Until Death Do Us Part: The Codevelopment of Life Satisfaction in Couples Preceding the Death of One Partner

This work aims to integrate previous research perspectives on terminal well-being decline and partnerbereavement by investigating the codevelopment of life satisfaction in the years preceding the death ofone partner. We analyzed longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (N=1,450couples) and applied dyadic multilevel models to estimate both partners’ trajectories of life satisfactionand to reveal the pathways of well-being transmission in couple members approaching [partner] death.Findings were compared with a propensity-score-matched control sample of couples in which neitherpartner died during the study. We found that to-be-deceased and to-be-bereaved partners experiencedincreasing disparities in their trajectories of life satisfaction in the years before [partner] death: Althoughboth partners exhibited significant and accelerated declines in life satisfaction, these declines were morepronounced in to-be-deceased individuals. In the control sample, we also identified significant andaccelerated declines in life satisfaction but these declines were less intense and they did not differbetween partners. Regarding between-partner correlations, we observed that couples approaching [partner]death experienced weaker interdependencies in their declines of life satisfaction. Finally, andconcerning the pathways of well-being transmission, we found that life satisfaction was significantlytransmitted between partners and the strength of this effect did not differ between the samples. Thesefindings suggest that the years before [partner] death are characterized by distinctive patterns of changeand interdependence in life satisfaction. Future studies may explore the sources of increasing betweenpartnerdisparities in life satisfaction in an end-of-life relationship context.

Hemostasis in rats with different levels of motor activity after vital stress

Введение. Психоэмоциональный стресс, связанный с риском для жизни и здоровья (витальный стресс), вызывает комплексную ответную реакцию всего организма. Система гемостаза, обеспечивающая жидкостные характеристики циркулирующей крови, играет существенную роль в формировании процессов адаптации или дезадаптации. Нарушения равновесия в процессах свертывания и противосвертывания вместе с изменениями микроциркуляции являются основой патогенеза острых и хронических заболеваний с развитием тромботических либо геморрагических осложнений. Цель исследования: оценить состояние системы гемостаза у крыс с разным уровнем двигательной активности после острой психогенной травмы в виде витального стресса. Материалы и методы. Исследования выполнены на 44 лабораторных половозрелых крысахсамцах линии Wistar, которые составили 2 экспериментальные группы с низкой (n 15) и высокой (n 15) двигательной активностью и контрольную группу интактных животных (n 14). Спонтанную двигательную активность оценивали с помощью теста открытое поле . В качестве острого психотравмирующего воздействия использовали модель психической травмы у крыс в виде витального стресса, вызванного переживанием гибели партнера от действий хищника. Результаты. Острое психотравмирующее воздействие у животных с низкой двигательной активностью вызывало угнетение агрегации тромбоцитов. В группе животных с высокой двигательной активностью была выявлена гиперкоагуляция по внешнему пути активации плазменного гемостаза, а также на конечных этапах коагуляции. В обеих экспериментальных группах наблюдали укорочение времени полимеризации фибринмономера, снижение уровня фибриногена, а также активности антитромбина III на фоне активации фибринолиза. Заключение. Изменения состояния системы гемостаза у крыс с разным уровнем двигательной активности после острого психоэмоционального стресса имели одинаковую направленность, но различную степень выраженности ответной реакции. Полученные результаты позволяют охарактеризовать однократное психоэмоциональное воздействие как не выходящее за рамки эустресса (по данным коагулограммы). Introduction. Psychoemotional stress associated with the risk to life and health (vital stress) causes a complex total body response. Hemostasis supports fluid characteristics of circulating blood and plays a significant role in the formation of adaptation or disadaptation processes. Imbalance in the processes of coagulation and anticoagulation with microcirculation changes are the basis of pathogenesis of acute and chronic diseases with the development of thrombotic or hemorrhagic complications. Aim: to assess hemostasis state in rats with different levels of motor activity after acute psychogenic trauma (vital stress). Materials and methods. The studies were performed on 44 laboratory matured Wistar male rats that were divided into 2 experimental groups with low (n 15) and high (n 15) motor activity and a control group of intact animals (n 14). Spontaneous motor activity was assessed using the open field test. A model of mental trauma was used for the formation of acute psychotraumatic effect in rats in the form of vital stress caused by the experience of partner death from a predator. Results. Acute psychotraumatic effect in animals with low motor activity caused inhibition of platelet aggregation. In animals with high motor activity, hypercoagulation was revealed in the external pathway of plasma hemostasis activation, as well as at the final stages of coagulation. Shortening of fibrin monomer polymerization time, decreasing of fibrinogen level and antithrombin III activity with fibrinolysis activation were observed in both experimental groups. Conclusion. After acute psychoemotional stress hemostasis changes in rats with different levels of motor activity had the same direction, but different intensity of response. The obtained results allow to characterize a single psychoemotional effect as not exceeding the limits of eustress (according to the coagulogram data).

Patterns of Adjustment to Partner Loss in Old Age: The Widowhood Adaptation Longitudinal Study

The present longitudinal study aims to explain emotional and social loneliness experienced by older adults ( N=99) during two-and-a-half years of widowhood. Utilization of multilevel analysis and a “visual” cluster analysis with prescribed classification criteria enabled us to search for average adaptational developments as well as individual variability in the adjustment process. Results were interpreted within the theory of mental incongruity. Adjustment to loneliness appears to develop along different individual-specific curves. About 30 percent of the bereaved had not adapted in two-and-a-half years to their loss in terms of emotional loneliness. Presence of favorable opportunities such as good health and high self-esteem as well as coping efforts like social behavior resulted in lower levels of emotional and social loneliness. It is concluded that the adjustment process among older bereaved does not exist. Moreover, including measures of cognitions and attitudes that are related to the relational needs and desires of widow(er)s may enlarge our knowledge of how older adults adapt to partner death.