Effects of adult attachment on health outcomes among couples facing ovarian cancer and the mediating role of dyadic coping

Background: Ovarian cancer is commonly diagnosed at a late stage of illness, raising significant challenges to health-related quality of life (QOL). Increasingly, cancer is conceptualized as an interpersonal stressor that significantly impacts patients as well as their spouses. It has been suggested that adult attachment significantly impacts health outcomes by way of dyadic processes. The present study used the actor partner interdependence model (APIM) to examine the dyadic effects of adult attachment and dyadic coping on QOL, and whether dyadic coping mediated the associations between attachment and QOL. Methods: Couples (N=106) facing ovarian cancer were recruited from a comprehensive cancer centre in Toronto, ON. Attachment was measured by the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale – Revised, dyadic coping was measured by the Dyadic Coping Inventory, and QOL was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment. APIM analyses evaluated within person and cross-dyadic effects. Role (patients compared with spouses) was examined as a moderator. Results: There were significant within person effects of anxious attachment on physical, social, emotional, and functional QOL. There were also significant within person effects of avoidant attachment on social, emotional, and functional QOL. Positive and negative dyadic coping demonstrated significant within person effects on social and functional QOL. There were no significant cross-dyadic effects nor was there evidence of moderation by role. The within person association between avoidant attachment and social QOL was significantly mediated by positive dyadic coping. The within person association between anxious attachment and social QOL was significantly mediated by positive and negative dyadic coping. Additionally, there was a significant indirect cross-dyadic effect, such that greater anxious attachment reported by one partner was associated with less positive dyadic coping and subsequently less social QOL reported by the other partner. Discussion: Adult attachment and coping as a couple are important considerations in understanding QOL among both patients and spouses. Intervention strategies to address attachment, and the behavioural system associated with attachment, such as dyadic coping, may be useful in addressing impaired individual well-being. Future studies should consider additional dyadic processes that may account for the negative effects of attachment on QOL such as intimacy.

Effects of adult attachment on health outcomes among couples facing ovarian cancer and the mediating role of dyadic coping

Background: Ovarian cancer is commonly diagnosed at a late stage of illness, raising significant challenges to health-related quality of life (QOL). Increasingly, cancer is conceptualized as an interpersonal stressor that significantly impacts patients as well as their spouses. It has been suggested that adult attachment significantly impacts health outcomes by way of dyadic processes. The present study used the actor partner interdependence model (APIM) to examine the dyadic effects of adult attachment and dyadic coping on QOL, and whether dyadic coping mediated the associations between attachment and QOL. Methods: Couples (N=106) facing ovarian cancer were recruited from a comprehensive cancer centre in Toronto, ON. Attachment was measured by the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale – Revised, dyadic coping was measured by the Dyadic Coping Inventory, and QOL was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment. APIM analyses evaluated within person and cross-dyadic effects. Role (patients compared with spouses) was examined as a moderator. Results: There were significant within person effects of anxious attachment on physical, social, emotional, and functional QOL. There were also significant within person effects of avoidant attachment on social, emotional, and functional QOL. Positive and negative dyadic coping demonstrated significant within person effects on social and functional QOL. There were no significant cross-dyadic effects nor was there evidence of moderation by role. The within person association between avoidant attachment and social QOL was significantly mediated by positive dyadic coping. The within person association between anxious attachment and social QOL was significantly mediated by positive and negative dyadic coping. Additionally, there was a significant indirect cross-dyadic effect, such that greater anxious attachment reported by one partner was associated with less positive dyadic coping and subsequently less social QOL reported by the other partner. Discussion: Adult attachment and coping as a couple are important considerations in understanding QOL among both patients and spouses. Intervention strategies to address attachment, and the behavioural system associated with attachment, such as dyadic coping, may be useful in addressing impaired individual well-being. Future studies should consider additional dyadic processes that may account for the negative effects of attachment on QOL such as intimacy.

Psychometric properties and validity of dyadic coping inventory-urdu version for use in Pakistan

For married individuals living in Pakistan, stress within their relationship has emerged as a major source of marital conflicts and even relationship dissolution. However, research based on the systemic transactional model of dyadic coping (DC) suggests partners’ use of coping strategies may help in buffering these devastating effects of stress. The original German version of the Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI) is a widely used self-report measure that has been translated in various languages, however, has not been validated for use with individuals living in Pakistan who speak Urdu. The purpose of the present study was to translate and validate the DCI into Urdu for use with married individuals living in Pakistan. Data were collected from 538 Pakistani married adults. Findings supported the original factor structure of the German and English version of the DCI. As such, results supported the 33-items DCI-Urdu as a valid and reliable measure to assess DC behaviors in Pakistani married individuals. Further, convergent and discriminant validity and measurement invariance (MI) across gender for the DCI-Urdu were consistent with that of DCI-English. A validated measure of the DCI in Urdu provides new directions for researchers and clinicians working with couples in Pakistan.

Marital Adjustment, Love, Personal Intimacy, Personality, Dyadic Coping and Spirituality on Marital Stability

Marital Stability is interpreted as whether a couple in a marriage remains together, instead of separating or getting divorced. It is also called as marital longevity or duration of marriage. The aim of the study is to find the relationship between different psychosocial factor (marital adjustment, love, personal intimacy personality, dyadic coping, and spirituality) and marital stability. For the purpose of sampling, thirty married couples were randomly selected using stratified random sampling. The measuring tools used were Locke-Wallace marital adjustment questionnaire (Marital adjustment), Love scale (Love), Personal assessment of intimacy in relationship (Personal intimacy), Big five inventory (personality), Dyadic coping inventory (Dyadic coping) and the daily spiritual experience scale (Spirituality).Six null hypotheses were raised and tested using descriptive and inferential statistics (Percentage, mean, standard deviation and correlation). The research finding shows that there is a significant negative correlation between sexual intimacy and marital stability(r= -.44 and p<.01). All other variables (Marital adjustment, love, personal intimacy, personality, dyadic coping and spirituality) are not shown to be contributing to marital stability.