INTRODUCTION: The present study evaluated intimacy as a mechanism for the effects of relationship-enhancing (self-disclosure, mutual constructive communication) and relationship-compromising communication (holding back, mutual avoidance, and demand-withdraw communication) on couples' psychological distress. METHODS:Seventy-five men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer in the past year and their partners completed surveys about communication, intimacy, and distress. RESULTS: Multi-level models with the couple as unit of analyses indicated that the association between mutual constructive communication, mutual avoidance, and patient demand-partner withdraw and distress could be accounted for by their influence on relationship intimacy. Intimacy did not mediate associations between self-disclosure, holding back, and partner demand-patient withdraw communication and distress. DISCUSSION/ CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the way in which couples talk about cancer-related concerns as well as the degree to which one or both partners avoid talking about cancer-related concerns can either facilitate or reduce relationship intimacy, and that it is largely by this mechanism that these three communication strategies impact psychological distress. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Relationship intimacy and how patients and partners communicate to achieve this intimacy is important for the psychological adjustment of early stage prostate cancer survivors and their partners.
RCT Entities:
INTRODUCTION: The present study evaluated intimacy as a mechanism for the effects of relationship-enhancing (self-disclosure, mutual constructive communication) and relationship-compromising communication (holding back, mutual avoidance, and demand-withdraw communication) on couples' psychological distress. METHODS: Seventy-five men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer in the past year and their partners completed surveys about communication, intimacy, and distress. RESULTS: Multi-level models with the couple as unit of analyses indicated that the association between mutual constructive communication, mutual avoidance, and patient demand-partner withdraw and distress could be accounted for by their influence on relationship intimacy. Intimacy did not mediate associations between self-disclosure, holding back, and partner demand-patient withdraw communication and distress. DISCUSSION/ CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the way in which couples talk about cancer-related concerns as well as the degree to which one or both partners avoid talking about cancer-related concerns can either facilitate or reduce relationship intimacy, and that it is largely by this mechanism that these three communication strategies impact psychological distress. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Relationship intimacy and how patients and partners communicate to achieve this intimacy is important for the psychological adjustment of early stage prostate cancer survivors and their partners.
Authors: Sharon L Manne; Jamie S Ostroff; Tina R Norton; Kevin Fox; Lori Goldstein; Generosa Grana Journal: Psychooncology Date: 2006-03 Impact factor: 3.894
Authors: Meirav Dagan; Robbert Sanderman; Christiaan Hoff; W J H Jeroen Meijerink; Peter C Baas; Michiel van Haastert; Mariët Hagedoorn Journal: J Behav Med Date: 2013-10-10
Authors: Nicole Collaço; Carol Rivas; Lauren Matheson; Johana Nayoan; Richard Wagland; Obrey Alexis; Anna Gavin; Adam Glaser; Eila Watson Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2018-03-06 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Sharon L Manne; Deborah A Kashy; Talia Zaider; David Kissane; David Lee; Isaac Y Kim; Carolyn J Heckman; Frank J Penedo; Evangelynn Murphy; Shannon Myers Virtue Journal: Br J Health Psychol Date: 2019-03-10
Authors: Brian D Gonzalez; Sharon L Manne; Jerod Stapleton; Shannon Myers-Virtue; Melissa Ozga; David Kissane; Carolyn Heckman; Mark Morgan Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2016-10-19 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Terry A Badger; Chris Segrin; Aurelio J Figueredo; Joanne Harrington; Kate Sheppard; Stacey Passalacqua; Alice Pasvogel; Maria Bishop Journal: Psychol Health Date: 2012-10-09