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A systemic-transactional conceptualization of stress and coping in couples
Abstract
Presents a systemic-transactional conceptualization of stress and coping among couples. Stress in close relationships can result from sources within the couple or from outside the relationship. The systemic-transactional model focuses on the molecular processes which are embedded in a social and ecological context. It proposes appraisals functioning in both partners, which are in addition to the 'classical' primary appraisal. In the secondary appraisal it is decided whether the person or the couple believe that they are able to cope with the stressor. Goals play an important role in the stress process and give coping efforts a specific direction and can differ according to individual or dyadic aims. In reappraisals, each partner tries to evaluate the appraisal of the other partner and compares both views in a 3rd evaluation. Individual and dyadic coping in close relationships are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
... This is considered a weak model because partners are treated as individual units of analysis thereby ignoring the dyadic pulls and pushes in any marital relationship (Falconier, et al., 2015). Bodenmann (1995) revolves around mutual communication of stress, support provided by each member of the marital dyad, and joint strategies used to cope with common stressors. Further, DC can be positive by way of stress communication and negative in terms of hostility triggered by stressful situations (Bodenmann, 1995). ...
... Bodenmann (1995) revolves around mutual communication of stress, support provided by each member of the marital dyad, and joint strategies used to cope with common stressors. Further, DC can be positive by way of stress communication and negative in terms of hostility triggered by stressful situations (Bodenmann, 1995). Falconier, et al. (2015) have observed that positive DC results in homeostasis for the partners while negative DC leads to drop in judicious adaptation to a stressor (Falconier et al., 2015). ...
... Stressors are referred to being dyadic only when both the partners have been exposed to the same stress (Bodenmann, 1995). Thus, dyadic coping not only helps to reduce stress of partners but also helps maintain good quality of relationship (Lameiras et al. 2018). ...
Incidence of social isolation i.e., the state of being disconnected from social relationships, has increased significantly in the aftermath of Covid-19. In turn, the emerging phenomenon of social isolation across the world has impacted the interpersonal relations among married couples, among other consequences. This research studies dyadic coping and psychological wellbeing among married individuals in India and also explores whether dyadic coping strategies can predict psychological wellbeing of people afflicted by social isolation in the post-Covid-19 scenario. Results of the study indicate that dyadic coping predicts psychological wellbeing to a great extent. Among males, supportive dyadic coping impacts the psychological wellbeing while among females, common dyadic coping prominently predicts psychological wellbeing. All dimensions of dyadic coping have a significant correlation with psychological wellbeing except Negative Dyadic Coping by Oneself and Negative Dyadic Coping of the Partner, which do not seem to have any association with the latter.
... 942 One major dyadic resource is dyadic coping. Dyadic coping encompasses couples' interactions in dealing with stressors, i.e., supportive actions from one partner to the other and conjoint coping efforts involving both partners [7]. Conjoint forms of dyadic coping are most strongly and most consistently linked to relational functioning in community samples [8]. ...
... The We-Disease Questionnaire (WDQ) was developed by one of the authors, GB, an expert in dyadic coping with extensive clinical training and experience in couple and family therapy. The items were generated along two dimensions (shared/non-shared; problemoriented/emotion-oriented) according to the Systemic Transactional Model (STM) [7]. The objective from the outset was to develop a short scale for clinical application, minimizing respondent burden. ...
... The Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI) [19] is a 37-item self-report questionnaire measuring dyadic coping behaviors. We used the common dyadic coping (CDC) subscale and the total score of dyadic coping by one's partner (DCPAR), calculated by the mean of all partner-related items of the DCI (item [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. The CDC subscale measures conjoint efforts of the partners to cope when they are both feeling stressed with 5 items. ...
In couples dealing with health problems, we-disease appraisals can influence dyadic coping strategies to alleviate distress. This study describes the development and validation of a self-report scale to assess we-disease appraisals of health problems. The newly developed We-Disease Questionnaire (WDQ) was administered in three samples: parents of children with type 1 diabetes (n = 240) or cancer (n = 125) and individuals with visual impairment and their partners (n = 216). Reliability was measured by coefficient omega. To assess construct validity, correlations with other measures of individual and dyadic adjustment were examined. Descriptive statistics across all samples were compared. A 4-item version of the WDQ demonstrated good reliability and validity and showed meaningful associations with established scales. We-disease appraisals were highest among parents of children with cancer and lowest among couples with visual impairment. The WDQ is a reliable and valid measure that can be used across different health problems.
... However, spouses should pay careful attention to their supportive and protective behaviors towards the patients. According to Bodenmann's systemic transactional model [82], dyadic coping refers to the common reactions and strategies of both spouses in the face of stressful events. It is important to note that overprotection as a form of negative coping is not conducive to the recovery of patients, resulting in role strengthening, over-dependence on caregivers, and an increased burden of care. ...
... Dyadic coping emphasizes joint decision-making and interactions between both parties in the face of stressful events. It is seen as a systematic way of coping that focuses not only on individual responses but also on interactions between the two parties [82]. Compared with individual coping, dyadic coping would help to researchers take a more comprehensive view of outcomes for cancer patients and their spousal caregivers. ...
(1) Background: Social isolation, which has numerous adverse effects on health status, is prevalent among cancer patients. This review proposes to identify the influencing factors of social isolation among cancer patients. (2) Methods: Articles published in English or Chinese from six electronic databases before December 2023 were identified via a systematic search. A manual search was also performed. (3) Results: Twenty-eight studies were identified in this systematic review. The factors associated with social isolation can be summarized into the following categories: demographic characteristics, having cancer, health status, coping, social support and social interaction. Despite the heterogeneity, 20 factors were significantly associated with social isolation, including age, gender, comorbidity burden, education level, residence, medical insurance, occupation status, personality, race, smoking status, having children, not living alone, household income level, marital status, the role of primary caregiver, physical health status, mental health status, social health status, coping styles, and the level of social support and social interaction. (4) Conclusions: The systematic review showed that cancer patients’ social isolation was influenced by their demographic characteristics, cancer-related factors, physical condition, psychological status, social health status, coping styles, and level of social support and social interaction. In addition, future group intervention could be considered to improve social isolation.
... First, participants described how their partners matched or complemented their coping by providing emotional support, which is representative of the congruence-discrepancy approach [57]. Second, participants described that their partners took a collaborative approach to value-informed goal navigation, which is representative of the systematic dyadic coping approach [58][59][60][61]. These findings extend previous research on dyadic coping, which has largely focused on heterosexual married couples in the context of chronic illness [57] to SMM in relationships and HIV prevention. ...
The development of tailored interventions that address drug use and sexual risk taking among sexual minority men (SMM) in relationships has garnered increasing interest over the past 20 years. Motivational interviewing (MI) has demonstrated promise in both individual and couples-based applications. The Personal Values Card Sort activity is commonly employed in these interventions; however, relatively little is known about the content of client responses evoked by this intervention task. This study examined how SMM in relationships characterize their values; how their relationship partners influence value attainment; and how they situated drug use and sexual risk taking in the context of their values and primary relationships. A qualitative analysis of intervention transcripts from sessions with 47 SMM aged 18 to 34 was conducted. All respondents were HIV negative and indicated recent (past 30 days) drug use and sexual risk behavior. Participants’ high priority values reflected a focus on clarifying personal identity and interpersonal relationships. Values manifested as realized, aspirational, or transformed. Participants described their partners as supporting goal attainment and as a companion with whom they cope with goal-related stressors. Consistent with interdependence theory, participants’ responses indicated consideration of their partner and relationship when these aligned with and supported goal-attainment. Conversely, when partners were described as a barrier to realizing their values, participants characterized their relationship as being of lower quality. Implications of this content for the activation of motivation for health behavior are discussed with specific emphasis on applications with SMM in relationships.
... Dyadic coping refers to the process wherein stress and coping are viewed as interpersonal processes. 34,35 Following this, a stressful event always concerns both partners. Applied to cancer, one can say that although only one partner is struck by the disease and its consequence, the other partner is too in the sense that one is worried about (losing) their partner, and has to arrange all kinds of practicalities. ...
Objective
To obtain insight into adaptation processes of redefining normality and its influencing factors in relatives of patients with advanced cancer.
Methods
An exploratory qualitative study among relatives of patients with advanced cancer was conducted. Participants were purposively recruited. Ten in‐depth individual (relative only) and 16 dyad (relative and patient together) interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by means of thematic analysis, drawing on elements of grounded theory, combining both inductive and deductive elements.
Results
Two adaptation processes of (redefining) normality were identified: assimilation and accommodation. The latter was found to be the main way of adapting to new events. Assimilative coping strategies entailed “continuing to do the same activities as done before the disease,” “difficulty accepting the situation,” “avoiding to think about the disease,” and “living in the short term.” Accommodative strategies involved “arranging practical matters,” “thinking about the future,” “doing what is feasible,” “engaging in new activities,” “accepting the situation,” “seeking distraction,” “living in the short term,” and “focusing on what truly matters in life.” The interplay between the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, a deteriorating disease status, and the accompanying uncertainty about the future was of influence on the relatives' coping strategies.
Conclusion
When the new situation is too divergent to assimilate, accommodation may be necessary for relatives to cope with the growing complexity of the consequences of their loved one's illness. Accommodative coping then involves accepting the changing reality and actively making the necessary adjustments to build resilience and cope with the new circumstances.
... Dyadic coping involves how couples collectively handle and decide on stressful events, encompassing positive and negative coping approaches. 20 Studies have demonstrated that a proactive approach by couples in jointly managing stress related to illness can effectively enhance their physical and mental health, elevate their quality of life, and diminish negative emotions. 21 In our study, spouses highlighted that providing continuous positive assistance and support during the illness significantly influenced how patients coped. ...
Background
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory skin condition characterized by erythema, papules, and scales. It imposes a heavy psychological and social strain on both patients and their families. Surprisingly, there’s limited research delving into the disease burden and coping strategies of spouses contending with psoriasis.
Objective
The objective is to explore the disease burden faced and coping strategies utilized by spouses of individuals living with psoriasis. This exploration aims to offer insights crucial for devising mental health support and intervention strategies.
Methods
The research methodology employed in this study was phenomenological, a qualitative approach. A total of fifteen spouses of patients with psoriasis were selected using an objective sampling method for in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was then applied to the recorded interview data to derive meaningful themes.
Results
This study has identified and analyzed three core themes concerning the disease burden and coping strategies of spouses of patients with psoriasis: Overwhelming disease burden; Lack of support system; Coping strategies (Problem - centered coping strategies: Proactive acquisition of disease knowledge; Active confrontation of illness - related issues; Behavioral habit alteration; and Emotional - centered coping strategies: Active acceptance and normalization; Passive acceptance and internalized stigma; Avoidance of disease - related problems).
Conclusion
This study adds valuable insights into comprehending the disease burden encountered by spouses of patients with psoriasis and sheds light on the coping strategies they employ. Healthcare providers should proactively recognize and address the burden experienced by spouses early on. Establishing a robust support network is crucial, and promoting adaptive coping strategies can significantly aid spouses in effectively navigating and managing the complexities associated with psoriasis.
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