Objective To characterize the sexual function of both prostate cancer patients and their partners, and to examine whether associations between sexual dysfunction and psychosocial adjustment vary depending on spousal communication patterns. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 116 prostate cancer patients and their partners completed psychosocial questionnaires. Results Patients and partners reported high rates of sexual dysfunction. Within couples, patients’ and their partners’ sexual function was moderately to highly correlated (r = 0.30–0.74). When patients had poor erectile function, their partners were more likely to report that the couple avoided open spousal discussions; this in turn was associated with partners’ marital distress (Sobel's Z = 12.47, p = 0.001). Patients and partners who reported high levels (+1SD) of mutual constructive communication also reported greater marital adjustment, regardless of their own sexual satisfaction. In contrast, greater sexual dissatisfaction was associated with poorer marital adjustment in patients and partners who reported low levels (−1SD) of mutual constructive communication (p<0.05). Conclusion Our findings underscore the need for psychosocial interventions that facilitate healthy spousal communication and address the sexual rehabilitation needs of patients and their partners after prostate cancer treatment. Although some couples may be reluctant to engage in constructive cancer-related discussions about sexual problems, such discussions may help alleviate the negative impact that sexual problems have on prostate cancer patients’ and their partners’ marital adjustment.

The Social Cognitive Processing Model suggests that talking with others facilitates cognitive and emotional processing of experiences such as cancer if the social context in which these discussions take place is supportive and positive. Despite this, patients and spouses may inadvertently constrain each other's attempts to process and cope with the disease. To our knowledge, no previous studies have directly examined the effect of lung cancer on the spousal relationship. We began to examine this effect by identifying the social constraints experienced by couples coping with lung cancer through semi-structured interviews with 13 patients and 12 spouses. Using Grounded Theory methodology, our analyses showed that these couples experienced a wide variety of social constraints, including denial, avoidance, and conflict that can hinder open spousal communication. Specifically, patients and spouses reported trouble discussing continued tobacco use, cancer-related symptoms, prognosis, and the emotional effects of lung cancer on the spouse. Despite these constraints, participants who reported talking with their partners about their relationships reported fewer constraints and better communication about cancer. These findings highlight the importance of a relationship perspective in the study of lung cancer and provide information about how talking together about the spousal relationship may enable couples to minimize social constraints and enhance cognitive and emotional processing of the disease.

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Results suggest a lifestyle program focusing on cognitive-behavioral skills training alone is insufficient for promoting routine physical activity in these patients.

Background Lung cancer morbidity and mortality may increase the risk for distress in couples facing this malignancy. Purpose We examined the prevalence of psychological and relationship distress in lung cancer patients and their spouses, predictors of psychological distress for both, and whether relationship satisfaction moderated the relation between patient and spouse distress. Methods Participants (169 patients and 167 spouses) completed questionnaires provided during clinic appointments at baseline (within one month of treatment initiation) and through the mail 3 and 6 months later. Analyses were from the baseline data. Results In total, 34.6% of patients and 36.4% of spouses reported psychological distress. Patient and spouse distress were correlated, depending on the symptom examined. Only 10.9% of patients and 14.1% of spouses reported distressed spousal relationships. Distress predictors for patients included less positive social interaction support, more behavioral disengagement and self-distraction coping, and the spouse reporting less use of humor for coping. Predictors for spouses included more behavioral disengagement and substance use coping, more blaming the patient for causing the cancer, and the patient using more behavioral disengagement coping. Relationship satisfaction moderated the association between each partner's distress. Conclusions Psychosocial counseling for lung cancer patients should include spouses and target decreasing individual distress and enhancing relationship satisfaction.