The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 2015
For older adults coping with a spouse's chronic condition, greater marital satisf... more For older adults coping with a spouse's chronic condition, greater marital satisfaction may not be entirely protective for psychological health. We examined marital satisfaction and gender as moderators of the association between perceived spousal suffering and daily emotional contagion. Based on empathy-altruism and interdependent self-construal theories, we hypothesized that high marital satisfaction and being female would heighten daily emotional contagion, or within-person associations between perceived spouse suffering and distress to spouse suffering. Forty-five older adults who had a spouse with a musculoskeletal condition completed daily interviews. Participants reported their marital satisfaction once in the laboratory and then daily perceptions of their spouse's physical suffering and their own distress to spouse suffering via phone at home for 7 days. Consistent with hypotheses, there were significant within-person effects such that highly satisfied wives experienced heightened emotional contagion on days when they perceived higher than average spouse suffering. Unexpectedly, men who were high in marital satisfaction experienced heightened daily distress irrespective of their perceptions of level of spousal suffering. Marital satisfaction can increase daily emotional contagion to spousal suffering among older couples dealing with chronic conditions. Wives' distress may be more dependent on perceiving high levels of partner suffering compared with husbands' distress.
In this chapter, we consider the processes and effects of divorce from an attachment-theoretical ... more In this chapter, we consider the processes and effects of divorce from an attachment-theoretical perspective, beginning with a discussion of attachment theory's relevance to the study of divorce and its aftermath. We then consider the effects of divorce on the couple members' postdivorce adjustment, which includes the effects on the individuals' physical and psychological health and on their relationship, which often continues well past the divorce. Later sections of the chapter deal with the effects of divorce on children. Throughout the chapter, we review relevant research and consider ways in which individual differences in attachment orientation affect the process and sequelae of divorce. We conclude by discussing important next steps for research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Jan 14, 2015
When examining older adults' health behaviors and psychological health, it is important to co... more When examining older adults' health behaviors and psychological health, it is important to consider the social context. The purpose of this study was to examine in older adult marriages whether each spouse's physical activity predicted changes in their own (actor effects) and their partner's (partner effects) depressive symptoms. Gender differences were also examined. Each spouse within 1260 married couples (at baseline) in the Cardiovascular Health Study completed self-report measures at wave 1 (1989-1990), wave 3 (1992-1993), and wave 7 (1996-1997). Dyadic path analyses were performed. Husbands' physical activity significantly predicted own decreased depressive symptoms (actor effect). For both spouses, own physical activity did not significantly predict the spouse's depressive symptoms (partner effects). However, husbands' physical activity and depressive symptoms predicted wives' physical activity and depressive symptoms (partner effects), respectivel...
The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2014
We examined whether older caregiving veterans differ from noncaregiving veterans in terms of heal... more We examined whether older caregiving veterans differ from noncaregiving veterans in terms of health and psychosocial factors and how these factors and caregiving aspects (i.e., hours, relationship type) relate to caregiving strain and reward. We also evaluated two hypotheses: (1) combat exposure provides protection from emotional caregiving strain, and (2) grandparenting is particularly rewarding. We used a cross-sectional web survey of a nationally representative sample of older veterans in the United States. Data were drawn from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, and participants were 2,025 U.S. veterans aged 60 or older (mean: 71.0; SD: 7.1; range: 60-96). Participants completed measures of caregiving status, sociodemographic characteristics, combat exposure, physical and mental health, cognitive status, and psychosocial characteristics. Caregivers reported caregiving hours, caregiving type, emotional and physical strain, and reward. A total of 20.4% of U.S. ol...
To determine how older adult spouses react to their partners' interpersonal suffering. Spouse... more To determine how older adult spouses react to their partners' interpersonal suffering. Spouses of individuals with musculoskeletal pain were recorded describing their partners' suffering while their blood pressure (BP) was monitored. After the account, spouses described their distress. Speeches were transcribed and analyzed with Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software and coded for interpersonal content. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted with interpersonal content variables predicting BP and distress. Exploratory qualitative analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti to explore mechanisms behind quantitative results. Describing partners' suffering as interpersonal and using social (family) words were associated with higher systolic BP reactivity. Husbands were more likely to describe partners' suffering as interpersonal. Qualitative results suggested shared stressors and bereavement-related distress as potential mechanisms for heightened reactivity to int...
This study examined linguistic markers of emotion regulation and cardiovascular stress reactivity... more This study examined linguistic markers of emotion regulation and cardiovascular stress reactivity in spousal caregivers. Fifty-three individuals were audiotaped while they privately disclosed an instance of partner suffering and a typical partner interaction (i.e., a meal together). Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate (HR) were measured. Linguistic analysis determined emotion and cognitive processing word use. Results revealed that using more positive emotion words was associated with lower HR reactivity in each verbal account. Caregivers who used fewer cognitive processing words (e.g., think, realize, because) overall had the highest HR reactivity to talking about the partner's suffering. These findings have implications for interventions for all caregivers as well as distinguishing more resilient caregivers from those who may be at a higher risk for caregiver burden.
The effects of communal motivation on reactions to relationship partners&... more The effects of communal motivation on reactions to relationship partners' expressed anger were examined. In Study 1, married couples reported on the communal strength of their marriage, their expressions of anger to their spouse, and relationship satisfaction. In Study 2, college students reported on the communal strength of their best friendships, those friends' expressions of anger, and their evaluations of and provision of support to those friends. In Study 3, communal motivation toward a stranger who expressed mild anger was manipulated and evaluation of that stranger was measured. In all three studies, low communal motivation was associated with more negative evaluations of angry partners, lower relationship satisfaction, and, in Study 2, lower support provision. In contrast, when communal motivation was high, these decreases either did not occur (Studies 1 and 3) or were diminished (Study 2), and in Study 2, partners' anger was associated with increased provision of social support.
... Joan K. Monin, Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Social and Behavioral Sciences Division, Yale Sc... more ... Joan K. Monin, Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Social and Behavioral Sciences Division, Yale School of Public Health; Brooke C. Feeney, Department ... It may be the case that feelings of personal distress (and concern about being rejected or abandoned) trump their underlying ...
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 2015
For older adults coping with a spouse's chronic condition, greater marital satisf... more For older adults coping with a spouse's chronic condition, greater marital satisfaction may not be entirely protective for psychological health. We examined marital satisfaction and gender as moderators of the association between perceived spousal suffering and daily emotional contagion. Based on empathy-altruism and interdependent self-construal theories, we hypothesized that high marital satisfaction and being female would heighten daily emotional contagion, or within-person associations between perceived spouse suffering and distress to spouse suffering. Forty-five older adults who had a spouse with a musculoskeletal condition completed daily interviews. Participants reported their marital satisfaction once in the laboratory and then daily perceptions of their spouse's physical suffering and their own distress to spouse suffering via phone at home for 7 days. Consistent with hypotheses, there were significant within-person effects such that highly satisfied wives experienced heightened emotional contagion on days when they perceived higher than average spouse suffering. Unexpectedly, men who were high in marital satisfaction experienced heightened daily distress irrespective of their perceptions of level of spousal suffering. Marital satisfaction can increase daily emotional contagion to spousal suffering among older couples dealing with chronic conditions. Wives' distress may be more dependent on perceiving high levels of partner suffering compared with husbands' distress.
In this chapter, we consider the processes and effects of divorce from an attachment-theoretical ... more In this chapter, we consider the processes and effects of divorce from an attachment-theoretical perspective, beginning with a discussion of attachment theory's relevance to the study of divorce and its aftermath. We then consider the effects of divorce on the couple members' postdivorce adjustment, which includes the effects on the individuals' physical and psychological health and on their relationship, which often continues well past the divorce. Later sections of the chapter deal with the effects of divorce on children. Throughout the chapter, we review relevant research and consider ways in which individual differences in attachment orientation affect the process and sequelae of divorce. We conclude by discussing important next steps for research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Jan 14, 2015
When examining older adults' health behaviors and psychological health, it is important to co... more When examining older adults' health behaviors and psychological health, it is important to consider the social context. The purpose of this study was to examine in older adult marriages whether each spouse's physical activity predicted changes in their own (actor effects) and their partner's (partner effects) depressive symptoms. Gender differences were also examined. Each spouse within 1260 married couples (at baseline) in the Cardiovascular Health Study completed self-report measures at wave 1 (1989-1990), wave 3 (1992-1993), and wave 7 (1996-1997). Dyadic path analyses were performed. Husbands' physical activity significantly predicted own decreased depressive symptoms (actor effect). For both spouses, own physical activity did not significantly predict the spouse's depressive symptoms (partner effects). However, husbands' physical activity and depressive symptoms predicted wives' physical activity and depressive symptoms (partner effects), respectivel...
The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2014
We examined whether older caregiving veterans differ from noncaregiving veterans in terms of heal... more We examined whether older caregiving veterans differ from noncaregiving veterans in terms of health and psychosocial factors and how these factors and caregiving aspects (i.e., hours, relationship type) relate to caregiving strain and reward. We also evaluated two hypotheses: (1) combat exposure provides protection from emotional caregiving strain, and (2) grandparenting is particularly rewarding. We used a cross-sectional web survey of a nationally representative sample of older veterans in the United States. Data were drawn from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, and participants were 2,025 U.S. veterans aged 60 or older (mean: 71.0; SD: 7.1; range: 60-96). Participants completed measures of caregiving status, sociodemographic characteristics, combat exposure, physical and mental health, cognitive status, and psychosocial characteristics. Caregivers reported caregiving hours, caregiving type, emotional and physical strain, and reward. A total of 20.4% of U.S. ol...
To determine how older adult spouses react to their partners' interpersonal suffering. Spouse... more To determine how older adult spouses react to their partners' interpersonal suffering. Spouses of individuals with musculoskeletal pain were recorded describing their partners' suffering while their blood pressure (BP) was monitored. After the account, spouses described their distress. Speeches were transcribed and analyzed with Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software and coded for interpersonal content. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted with interpersonal content variables predicting BP and distress. Exploratory qualitative analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti to explore mechanisms behind quantitative results. Describing partners' suffering as interpersonal and using social (family) words were associated with higher systolic BP reactivity. Husbands were more likely to describe partners' suffering as interpersonal. Qualitative results suggested shared stressors and bereavement-related distress as potential mechanisms for heightened reactivity to int...
This study examined linguistic markers of emotion regulation and cardiovascular stress reactivity... more This study examined linguistic markers of emotion regulation and cardiovascular stress reactivity in spousal caregivers. Fifty-three individuals were audiotaped while they privately disclosed an instance of partner suffering and a typical partner interaction (i.e., a meal together). Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate (HR) were measured. Linguistic analysis determined emotion and cognitive processing word use. Results revealed that using more positive emotion words was associated with lower HR reactivity in each verbal account. Caregivers who used fewer cognitive processing words (e.g., think, realize, because) overall had the highest HR reactivity to talking about the partner's suffering. These findings have implications for interventions for all caregivers as well as distinguishing more resilient caregivers from those who may be at a higher risk for caregiver burden.
The effects of communal motivation on reactions to relationship partners&... more The effects of communal motivation on reactions to relationship partners' expressed anger were examined. In Study 1, married couples reported on the communal strength of their marriage, their expressions of anger to their spouse, and relationship satisfaction. In Study 2, college students reported on the communal strength of their best friendships, those friends' expressions of anger, and their evaluations of and provision of support to those friends. In Study 3, communal motivation toward a stranger who expressed mild anger was manipulated and evaluation of that stranger was measured. In all three studies, low communal motivation was associated with more negative evaluations of angry partners, lower relationship satisfaction, and, in Study 2, lower support provision. In contrast, when communal motivation was high, these decreases either did not occur (Studies 1 and 3) or were diminished (Study 2), and in Study 2, partners' anger was associated with increased provision of social support.
... Joan K. Monin, Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Social and Behavioral Sciences Division, Yale Sc... more ... Joan K. Monin, Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Social and Behavioral Sciences Division, Yale School of Public Health; Brooke C. Feeney, Department ... It may be the case that feelings of personal distress (and concern about being rejected or abandoned) trump their underlying ...
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