Different coping patterns in the families of aphasic people

Abstract Changes occurring in families as a result of aphasia are important to study as part of the rehabilitation process. It has been shown that the most common attitude in the families of aphasic people seems to be overprotection which increases mutual dependence between spouses (Biorn-Hansen 1957, Malone, Ptacek and Malone 1970, Kinsella and Duffy 1980). It has been suggested that behind this overprotective attitude are. perhaps, latent guilt feelings or prevalent problems and anxiety (Borden 1%2. Overs and Belknap 1967, Buck 1968. Mykyta, Bowling, Nelson and Lloyd 1976). Generalizations about coping mechanisms offamilies are difficult to make especially from small regional samples or, as in some studies, if only one spouse is interviewed. There is a need for studying the coping mechanisms in the families from a systematic perspcctive. Previous research has considered the attitudes and problems expressed by the spouse or other family members of the asphasic person, but coping mechanisms have been less...