Emotional congruence in older couples coping with wives' osteoarthritis: Exacerbating effects of pain behavior.

Abstract

The authors examined congruence in the negative emotions (depression, anger) of 101 female osteoarthritis patients (M age = 69 years) and their caregiving husbands (M age = 71 years) and the extent to which patients' pain behavior (e.g., limping, rubbing joints) exacerbated linkages between partners' negative emotions. Associations between patients' and husbands' emotions were examined within domains (e.g., depression-depression) and across domains (e.g., depression-anger) over a 6-month interval. Regression analyses revealed that patients' initial levels of depressive symptoms and anger were related to increases in their husbands' anger over time. The associations between patients' depressive symptoms and their husbands' depressive symptoms and anger were conditioned by pain behaviors. Patients who were more depressed and who engaged in high levels of pain behavior had husbands who became more depressed and angry.

Is lower cognitive function in one spouse associated with depressive symptoms in the other spouse?

“…This variable was centered at the mean in the baseline year and entered into the models. Third, because providing informal care to another person is associated with deleterious outcomes for the caregiver, including depression (Druley, Parris Stephens, Martire, Ennis, & Wojno, 2003;Dura et al, 1991;Grant et al, 2002;Moritz et al, 1992;Schulz et al, 1990), we controlled for spousal caregiving status at baseline in the models. CHAP participants are asked if they have the major responsibility for providing care to another person because of health problems, illness, or disability.…”

Spousal Interrelations in Old Age – A Mini-Review

“…To begin with, health problems of one spouse can affect the other spouse's behaviors and feelings [79][80][81][82] . For example, a recent time-sampling study indicates that husbands' daily health symptoms were associated with high spousal negative affect, whereas wives' daily health symptoms were related to low spousal positive affect [82] .…”

The enduring and contextual effects of physical health and depression on care‐dyad mutuality

“…The reciprocity in relationships can be greatly reduced, particularly in the case of dementia (Pearlin et al). Family relationships can be complicated by an illness experience and alter the way the older adult and family caregiver share information and communicate regarding well-being and the care situation (Druley, Stephens, & Coyne, 1997;Druley, Stephens, Martire, & Ennis, 2003).…”