“Go See Somebody”: How Spouses Promote Mental Health Care

Reczek, Corinne; Thomeer, Mieke Beth; Gebhardt-Kram, Lauren; Umberson, Debra

doi:10.1177/2156869319834335

Cited by 17 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The third major theme is that the provision of emotion work may undermine psychological well‐being more when one is married to a spouse with elevated depressive symptoms. Emotion work is likely more stressful when one is married to a spouse with elevated depressive symptoms because it is perceived that one's emotion work is critical to helping relieve their spouse's symptoms, and because emotion work efforts may be less effective when dealing with a spouse with elevated depressive symptoms whose negative emotions are more intractable than those of a spouse without depressive symptoms (Reczek et al, 2020). This points to the necessity of paying attention to the mental health context of marital dynamics, and conceptualizing mental health as a contextual factor rather than solely as an outcome, as is the case in many studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This finding likely also reflects the greater stigma men experience concerning their own depressive symptoms, with men less likely to seek help when they experience depressive symptoms (Johnson, Oliffe, Kelly, Galdas, & Ogrodniczuk, 2012; Yousaf, Grunfeld, & Hunter, 2015). This hesitance to seek external help may intensify the burden experienced by the spouse who provides emotion work (Reczek et al, 2020)—an important possibility for future research to consider. Dominant masculinity discourses also encourage men to downplay their emotional distress (Flynn, Hollenstein, & Mackey, 2010); thus, it may be harder for partners to determine the effectiveness of their emotion work when men have elevated depressive symptoms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, having a spouse with depressive symptoms places significant strain on a relationship (Sharabi, Delaney, & Knobloch, 2016) and undermines the non‐depressed spouse's well‐being (Behler et al, 2019). Providing emotion work to a spouse with depressive symptoms may also be difficult because so much is riding on alleviating those symptoms with the emotion worker possibly feeling responsible for helping the spouse with depressive symptoms and frustrated when that is not the case—a common dynamic within couples wherein one spouse is experiencing depressive symptoms (Reczek, Thomeer, Gebhardt‐Kram, & Umberson, 2020). A spouse with depressive symptoms may also be less capable of feeling or expressing appreciation for the emotion work they receive, leading to more stress for the emotion worker.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Qualitative research also suggests that women in same‐sex relationships similarly become deeply involved in their partner's depression to the detriment of their own well‐being (Thomeer et al, 2015). However, partners in same‐sex relationships may feel better equipped to help with one another's mental health issues, and thus be more involved in emotion work around depressive symptoms because they draw on a script of “gender same‐ness” rather than difference (Reczek et al, 2020). Thus, we propose our final hypothesis:

Hypothesis 5.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The Psychological Toll of Emotion Work in Same‐Sex and Different‐Sex Marital Dyads

Umberson

Thomeer

Pollitt

et al. 2020

J of Marriage and Family

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Objective This study considers how the provision of daily emotion work may affect the psychological well‐being of the emotion worker, and how this linkage may vary for men and women in same‐ and different‐sex marriages. Background Emotion work–work intended to bolster a spouse's well‐being by reading and managing the spouse's emotional needs—is common within marital relationships and often gendered, with women more aware of and concerned with emotion work than men. Yet, the psychological cost of performing emotion work is largely unexplored. Method This study relies on 10 days of daily experiences data from spouses in same‐ and different‐sex marriages (n = 756 individuals). Mixed effects multilevel regression modeling is used to examine how the provision of emotion work is associated with the emotion workers' psychological well‐being. Results Providing emotion work is inversely associated with emotion workers' psychological well‐being, especially when provided for a spouse with elevated depressive symptoms. These estimated effects are generally similar for men and women but greater for those married to a man than for those married to a woman, whether in a same‐ or different‐sex marriage. Conclusion Emotion work appears to adversely affect the worker's own psychological well‐being, especially when a spouse has elevated depressive symptoms and when one's spouse is a man. These results point to the importance of dyadic approaches and consideration of gendered relationship dynamics of same‐ as well as different‐sex couples in studies of emotion work and other marital processes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hypothesis 5.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

The Psychological Toll of Emotion Work in Same‐Sex and Different‐Sex Marital Dyads

Umberson

Thomeer

Pollitt

et al. 2020

J of Marriage and Family

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In addition, partners in a relationship experience dyadic, or shared, couple-level influences on their overall mental health (Reczek et al, 2020) and relational health (Wickrama Dyadic Influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences et al, 2020). Likewise, one's family of origin contributes to one's experience of couple relationship conflict and satisfaction (Costa-Ramalho et al, 2016;Knapp et al, 2015;Topham et al, 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dyadic Influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Counseling Implications for Mental and Relational Health

Wheeler

Regal

Griffith

et al. 2020

Jour of Counseling & Develop

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Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) predict physical and mental health. We examined dyadic differences in intimate partner relationship health by ACE score among couples with low to moderate income enrolled in a relationship education program. Overall, we found a high prevalence of ACEs, disproportionate representation in the highest risk ACE group, and a significant effect between ACEs and indicators of mental and relational health. Implications for counselors include support for an ACE‐informed approach to couples counseling services, as well as a holistic and systemic view of mental and relational health.

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Role of cancer survivor health and health service use in spouses' use of mental health–related care

Litzelman

Choi

Maher

et al. 2020

Cancer

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Background Spouses of cancer survivors are at an increased risk of poor mental health outcomes but are known to underuse supportive services. The objective of the current study was to determine how the health and health care use of cancer survivors were associated with depression and anxiety‐related health care use in their spouses. Methods The current observational study used data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to identify married individuals with a cancer‐related medical event or disability (“cancer survivors”), and linked health and health care use data across spousal dyads. Spouses reporting a prescription for an antidepressant or antianxiety medication or any psychotherapy were flagged as having used mental health care. Correlates of use were assessed, with a focus on the health and health care use of the cancer survivor. Results Greater than 25% of the spouses of cancer survivors used mental health care over the approximately 2.5 years of follow‐up. Controlling for their own predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics, spouses were found to be less likely to use mental health care if the cancer survivor reported more health conditions or elevated depressed mood compared with dyads in which the survivor reported low distress and depression. Spouses were nearly 3 times more likely to use mental health care if the cancer survivor themselves had used mental health care (odds ratio, 2.98; 95% confidence interval, 2.17‐4.09). Conclusions The findings of the current study enhance understanding of how health outcomes are intertwined in families with cancer, and reinforce the importance of a family‐centered approach to cancer care that facilitates psychosocial care. LAY SUMMARY The health and well‐being of cancer survivors and their spouses are intertwined. The results of the current study demonstrated that this interrelationship extends to mental health care related to depression and anxiety. Spouses of cancer survivors were found to be less likely to receive mental health care when the survivor had more health care needs. Spouses were nearly 3 times more likely to receive care if the survivor also was receiving mental health care. Caregiving spouses may face more challenges finding the time, money, or energy to engage in their own self‐care. However, providing supportive care to one partner may help the other partner access care as well.

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“Go See Somebody”: How Spouses Promote Mental Health Care

Cited by 17 publications

References 57 publications

The Psychological Toll of Emotion Work in Same‐Sex and Different‐Sex Marital Dyads

The Psychological Toll of Emotion Work in Same‐Sex and Different‐Sex Marital Dyads

Dyadic Influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Counseling Implications for Mental and Relational Health

Role of cancer survivor health and health service use in spouses' use of mental health–related care

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