risk for developing drug use disorder is associated with the genetic makeup of the person's spouse.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Adult; Spouses; Marriage; Substance-Related Disorders; Risk Factors; Educational Status
PubMed: 36494088
DOI: 10.1111/add.16108 -
Health Psychology : Official Journal of... Aug 2020The present study examined positive and negative aspects of relationship quality with one's spouse or partner as predictors of mortality and the role of gender in...
OBJECTIVE
The present study examined positive and negative aspects of relationship quality with one's spouse or partner as predictors of mortality and the role of gender in moderating this link.
METHOD
Data were drawn from 2 waves, 5 years apart, of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project ( = 1,734). Positive aspects of relationship quality (frequency of opening up to the partner to talk about worries and relying on the partner) and negative aspects (frequency of the partner making too many demands and criticism by the partner) were assessed. Survival/mortality status was recorded at the time of Wave 2 data collection 5 years later (1,567 alive; 167 deceased). Covariates included sociodemographic variables, relationship type, health status, and the network size of close family relationships and friendships.
RESULTS
Logistic regression analyses showed that negative relationship quality with one's spouse or partner was associated with significantly higher odds for mortality after 5 years (odds ratio = 1.20, 95% CI [1.03, 1.38], < .001), after including the statistical covariates. Also, age, gender, education, self-rated health, and medication use were significantly related to mortality. Propensity score matching replicated these findings. Follow-up analyses revealed that criticism from one's spouse or partner, in particular, was linked to a higher mortality risk ( = 1.44, 95% CI [1.10, 1.88]). Gender did not moderate the relationship-quality-mortality link.
CONCLUSIONS
Negative relationship quality, notably, criticism received from one's spouse or partner, heightens older adults' risk of mortality. These results suggest the value of developing interventions that target reducing expressed criticism in couple relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aging; Family Relations; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mortality; Spouses; Time Factors
PubMed: 32406727
DOI: 10.1037/hea0000883 -
International Journal of Nursing Studies Jun 2024The number of people with dementia is on the rise worldwide, and dementia care has become the focus of global health services. People with dementia are primarily cared... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The number of people with dementia is on the rise worldwide, and dementia care has become the focus of global health services. People with dementia are primarily cared for by informal caregivers, with spouses seen as a particularly vulnerable group. Focusing on the spousal caregiving experience and having a good caregiver identity contributes to group bonding and enhanced social support.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the dynamic changes that occur in the caregiving experience of spouse caregivers and explicate the identity of spouses during this process alongside its causes.
DESIGN
A qualitative systematic review.
DATA SOURCE
The following eight electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science (Core Collection), The Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL and CNKI, WanFang and Vip.
REVIEW METHODS
The Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) and Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer's Manual criteria were used to report the results. Study screening and data extraction were conducted independently by two reviewers, and quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute's Qualitative Research Standard Assessment tool. Data synthesis was performed using thematic analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 15 studies were included and synthesized into three analytical themes: (1) attitudes and emotions toward dementia, (2) emotional ups and downs in dementia care, and (3) who am "I". In binary care, patience and marital responsibilities are identified as facilitators, while care burden and social isolation are identified as hindrances. In addition, gender differences were identified as influencers of identity.
CONCLUSIONS
In this review, spouse identity of people with dementia is complex and affects caregiving experience together with dementia cognition. Disease cognition, caregiving burden and social isolation are identified. Interventions for barriers are suggested to enhance social support.
Topics: Dementia; Humans; Caregivers; Spouses; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 38552470
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2024.104757 -
Clinical Psychology Review Nov 2018Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with impairments in relationship functioning. Beyond the abundance of research that has demonstrated this basic link,... (Review)
Review
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with impairments in relationship functioning. Beyond the abundance of research that has demonstrated this basic link, more recent research has begun to explore possible mediators and moderators of this association. The present paper reviews and synthesizes existing literature in the context of an overarching organizational framework of potential ways in which PTSD impacts relationship functioning. The framework organizes findings in terms of specific elements of PTSD and comorbid conditions, mediators (factors that are posited to explain or account for the association), and moderators (factors that are posited to alter the strength of the association). Specific symptoms of PTSD, comorbid symptoms, and many of the potential mediators explored have extensive overlap, raising questions of possible tautology and redundancy in findings. Some findings suggest that non-specific symptoms, such as depression or anger, account for more variance in relationship impairments than trauma-specific symptoms, such as re-experiencing. Moderators, which are characterized as individual, relational, or environmental in nature, have been the subject of far less research in comparison to other factors. Recommendations for future research and clinical implications of the findings reviewed are also presented.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Spouses; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
PubMed: 30205286
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.08.003 -
BMC Psychiatry Dec 2022Mental health disorders can adversely affect relationships and are heritable. Yet, there is a high prevalence of mental illness in spouses and partners of those with...
BACKGROUND
Mental health disorders can adversely affect relationships and are heritable. Yet, there is a high prevalence of mental illness in spouses and partners of those with mental illness. This study will assess within- and cross-mental health disorder correlations in husband-and-wife pairs.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study design was employed using medical claims data from the Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators (DMBA), linked to demographic information from employee eligibility files, 2020. Analyses involved 21,027 contract holders aged 18-64 (68.6% male, 31.4% female), with sub-analyses on 16,543 married individuals. Summary statistics, as well as rates, and rate ratios adjusted for age, sex, and dependent child status were calculated to describe the data.
RESULTS
The rate of stress is 19.2%, anxiety is 26.4%, and depression is 23.6% in spouses of contract holders with the same respective disorders. Rates of stress, anxiety, and depression in a spouse are greatest if the contract holder has schizophrenia. Rates of mental illness in wives of male contract holders experiencing mental health disorders tend to be greater than the rates of mental illness in husbands of female contract holders experiencing mental health disorders. Rates of stress, anxiety, and depression in spouses of contract holders tend to be 2-3 times greater when the contract holder has a mental health disorder, after adjusting for the contract holder's age, sex, dependent child status, and difference in age within husband-and-wife pairs. However, differences in the magnitude of observed associations vary. The rate of a spouse having stress is 5.5 times greater if the contract holder has schizophrenia (vs. does not have schizophrenia), whereas the rate of a spouse having stress is 1.4 times greater if the contract holder has sleep apnea (vs. does not have sleep apnea).
CONCLUSION
Mental health disorders in spouses of contract holders are greater if the contract holder has a mental health disorder, more so when the contract holder has more serious mental illness. Both within- and cross-mental disorder correlations exist. These results have implications on relationship quality and the mental health of offspring.
Topics: Child; Male; Female; Humans; Spouses; Mental Health; Cross-Sectional Studies; Mental Disorders; Sleep Apnea Syndromes
PubMed: 36471289
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04335-x -
Pain Jan 2018Individuals with chronic pain may experience negative responses from spouse, family, and friends. Responses such as overt criticism and hostility may be associated with...
Individuals with chronic pain may experience negative responses from spouse, family, and friends. Responses such as overt criticism and hostility may be associated with worsening pain and function for chronic pain sufferers. We used a laboratory procedure to evaluate whether variability in spouse criticism/hostility exhibited toward chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients during a conflictual discussion predicted variability in patient pain and function during a subsequent pain-induction task. Chronic low back pain patients (n = 71) and their spouses (n = 71) participated in a 10-minute discussion followed by the patient undergoing a 10-minute structured pain behavior task (SPBT). Spouse criticism/hostility perceived by patients and patient Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI) scores correlated significantly and positively with pain intensity during the SPBT, whereas perceived spouse hostility, patient BDI scores, and spouse trait hostility correlated significantly and positively with observed pain behaviors during the SPBT. Spouse criticism/hostility coded by raters from video recordings interacted significantly with patient BDI scores, such that observed spouse criticism/hostility was related significantly and positively with pain behaviors only for patients with high BDI scores. Patient sex interacted significantly with observed spouse criticism/hostility, such that observed spouse criticism/hostility was related significantly and positively with pain behaviors only for female patients. Results support the hypothesis that spouse criticism and hostility-actually expressed or perceived-may worsen CLBP patient symptoms. Further, women patients and patients high in depressive symptoms appeared most vulnerable to spouse criticism/hostility. Thus, negative marital communication patterns may be appropriate targets for intervention, especially among these 2 at risk groups.
Topics: Adult; Chronic Pain; Depression; Female; Hostility; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Low Back Pain; Male; Marriage; Middle Aged; Pain Measurement; Spouses
PubMed: 28796117
DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001037 -
MCN. the American Journal of Maternal...The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of spouses whose wives had peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of spouses whose wives had peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).
DESIGN METHODS
Participants were recruited for this phenomenological study through online sites Facebook and SavetheMommies. Fifteen men from four countries participated through semistructured phone interviews conducted between October 2019 and August 2020. Data were analyzed using a modified version of the constant comparison method.
RESULTS
The overarching theme of spouses' experiences was Living with the 'what ifs' of persistent uncertainty. Four main themes were: Feeling the shock, Facing the challenge, Figuring out a new normal, and Finding meaning. Spouses had to deal with the fear of their wives' heart failure relapse or death, changed marital and parental roles, and unclear expectations of the future.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS
PPCM is a rare complication of pregnancy with uncertain implications for the future that can have a profound impact on the woman's spouse and family. Our findings should alert nurses and other health care professionals to the need for emotional, spiritual, and informational support of spouses or partners of women who have PPCM. Nurses should include spouses and partners in care and communication to make sure they are as informed as possible, have their questions and concerns addressed as needed, and receive adequate follow-up support.
Topics: Cardiomyopathies; Female; Humans; Male; Peripartum Period; Pregnancy; Puerperal Disorders; Qualitative Research; Spouses; Uncertainty
PubMed: 35749765
DOI: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000831 -
Health & Social Care in the Community Jul 2022This study investigates under what conditions older spouses receive personal care from their spouse. Whether spousal care is provided is determined by individual and...
This study investigates under what conditions older spouses receive personal care from their spouse. Whether spousal care is provided is determined by individual and societal factors related to informal and formal care provision. Individual factors concern the need for care (the care recipient's health status), the spouse's ability to provide care (the spouse's health status) and the quality of the marital bond. Societal factors reflect changing policies on long-term care (indicated by the year in which care started) and gender role socialisation (gender). From the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, which completed eight observations between 1996 and 2016, we selected 221 independently living married respondents, aged 59-93, who received personal care for the first time and had at least one previous measurement without care use. The results show that if an older adult received personal care, the likelihood of receiving that care from the spouse decreased over the years: from 80% in 1996 to 50% in 2016. A husband or wife was less likely to receive spousal care when the spouse was unable to provide care or the quality of the relationship was low. No gender differences were found in either the prevalence of spousal care use or in the factors associated with that use. Thus, individual factors and the societal context seem to determine whether one receives personal care from their spouse. The decline in the likelihood of personal care provision from a spouse over the years may indicate a crumbling of family solidarity, an unmeasured and growing inability of the older spouse to provide care or an increasing complexity of care needs that requires the use of formal care. As care-giving can be a chronic stressor and most spouses provide care without assistance from others, attention from policy makers is needed to sustain the well-being of older couples.
Topics: Aged; Health Status; Humans; Independent Living; Marriage; Self Care; Spouses
PubMed: 34245192
DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13497