1
|
Bouchard K, Gareau A, Sztajerowska K, Greenman PS, Lalande K, Tulloch H. Better together: Relationship quality and mental health among cardiac patients and spouses. Fam Process 2023; 62:1624-1639. [PMID: 36404415 DOI: 10.1111/famp.12836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Reductions in marital relationship quality are pervasive post-cardiac event. It is not yet understood how relationship quality is linked to mental health outcomes in couples where one member has established cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the interdependence within dyads is seldom measured. This research is required as psychological distress has been independently linked to CVD incidence, morbidity, and mortality. This study assessed associations of relationship quality with depression and anxiety among patients with CVD and their spouses. Participants completed questionnaires measuring four dimensions of relationship quality and mental health. Data were analyzed using an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model with hierarchical moderation analyses. 181 dyads (N = 362 participants) comprised the study sample. Most patients had coronary artery disease (66.3%) and 25.9% were female. Patients reported higher relationship satisfaction and fewer anxiety symptoms than did spouses. Patients and spouses with high dyadic consensus and affectional expression reported fewer mental health symptoms, but only when the other partner also perceived high levels of consensus and affectional expression in the relationship. Patients and spouses with low dyadic cohesion reported worse mental health symptoms (actor effects), but those effects were no longer significant when both the patient and the spouse appraised the relationship as having high levels of dyadic cohesion. Taken together, relationship quality is linked to mental health symptoms in patients with CVD and their spouses. Longitudinal and experimental studies are now warranted to further substantiate the cross-sectional findings of this study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Bouchard
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Paul S Greenman
- Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec City, Canada
| | | | - Heather Tulloch
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bouchard K, Gareau A, Greenman PS, Lalande K, Sztajerowska K, Tulloch H. What's love got to do with it? Relationship quality appraisals and quality of life in couples facing cardiovascular disease. Health Psychol Behav Med 2023; 11:2237564. [PMID: 37484832 PMCID: PMC10360988 DOI: 10.1080/21642850.2023.2237564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Changes in couples' relationship quality are common post-cardiac event but it is unclear how relationship quality is linked to patients' and spouses' quality of life (QoL). The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between relationship quality on QoL in patient-spouse dyads within six months of a cardiac event. Methods Participants (N = 181 dyads; 25.9% female patients), recruited from a large cardiac hospital, completed validated questionnaires measuring demographic, relationship (Dyadic Adjustment Scale; DAS) and QoL variables (Heart-QoL & Quality of life of Cardiac Spouses Questionnaire). An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model was used to investigate actor (i.e. responses influencing their own outcome) and partner effects (responses influencing their partner's outcome) of relationship quality and QoL. Results Patients' and spouses' perceptions of relationship quality were in the satisfied range (DAS > 108; 65% of sample) and, as expected, patients reported lower general physical QoL than did their spouse (t(180) = -10.635, p < .001). Patient and spouse relationship quality appraisals were positively associated with their own physical (patient β = .25; spouse β = .05) and emotional/social (patient β = .21; spouse β = .04) QoL. No partner effects were identified. Conclusion High quality relationship appraisals appear to matter for patients' and spouses' QoL after the onset of CVD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Bouchard
- Prevention and Rehabilitation Center, Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Paul S. Greenman
- Prevention and Rehabilitation Center, Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
- Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Canada
- Monfort Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Kathleen Lalande
- Prevention and Rehabilitation Center, Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Heather Tulloch
- Prevention and Rehabilitation Center, Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Laflamme SZ, Bouchard K, Sztajerowska K, Lalande K, Greenman PS, Tulloch H. Attachment insecurities, caregiver burden, and psychological distress among partners of patients with heart disease. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269366. [PMID: 36121800 PMCID: PMC9484654 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Caregiver psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety) is harmful to both caregiver and patient. Different affect-regulation strategies associated with attachment orientations may impact a caregiver’s perception of their caregiving role as a burden, thereby contributing to their psychological distress. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the links among attachment orientations, caregiver burden, and psychological distress in a cardiac context. Participants (N = 181, Mage = 61.79, SD = 10.49; males = 24.7%) were romantic partners of patients with heart disease (i.e., informal caregivers) who completed validated questionnaires. The majority of caregivers had partners with coronary artery disease (n = 127, 70. 2%). 66.3% of caregivers reported low burden, 87.6% reported low levels of depression and 89.9% reported low levels of anxiety. The mean anxious attachment score was 2.74 (SD = 1.37) and the mean avoidant attachment score was 2.95 (SD = 1.26). Four mediation analyses were run using PROCESS macro for IBM SPSS (version 26). Statistical models showed that the relationships between attachment anxiety and psychological distress were mediated by caregiver burden [abanxiety= 0.15, 95% C.I. (0.04, 0.29); abdepression = 0.15, 95% C.I. (0.05, 0.28)] and that attachment avoidance was not a significant covariate (cvanxiety = −0.02, p>0.05; cvdepression = 0.40, p>0.05). The relationships between attachment avoidance and psychological distress were also mediated by caregiver burden [abanxiety = 0.23, 95% C.I. (0.10, 0.42); abdepression = 0.21, 95% C.I. (0.09, 0.37]with attachment anxiety as a significant covariate (cvanxiety = 1.09, p<0.001; cvdepression = 1.09, p<0.001). Interventions for caregivers reporting attachment insecurity and burden should be explored to potentially lessen caregiver distress as they support their partners with heart disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Zofia Laflamme
- Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen Bouchard
- Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karolina Sztajerowska
- Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kathleen Lalande
- Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul S. Greenman
- Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Institut du Savoir Montfort, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
| | - Heather Tulloch
- Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bouchard K, Gareau A, Gallant NL, Lalande K, Greenman PS, Sztajerowska K, Tulloch H. Dyadic effects of anxiety and depression on quality of life among couples facing cardiovascular disease. J Psychosom Res 2021; 149:110601. [PMID: 34419759 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Anxiety and depression are frequently comorbid in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and a patient's poor mental health may implicate the quality of life (QoL) of a partner. The bidirectional effects of comorbid anxiety and depression on patient and partner outcomes are inadequately understood. The aim of this study was to investigate associations of the combined role of depression and anxiety on patients' and partners' QoL. METHOD In this cross-sectional study, patients with CVD and their partners completed questionnaires measuring anxiety, depression, and QoL. Dyadic data was analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model and polynomial interaction for examining the synergistic and dysergistic effects of anxiety and depression (i.e., in combination). RESULTS 181 dyads comprised the study sample (66.3% coronary artery disease; 25.9% female patients). Anxiety and depression, in synergy was associated with poorer QoL in patients and partners (actor effects). Patients that are more anxious than depressed have greater physical QoL whereas partners that are more depressed than anxious have greater emotional QoL (dysergistic actor effects). Patients' more severe symptoms of anxiety and depression, in synergy, was associated with partners' poorer QoL (partner effect). CONCLUSION Anxiety and depression are comorbid and associated with poor QoL in patients and their partners. The results may have implications for secondary prevention programming but future longitudinal studies are warranted to substantiate the cross-sectional findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Bouchard
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada; University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | | | - Kathleen Lalande
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada; University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | | | - Heather Tulloch
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada; University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|