ABSTRACT
This study investigated contextual determinants of psychological distress among 197 spouses of cancer patients. It was hypothesized that higher levels of patient functional impairment would lead to greater patient distress. Patient distress, in turn, would lead to lower spouse marital satisfaction and ultimately to higher spouse distress. Spouses completed measures of distress and marital quality at three time points. Cancer patients rated their functional impairment and psychological distress at the same time points. Results indicated that at all time points, greater patient impairment was associated with higher levels of patient distress, which, in turn, was related to lower marital satisfaction. However, marital quality was related to spouse distress at only 1 time point, but spouse distress was directly associated with patient distress at each time point. Implications for cancer patients and spouses are discussed.
Subject(s)
Depressive Disorder, Major/etiology , Depressive Disorder, Major/psychology , Marriage/psychology , Neoplasms/psychology , Quality of Life , Adult , Aged , Depressive Disorder, Major/diagnosis , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Personal Satisfaction , Predictive Value of Tests , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
A model of the relations between spouse support, coping, and positive and negative mood was examined with 221 individuals with cancer using LISREL analyses. A moderating effect for patient life expectancy was predicted for disease prognosis. Results indicated that spouse criticism was associated with negative mood indirectly through avoidant coping strategies, and spouse support was associated with positive mood indirectly through positively-focused coping. Results did not support a moderating influence for life expectancy upon the association between spouse behaviors and patient coping. The results of this study are discussed in terms of their implications for psychosocial interventions to reduce psychological distress among individuals with cancer.
