Husbands’ perceptions of their wives’ breast cancer coping efficacy: testing congruence models of adjustment
Thomas V Merluzzi,1 MaryAnn Martinez Sanchez2 1Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 2Pima Community College, Tucson, AZ, USA Introduction: Recent reviews have reinforced the notion that having a supportive spouse can help with the process of coping with and adjusting t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2018-02-01
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| Series: | Cancer Management and Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/husbands-perceptions-of-their-wives-breast-cancer-coping-efficacy-test-peer-reviewed-article-CMAR |
| _version_ | 1818489251806838784 |
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| author | Merluzzi TV Martinez Sanchez M |
| author_facet | Merluzzi TV Martinez Sanchez M |
| author_sort | Merluzzi TV |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Thomas V Merluzzi,1 MaryAnn Martinez Sanchez2 1Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 2Pima Community College, Tucson, AZ, USA Introduction: Recent reviews have reinforced the notion that having a supportive spouse can help with the process of coping with and adjusting to cancer. Congruence between spouses’ perspectives has been proposed as one mechanism in that process, yet alternative models of congruence have not been examined closely. This study assessed alternative models of congruence in perceptions of coping and their mediating effects on adjustment to breast cancer.Methods: Seventy-two women in treatment for breast cancer and their husbands completed measures of marital adjustment, self-efficacy for coping, and adjustment to cancer. Karnofsky Performance Status was obtained from medical records. Wives completed a measure of self-efficacy for coping (wives’ ratings of self-efficacy for coping [WSEC]) and husbands completed a measure of self-efficacy for coping (husbands’ ratings of wives’ self-efficacy for coping [HSEC]) based on their perceptions of their wives’ coping efficacy.Results: Interestingly, the correlation between WSEC and HSEC was only 0.207; thus, they are relatively independent perspectives. The following three models were tested to determine the nature of the relationship between WSEC and HSEC: discrepancy model (WSEC - HSEC), additive model (WSEC + HSEC), and multiplicative model (WSEC × HSEC). The discrepancy model was not related to wives’ adjustment; however, the additive (B=0.205, P<0.001) and multiplicative (B=0.001, P<0.001) models were significantly related to wives’ adjustment. Also, the additive model mediated the relationship between performance status and adjustment.Discussion: Husbands’ perception of their wives’ coping efficacy contributed marginally to their wives’ adjustment, and the combination of WSEC and HSEC mediated the relationship between functional status and wives’ adjustment, thus positively impacting wives’ adjustment to cancer. Future research is needed to determine the quality of the differences between HSEC and WSEC in order to develop interventions to optimize the impact of these two relatively independent perspectives on cancer outcomes. Keywords: couples, cancer, coping, adjustment, self-efficacy |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:01:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-add95f6299604c2991e267293050cba8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-1322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:01:50Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancer Management and Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-add95f6299604c2991e267293050cba82022-12-22T01:40:33ZengDove Medical PressCancer Management and Research1179-13222018-02-01Volume 1029730436762Husbands’ perceptions of their wives’ breast cancer coping efficacy: testing congruence models of adjustmentMerluzzi TVMartinez Sanchez MThomas V Merluzzi,1 MaryAnn Martinez Sanchez2 1Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 2Pima Community College, Tucson, AZ, USA Introduction: Recent reviews have reinforced the notion that having a supportive spouse can help with the process of coping with and adjusting to cancer. Congruence between spouses’ perspectives has been proposed as one mechanism in that process, yet alternative models of congruence have not been examined closely. This study assessed alternative models of congruence in perceptions of coping and their mediating effects on adjustment to breast cancer.Methods: Seventy-two women in treatment for breast cancer and their husbands completed measures of marital adjustment, self-efficacy for coping, and adjustment to cancer. Karnofsky Performance Status was obtained from medical records. Wives completed a measure of self-efficacy for coping (wives’ ratings of self-efficacy for coping [WSEC]) and husbands completed a measure of self-efficacy for coping (husbands’ ratings of wives’ self-efficacy for coping [HSEC]) based on their perceptions of their wives’ coping efficacy.Results: Interestingly, the correlation between WSEC and HSEC was only 0.207; thus, they are relatively independent perspectives. The following three models were tested to determine the nature of the relationship between WSEC and HSEC: discrepancy model (WSEC - HSEC), additive model (WSEC + HSEC), and multiplicative model (WSEC × HSEC). The discrepancy model was not related to wives’ adjustment; however, the additive (B=0.205, P<0.001) and multiplicative (B=0.001, P<0.001) models were significantly related to wives’ adjustment. Also, the additive model mediated the relationship between performance status and adjustment.Discussion: Husbands’ perception of their wives’ coping efficacy contributed marginally to their wives’ adjustment, and the combination of WSEC and HSEC mediated the relationship between functional status and wives’ adjustment, thus positively impacting wives’ adjustment to cancer. Future research is needed to determine the quality of the differences between HSEC and WSEC in order to develop interventions to optimize the impact of these two relatively independent perspectives on cancer outcomes. Keywords: couples, cancer, coping, adjustment, self-efficacyhttps://www.dovepress.com/husbands-perceptions-of-their-wives-breast-cancer-coping-efficacy-test-peer-reviewed-article-CMARcouplescancercopingadjustmentself-efficacy |
| spellingShingle | Merluzzi TV Martinez Sanchez M Husbands’ perceptions of their wives’ breast cancer coping efficacy: testing congruence models of adjustment Cancer Management and Research couples cancer coping adjustment self-efficacy |
| title | Husbands’ perceptions of their wives’ breast cancer coping efficacy: testing congruence models of adjustment |
| title_full | Husbands’ perceptions of their wives’ breast cancer coping efficacy: testing congruence models of adjustment |
| title_fullStr | Husbands’ perceptions of their wives’ breast cancer coping efficacy: testing congruence models of adjustment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Husbands’ perceptions of their wives’ breast cancer coping efficacy: testing congruence models of adjustment |
| title_short | Husbands’ perceptions of their wives’ breast cancer coping efficacy: testing congruence models of adjustment |
| title_sort | husbands rsquo perceptions of their wives rsquo breast cancer coping efficacy testing congruence models of adjustment |
| topic | couples cancer coping adjustment self-efficacy |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/husbands-perceptions-of-their-wives-breast-cancer-coping-efficacy-test-peer-reviewed-article-CMAR |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT merluzzitv husbandsrsquoperceptionsoftheirwivesrsquobreastcancercopingefficacytestingcongruencemodelsofadjustment AT martinezsanchezm husbandsrsquoperceptionsoftheirwivesrsquobreastcancercopingefficacytestingcongruencemodelsofadjustment |