Abstract
In the present study we examined how husbands' and wives' intrusive thoughts of prostate cancer (i.e., thinking about it when not meaning to) and avoidance (i.e., efforts to not think about cancer) related to their own and each other's average negative affect over a subsequent 14-day period. We examined whether congruence or similarity in intrusion about illness, but not avoidance, would be associated with less negative affect as this response to cancer could potentially facilitate adjustment. Fifty-nine husbands and wives completed measures of intrusion and avoidance after the diagnosis of prostate cancer and reported on their daily negative affect for 14 days. Using the actor-partner interdependence model, both patients and their wives who had high levels of intrusive thoughts experienced less negative affect when the other member of the couple also experienced high levels of intrusive thoughts. Those who had higher levels of avoidance had spouses who had higher levels of negative affect regardless of their own levels of avoidance. Congruence in responses to cancer may be adaptive for intrusion but not avoidance because the use of intrusive thoughts by both husbands and wives can allow couples to process the diagnosis of cancer, facilitating psychological adjustment, whereas avoidance does not. The current investigation adds to our understanding of how people within a marital dyad affect each other as they adjust to a cancer diagnosis.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 246-253 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Family Psychology |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 2012 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Avoidance
- Cancer
- Intrusion
- Marriage
- Oncology
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Intrusion, avoidance, and daily negative affect among couples coping with prostate cancer : A dyadic investigation. / Fagundes, Christopher P.; Berg, Cynthia A.; Wiebe, Deborah J.
In: Journal of Family Psychology, Vol. 26, No. 2, 04.2012, p. 246-253.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Intrusion, avoidance, and daily negative affect among couples coping with prostate cancer
T2 - A dyadic investigation
AU - Fagundes, Christopher P.
AU - Berg, Cynthia A.
AU - Wiebe, Deborah J.
PY - 2012/4
Y1 - 2012/4
N2 - In the present study we examined how husbands' and wives' intrusive thoughts of prostate cancer (i.e., thinking about it when not meaning to) and avoidance (i.e., efforts to not think about cancer) related to their own and each other's average negative affect over a subsequent 14-day period. We examined whether congruence or similarity in intrusion about illness, but not avoidance, would be associated with less negative affect as this response to cancer could potentially facilitate adjustment. Fifty-nine husbands and wives completed measures of intrusion and avoidance after the diagnosis of prostate cancer and reported on their daily negative affect for 14 days. Using the actor-partner interdependence model, both patients and their wives who had high levels of intrusive thoughts experienced less negative affect when the other member of the couple also experienced high levels of intrusive thoughts. Those who had higher levels of avoidance had spouses who had higher levels of negative affect regardless of their own levels of avoidance. Congruence in responses to cancer may be adaptive for intrusion but not avoidance because the use of intrusive thoughts by both husbands and wives can allow couples to process the diagnosis of cancer, facilitating psychological adjustment, whereas avoidance does not. The current investigation adds to our understanding of how people within a marital dyad affect each other as they adjust to a cancer diagnosis.
AB - In the present study we examined how husbands' and wives' intrusive thoughts of prostate cancer (i.e., thinking about it when not meaning to) and avoidance (i.e., efforts to not think about cancer) related to their own and each other's average negative affect over a subsequent 14-day period. We examined whether congruence or similarity in intrusion about illness, but not avoidance, would be associated with less negative affect as this response to cancer could potentially facilitate adjustment. Fifty-nine husbands and wives completed measures of intrusion and avoidance after the diagnosis of prostate cancer and reported on their daily negative affect for 14 days. Using the actor-partner interdependence model, both patients and their wives who had high levels of intrusive thoughts experienced less negative affect when the other member of the couple also experienced high levels of intrusive thoughts. Those who had higher levels of avoidance had spouses who had higher levels of negative affect regardless of their own levels of avoidance. Congruence in responses to cancer may be adaptive for intrusion but not avoidance because the use of intrusive thoughts by both husbands and wives can allow couples to process the diagnosis of cancer, facilitating psychological adjustment, whereas avoidance does not. The current investigation adds to our understanding of how people within a marital dyad affect each other as they adjust to a cancer diagnosis.
KW - Avoidance
KW - Cancer
KW - Intrusion
KW - Marriage
KW - Oncology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84865097235&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84865097235&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/a0027332
DO - 10.1037/a0027332
M3 - Article
C2 - 22369460
AN - SCOPUS:84865097235
VL - 26
SP - 246
EP - 253
JO - Journal of Family Psychology
JF - Journal of Family Psychology
SN - 0893-3200
IS - 2
ER -