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Journal of Speech, Language, and... Aug 2016Individuals with hearing loss engage in auditory training to improve their speech recognition. They typically practice listening to utterances spoken by unfamiliar...
PURPOSE
Individuals with hearing loss engage in auditory training to improve their speech recognition. They typically practice listening to utterances spoken by unfamiliar talkers but never to utterances spoken by their most frequent communication partner (FCP)-speech they most likely desire to recognize-under the assumption that familiarity with the FCP's speech limits potential gains. This study determined whether auditory training with the speech of an individual's FCP, in this case their spouse, would lead to enhanced recognition of their spouse's speech.
METHOD
Ten couples completed a 6-week computerized auditory training program in which the spouse recorded the stimuli and the participant (partner with hearing loss) completed auditory training that presented recordings of their spouse.
RESULTS
Training led participants to better discriminate their FCP's speech. Responses on the Client Oriented Scale of Improvement (Dillon, James, & Ginis, 1997) indicated subjectively that training reduced participants' communication difficulties. Peformance on a word identification task did not change.
CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that auditory training might improve the ability of older participants with hearing loss to recognize the speech of their spouse and might improve communication interactions between couples. The results support a task-appropriate processing framework of learning, which assumes that human learning depends on the degree of similarity between training tasks and desired outcomes.
Topics: Aged; Communication; Discrimination, Psychological; Female; Hearing Loss; Humans; Male; Spouses; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 27567016
DOI: 10.1044/2016_JSLHR-H-15-0171 -
Research on Aging Dec 2019This study goes beyond a purely financial perspective to explain why single older workers prefer to retire later than their partnered counterparts. We aim to show how...
This study goes beyond a purely financial perspective to explain why single older workers prefer to retire later than their partnered counterparts. We aim to show how the work (i.e., its social meaning) and home domain (i.e., spousal influence) contribute to differences in retirement preferences by relationship status. Analyses were based on multiactor data collected in 2015 among older workers in the Netherlands ( = 6,357) and (where applicable) their spouses. Results revealed that the social meaning of work differed by relationship status but not always as expected. In a mediation analysis, we found that the social meaning of work partically explained differences in retirement preferences by relationship status. We also show that single workers preferred to retire later than workers with a "pulling" spouse, earlier than workers with a "pushing" spouse, and at about the same time as workers with a neutral spouse.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Cross-Sectional Studies; Decision Making; Female; Humans; Male; Marital Status; Middle Aged; Netherlands; Retirement; Spouses
PubMed: 31500549
DOI: 10.1177/0164027519873537 -
PloS One 2021Individual life expectancies provide information for individuals making retirement decisions and for policy makers. For couples, analogous measures are the expected...
Individual life expectancies provide information for individuals making retirement decisions and for policy makers. For couples, analogous measures are the expected years both spouses will be alive (joint life expectancy) and the expected years the surviving spouse will be a widow or widower (survivor life expectancy). Using individual life expectancies to calculate summary measures for couples is intuitively appealing but yield misleading results, overstating joint life expectancy and dramatically understating survivor life expectancies. This implies that standard "individual life cycle models" are misleading for couples and that "couple life cycle models" must be substantially more complex. Using the CDC life tables for 2010, we construct joint and survivor life expectancy measures for randomly formed couples. The couples we form are defined by age, race and ethnicity, and education. Due to assortative marriage, inequalities in individual life expectancies are compounded into inequalities in joint and survivor life expectancies. We also calculate life expectancy measures for randomly formed couples for the 1930-2010 decennial years. Trends over time show how the relative rate of decrease in the mortality rates of men and women affect joint and survivor life expectancies. Because our couple life expectancy measures are based on randomly formed couples, they do not capture the effects of differences in spouses' premarital characteristics (apart from sex, age, race and ethnicity, and, in some cases, education) or of correlations in spouses' experiences or behaviors during marriage. However, they provide benchmarks which have been sorely lacking in the public discourse.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Databases, Factual; Educational Status; Female; Humans; Life Expectancy; Male; Marriage; Middle Aged; Retirement; Spouses
PubMed: 33989281
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250564 -
Health Psychology : Official Journal of... Jan 2016To determine the degree to which anger arousal and anger regulation (expression, inhibition) in the daily lives of people with chronic pain were related to spouse...
OBJECTIVE
To determine the degree to which anger arousal and anger regulation (expression, inhibition) in the daily lives of people with chronic pain were related to spouse support, criticism, and hostility as perceived by patients and as reported by spouses.
METHOD
Married couples (N = 105, 1 spouse with chronic low back pain) completed electronic daily diaries, with assessments 5 times/day for 14 days. On these diaries, patients completed items on their own anger arousal, anger expression, and inhibition, and on perceived spouse support, criticism, and hostility. Spouses reported on their responses toward patients and their negative affect. Hierarchical linear modeling tested concurrent and lagged relationships.
RESULTS
Patient-reported increases in anger arousal and anger expression were predominantly related to concurrent decreases in patient-perceived and spouse-reported spouse support, concurrent increases in patient-perceived and spouse-reported spouse criticism and hostility, and increases in spouse-reported negative affect. Relationships for anger expression remained significant with anger arousal controlled. These effects were especially strong for male patients. Spouses reported greater negative affect when patients were present than when they were not.
CONCLUSIONS
Social support may facilitate adjustment to chronic pain, with declining support and overt criticism and hostility possibly adversely impacting pain and function. Results suggest that patient anger arousal and expression may be related to a negative interpersonal environment for married couples coping with chronic low back pain.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Affect; Anger; Arousal; Chronic Pain; Female; Hostility; Humans; Inhibition, Psychological; Interpersonal Relations; Low Back Pain; Male; Middle Aged; Social Support; Spouses
PubMed: 26030307
DOI: 10.1037/hea0000221 -
Psychoneuroendocrinology Feb 2020Stressful life events such as losing a spouse can enhance inflammation. Responses to loss may depend, in part, on individual differences in attachment anxiety and...
Stressful life events such as losing a spouse can enhance inflammation. Responses to loss may depend, in part, on individual differences in attachment anxiety and avoidance. An individual's attachment orientation (i.e., an individual's levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance) reflects how an individual relates to others-- specifically, whether they feel their trusted others will reliably be there for them, and whether they feel comfortable opening up to and depending on their relationship partners. This study investigated the association between attachment orientations and poor loss adjustment in recently bereaved individuals (N = 100). Poor loss adjustment was operationalized as greater levels of inflammation and grief symptoms, as well as poorer self-reported mental and physical health. Attachment anxiety was associated with increased stimulated monocyte IL-6 and CCL4 production, but not TNFα. Likewise, attachment anxiety was associated with greater grief symptoms as well as poorer mental and physical health. In contrast, attachment avoidance was not associated with inflammation; it was, however, associated with less grief symptoms as well as better self-reported mental and physical health. Our findings provide evidence that attachment orientations may be associated with loss adjustment and adverse health outcomes following the recent loss of a spouse.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anxiety; Avoidance Learning; Behavioral Symptoms; Bereavement; Cytokines; Female; Health Status; Humans; Inflammation; Life Change Events; Male; Middle Aged; Object Attachment; Spouses
PubMed: 31753327
DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104401 -
Health Psychology : Official Journal of... Nov 2021Theories suggest that laughter decreases negative affect and enhances social bonds; however, no studies have examined the benefits of laughter on stress biomarkers in...
OBJECTIVE
Theories suggest that laughter decreases negative affect and enhances social bonds; however, no studies have examined the benefits of laughter on stress biomarkers in dyads. This study examined the hypotheses that individual and shared laughter would be associated with lower blood pressure reactivity and decreased self-reported and perceived partner distress for the target and spouse in a social support interaction.
METHOD
One hundred seventy-three middle-aged and older adult couples from a larger study were video-recorded, and their blood pressure was monitored continuously in the laboratory during a resting baseline, during a social support interaction in which they discussed a target's fear related to aging, and while playing a game (used as a comparison). Both partners self-reported their own and perceived partner distress after the support interaction. Laughter behavior was coded using the Facial Action Coding System criteria.
RESULTS
According to Actor Partner Interdependence Models, during the support interaction, the more the target laughed, the lower the spouse's systolic blood pressure was (partner effect). Also, greater laughter was associated with less self-reported and perceived partner distress for targets and spouses (actor effects). There were no other significant associations between individual laughter, shared laughter, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, and distress. Models controlled for gender, marital satisfaction, baseline blood pressure, and the target's baseline distress rating of their fear.
CONCLUSIONS
In social support interactions, targets' laughter may have short-term blood pressure benefits for caregiving spouses and distress reducing benefits for both spouses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Aged; Blood Pressure; Humans; Laughter; Middle Aged; Social Support; Spouses
PubMed: 34914482
DOI: 10.1037/hea0001136 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series B,... Apr 2019Health limitations can change older adults' social relationships and social engagement. Yet, researchers rarely examine how the disability of one's spouse might affect...
OBJECTIVES
Health limitations can change older adults' social relationships and social engagement. Yet, researchers rarely examine how the disability of one's spouse might affect one's social relationships, even though such life strains are often experienced as a couple. This study investigates the association between functional and cognitive limitations and social experience in a dyadic context.
METHOD
We use actor-partner interdependence models to analyze the partner data from 953 heterosexual couples in Wave II (2010-2011) of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project.
RESULTS
One spouse's functional and cognitive health is associated with the other's relationship quality, but the pattern varies by gender. Husbands' functional limitations are associated with lower marital support and higher marital strain in wives, but wives' functional limitations are related to lower family and friendship strain in husbands. Husbands' cognitive impairment also predicts higher family and friend support in wives.
DISCUSSION
Findings support a gendered dyadic relationship between health and social life and highlight women's caregiver role and better connection with family and friends. There are also differences between experiencing cognitive and physical limitations in couples. Finally, mild health impairment sometimes shows stronger effects on social relationships than severe impairment, suggesting adaptation to health transition.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Cognition; Cognitive Dysfunction; Disabled Persons; Family Relations; Female; Friends; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Physical Functional Performance; Sex Factors; Social Support; Spouses
PubMed: 28369622
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbx024 -
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive... 2020Caring for a spouse with dementia can be extremely challenging. Many caregivers experience profound declines in well-being; however, others remain healthy.
INTRODUCTION
Caring for a spouse with dementia can be extremely challenging. Many caregivers experience profound declines in well-being; however, others remain healthy.
OBJECTIVE
This study determined whether the personal pronouns used in interactions between persons with dementia (PWDs) and their spousal caregivers were associated with caregiver well-being.
METHODS
Fifty-eight PWDs and their spousal caregivers engaged in a 10-min conversation about an area of disagreement in a laboratory setting. Verbatim transcripts of the conversation were coded using text analysis software, and caregivers and PWDs each received scores for (a) I-pronouns, (b) you-pronouns, and (c) we-pronouns. Caregivers' well-being was assessed using a composite measure of depression, anxiety, burden, and strain.
RESULTS
Results revealed that less use of we-pronouns by caregivers and PWDs and greater use of I-pronouns by PWDs were -associated with lower caregiver well-being.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that less use of pronouns that refer to the couple (we-pronouns used by either partner) and greater use of pronouns that refer to the PWD (I-pronouns used by the PWD) are indicative of caregivers at heightened risk for lower well-being.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Caregiver Burden; Caregivers; Dementia; Female; Humans; Language; Male; Middle Aged; Spouses
PubMed: 32610328
DOI: 10.1159/000508095 -
Supportive Care in Cancer : Official... Oct 2012This study examined attachment styles in patients with lung cancer and their spouses and associations between attachment styles and patient and spouse adjustment.
PURPOSE
This study examined attachment styles in patients with lung cancer and their spouses and associations between attachment styles and patient and spouse adjustment.
METHODS
One hundred twenty-seven patients with early stage lung cancer completed measures of attachment style, marital quality, self-efficacy, pain, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Their spouses completed measures of attachment style, marital quality, self-efficacy, caregiver strain, and mood.
RESULTS
Analyses indicated that, among patients, those high in either attachment anxiety or avoidance had significantly higher levels of anxiety and poorer social well-being. Attachment avoidance was also significantly associated with higher levels of depression and poorer marital quality and functional well-being. Spouse avoidant attachment was significantly associated with patient reports of increased pain and poorer functional well-being, and spouse anxious attachment was associated with poorer patient marital quality. Among spouses, those high in attachment avoidance reported significantly higher levels of caregiver strain, anger, depressed mood, and poorer marital quality; those high in attachment anxiety reported higher anxious mood. Dyads in which both partners were insecurely attached had significantly poorer adjustment compared to dyads in which both partners reported secure attachment.
CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary findings raise the possibility that attachment styles of cancer patients and their spouses as individuals and as a dyad may be important factors affecting adjustment in multiple domains.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Aged; Female; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Object Attachment; Quality of Life; Regression Analysis; Spouses; United States
PubMed: 22246596
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-011-1367-6 -
Cancer Medicine Sep 2020The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalences of CVD, CVD risk factors. and health behaviors among cancer survivor-spouse dyads, assess how these prevalences... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalences of CVD, CVD risk factors. and health behaviors among cancer survivor-spouse dyads, assess how these prevalences differ by role (survivor vs spouse) and gender, and report congruences in health behaviors between survivors and their spouses.
METHODS
We identified 1026 survivor-spouse dyads from the 2010-2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We used weighted multivariable logistic and linear regressions to analyze the data related to CVD, CVD risk factors, and health behaviors.
RESULTS
Survivors and spouses reported high prevalences of CVD and CVD risk factors but low engagement in healthy behaviors, including non-smoking, physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight (proxy for healthy diet). Gender and role differences were significantly related to the prevalence of CVD, CVD risk factors, and health behaviors among survivors and spouses. From 39% to 88% of survivors and spouses were congruent in their current smoking status, physical activity engagement/disengagement, and BMI.
CONCLUSION
Cancer survivors and spouses have high rates of CVD and CVD risk factors and poor engagement in healthful lifestyle behaviors. A high proportion of survivors and spouses were congruent in their current smoking status, physical activity engagement/disengagement, and BMI. Effective lifestyle interventions are needed for this high-risk population. Couple-focused interventions may be well-suited for these dyads and warrant further study.
IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS
Both cancer survivors and their spouses need to be non-moking, more physically active, and maintain normal BMI in order to reduce their high risk of CVD and CVD risk factors.
Topics: Cancer Survivors; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diet, Healthy; Exercise; Female; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Healthy Lifestyle; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Risk Assessment; Smoking Cessation; Spouses; United States
PubMed: 32750221
DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3336