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Couples' patterns of adjustment to colon cancer

Author

Listed:
  • Northouse, Laurel L.
  • Mood, Darlene
  • Templin, Thomas
  • Mellon, Suzanne
  • George, Tamara

Abstract

The objectives for this longitudinal study were to: (a) compare colon cancer patients' and their spouses' appraisal of illness, resources, concurrent stress, and adjustment during the first year following surgery; (b) examine the influence of gender (male vs female) and role (patient vs spouse caregiver) on study variables; (c) assess the degree of correlation between patients' and spouses' adjustments; and (d) identify factors that affect adjustment to the illness. Fifty-six couples were interviewed at one week post diagnosis, and at 60 days and one year post surgery. Based on a cognitive-appraisal model of stress, the Smilkstein Stress Scale was used to measure concurrent stress; the Family APGAR, Social Support Questionnaire, and Dyadic Adjustment Scale were used to measure social resources; the Beck Hopelessness Scale and Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scales were used to measure appraisal of illness; and the Brief Symptom Inventory and Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale were used to measure psychosocial adjustment. Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance indicated that spouses reported significantly more emotional distress and less social support than patients. Gender differences were found, with women reporting more distress, more role problems, and less marital satisfaction, regardless of whether they were patient or spouse. Both patients and spouses reported decreases in their family functioning and social support, but also decreases in emotional distress over time. Moderately high autocorrelations and modest intercorrelations were found among and between patients' and spouses' adjustment scores over time. The strongest predictors of patients' role adjustment problems were hopelessness and spouses' role problems. The strongest predictors of spouses' role problems were spouses' own baseline role problems and level of marital satisfaction. Interventions need to start early in the course of illness, be family-focused, and identify the couples at risk of poorer adjustment to colon cancer.

Suggested Citation

  • Northouse, Laurel L. & Mood, Darlene & Templin, Thomas & Mellon, Suzanne & George, Tamara, 2000. "Couples' patterns of adjustment to colon cancer," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 271-284, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:50:y:2000:i:2:p:271-284
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria Graça Pereira & Inês Ribeiro & Hélder Ferreira & Filipa Osório & Cristina Nogueira-Silva & Ana C. Almeida, 2021. "Psychological Morbidity in Endometriosis: A Couple’s Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Manderson, Lenore, 2005. "Boundary breaches: the body, sex and sexuality after stoma surgery," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 405-415, July.
    3. Bar-Tal, Yoram & Barnoy, Sivia & Zisser, Bracha, 2005. "Whose informational needs are considered? A comparison between cancer patients and their spouses' perceptions of their own and their partners' knowledge and informational needs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(7), pages 1459-1465, April.
    4. Liuna Geng & Jian Wang & Liping Cheng & Binbin Zhang & Hui Shen, 2019. "Mindful Learning Improves Positive Feelings of Cancer Patients’ Family Caregivers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-9, January.
    5. Hodges, L. J. & Humphris, G. M. & Macfarlane, G., 2005. "A meta-analytic investigation of the relationship between the psychological distress of cancer patients and their carers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 1-12, January.
    6. Emslie, Carol & Browne, Susan & MacLeod, Una & Rozmovits, Linda & Mitchell, Elizabeth & Ziebland, Sue, 2009. "'Getting through' not 'going under': A qualitative study of gender and spousal support after diagnosis with colorectal cancer," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1169-1175, March.
    7. Katrin Boström & Gerd Ahlström & Helena Sunvisson, 2006. "Being the Next of Kin of an Adult Person With Muscular Dystrophy," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 15(2), pages 86-104, May.
    8. Elaina Vivian & Hellen Oduor & Preeti Girisha & Parvez Mantry, 2021. "Mindfulness at Methodist—A Prospective Pilot Study of Mindfulness and Stress Resiliency Interventions in Patients at a Tertiary Care Medical Center," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-15, April.
    9. Kay Chinonyelum Nwamaka Onyechi & Liziana N. Onuigbo & Chiedu Eseadi & Amaka B. Ikechukwu-Ilomuanya & Okechukwu Onyinye Nwaubani & Prince C.I. Umoke & Fedinand U. Agu & Mkpoikanke Sunday Otu & Anthoni, 2016. "Effects of Rational-Emotive Hospice Care Therapy on Problematic Assumptions, Death Anxiety, and Psychological Distress in a Sample of Cancer Patients and Their Family Caregivers in Nigeria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-14, September.
    10. Astri Syse & Øystein Kravdal, 2007. "Does cancer affect the divorce rate?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 16(15), pages 469-492.

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