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Dyadic coping and social support: Various types of support in hematooncological patients and their spouses—Associations with psychological distress
Author(s) -
Bodschwinna Daniela,
Ernst Jochen,
MehnertTheuerkauf Anja,
Gündel Harald,
Weissflog Gregor,
Hönig Klaus
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.5631
Subject(s) - spouse , social support , anxiety , psychosocial , dyad , partner effects , psychology , coping (psychology) , clinical psychology , distress , depression (economics) , multilevel model , association (psychology) , psychiatry , psychotherapist , developmental psychology , machine learning , sociology , anthropology , computer science , economics , macroeconomics
Abstract Objective Patients and spouses use various support strategies to deal with cancer and its associated burden. Support can be perceived within the dyad [perceived dyadic coping (PDC)] or from others [perceived social support (PSS)]. The present study investigates the association of PDC and PSS with depression and anxiety symptoms experienced by hematooncological dyads. Methods A total of 330 hematooncological dyads participated in the study. Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI) including perceived stress communication and four PDC strategies (supportive, negative, delegated, common), ENRICHED Social Support Instrument (ESSI) and Patient Health Questionnaire‐4 (PHQ‐4) are used for assessment. To take nonindependence of patient's and spouse's variables into account, data are analyzed with the Actor‐partner‐interdependence model (APIM). Results Hematological cancer patients and their spouses reported a similar level of depression and anxiety symptoms. Perceived negative dyadic coping (DC) was adversely related with both patient's and spouse's outcomes (all p < 0.01) and perceived positive DC was adversely related with depression symptoms in both and anxiety symptoms in spouses (all p < 0.05). More PSS was associated with less depression and anxiety symptoms in both (all p < 0.05), and spouse's PSS ( b = −0.04, p < 0.05) was significantly associated with patient's depression symptoms. Conclusions This study highlights the association between perceived negative DC, perceived positive DC and PSS with depression and anxiety symptoms. Focus should be on enhancement of PSS especially in spouses, as they experience a comparable amount of psychosocial distress and have considerable impact on the patient's wellbeing.