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For better or for worse: a longitudinal study on dyadic coping and quality of life among couples with a partner suffering from COPD

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Abstract

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, impairments of dyadic coping are associated with reduced quality of life. However, existing studies have a cross-sectional design. The present study explores changes in dyadic coping over time and its long-term effects on quality of life of both patients suffering from COPD and their partners. Dyadic coping, psychological distress, health-related quality of life, and exercise capacity were assessed in 63 patients suffering from COPD with their partners, at baseline and 3-year-follow-up. Correlation analyses and actor-partner interdependence models (APIMs) were conducted. Patients’ delegated dyadic coping (taking over tasks) and common dyadic coping (mutual coping efforts when both partners are stressed) rated by the spouses decreased. Correlation analyses showed that patients’ quality of life at follow-up was positively influenced by partners’ stress communication (signaling stress). Partners’ quality of life at follow-up was negatively influenced by patients’ negative dyadic coping (reacting superficially, ambivalently or hostilely) and positively influenced by partners’ delegated dyadic coping rated by patients (taking over tasks). APIMs mostly supported these results. It seems important that both partners communicate about stress and provide appropriate instrumental and emotional support to maintain quality of life.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Gutenbergstraße 18, 35032, Marburg, Germany

    Isabelle Vaske, Maximiliane Florentine Thöne, Kerstin Kühl, Daniel Christian Keil & Winfried Rief

  2. Ambulant Pulmonary Practice, Bahnhofstraße 30, 35037, Marburg, Germany

    Wolfgang Schürmann

  3. Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Leipzig, Neumarkt 9-19, 04081, Leipzig, Germany

    Nikola Maria Stenzel

Authors
  1. Isabelle Vaske
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  2. Maximiliane Florentine Thöne
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  3. Kerstin Kühl
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Correspondence to Isabelle Vaske.

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Conflict of interest

Isabelle Vaske, Maximiliane Florentine Thöne, Kerstin Kühl, Daniel Christian Keil, Wolfgang Schürmann, Winfried Rief and Nikola Maria Stenzel declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights and Informed consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 (5). Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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Vaske, I., Thöne, M.F., Kühl, K. et al. For better or for worse: a longitudinal study on dyadic coping and quality of life among couples with a partner suffering from COPD. J Behav Med 38, 851–862 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-015-9657-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-015-9657-y

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