Relationship satisfaction in women: a longitudinal case-control study about the role of breast cancer, personal assertiveness, and partners' relationship-focused coping.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate whether a breast cancer diagnosis, personal assertiveness (i.e. frequency of assertive behaviour and tension associated with this behaviour), and partners' relationship-focused coping (i.e. active engagement and protective buffering) were sources of variation in patients' relationship satisfaction, cross-sectionally and over time. DESIGN AND METHOD This longitudinal case-control study assessed the two dimensions of personal assertiveness and relationship satisfaction in both women with cancer (N=72) and comparison controls (N=62). In addition, patients completed a measure assessing their partners' active engagement and protective buffering. RESULTS Cases (i.e. women with breast cancer) were not found to report more relationship problems than controls. Women with breast cancer who tended not to express their concerns and feelings and who experienced much tension when they did, reported relatively low marital satisfaction. Moreover, partners' protective buffering was associated with less relationship satisfaction in especially more assertive (i.e. high frequency of assertive behaviour and low tension) women with cancer, while active engagement was associated with more relationship satisfaction, regardless of the women's personal assertiveness. DISCUSSION The results of the present study indicate that a breast cancer diagnosis by itself may not be a risk factor for relationship problems. However, in the context of an illness such as cancer, personal assertiveness, and a partner's relationship-focused coping strategies do seem to play a role in maintaining a satisfactory relationship with one's partner.

[1]  J. Ostroff,et al.  Cancer‐related relationship communication in couples coping with early stage breast cancer , 2006, Psycho-oncology.

[2]  D. D. de Ridder,et al.  Is spousal support always helpful to patients with asthma or diabetes? A prospective study , 2005 .

[3]  J. Ostroff,et al.  Couple-focused group intervention for women with early stage breast cancer. , 2005, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology.

[4]  A. Robidoux,et al.  Couples who get closer after breast cancer: frequency and predictors in a prospective investigation. , 2005, Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

[5]  J. Ostroff,et al.  The interpersonal process model of intimacy: the role of self-disclosure, partner disclosure, and partner responsiveness in interactions between breast cancer patients and their partners. , 2004, Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association.

[6]  E. Fries,et al.  The role of disclosure patterns and unsupportive social interactions in the well‐being of breast cancer patients , 2004, Psycho-oncology.

[7]  J. Suls,et al.  Hiding Worries from One's Spouse: Associations Between Coping via Protective Buffering and Distress in Male Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients and Their Wives , 1997, Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

[8]  R. Carroll,et al.  The Impact of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment on Marital Functioning , 2004, Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings.

[9]  J. Ostroff,et al.  Buffering Effects of Family and Friend Support on Associations between Partner Unsupportive Behaviors and Coping among Women with Breast Cancer , 2003 .

[10]  A. Bouhuys,et al.  Normative studies with the Scale for Interpersonal Behaviour (SIB): III. Psychiatric inpatients , 2005 .

[11]  J. F. Ybema,et al.  Active engagement, protective buffering, and overprotection: Three ways of giving support by intimate partners of patients with cancer , 2000 .

[12]  J. Coyne,et al.  Never the Twain shall meet? Closing the gap between coping research and clinical intervention research. , 2000, The American psychologist.

[13]  B. Buunk,et al.  Marital satisfaction in patients with cancer: does support from intimate partners benefit those who need it the most? , 2000, Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.

[14]  R. Sanderman,et al.  Normative studies with the Scale for Interpersonal Behaviour (SIB): I. Nonpsychiatric social skills trainees , 1999 .

[15]  G. Howe,et al.  Marital Satisfaction and Emotional Adjustment After Breast Cancer , 1999 .

[16]  M. Dorval,et al.  Marital stability after breast cancer. , 1999, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[17]  A. Kring,et al.  Sex differences in emotion: expression, experience, and physiology. , 1998, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[18]  B R Karney,et al.  Neuroticism, marital interaction, and the trajectory of marital satisfaction. , 1997, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[19]  J. Coyne,et al.  Issues in personality as diathesis for depression: the case of sociotropy-dependency and autonomy-self-criticism. , 1995, Psychological bulletin.

[20]  C. Barker,et al.  The partner relationship in psychological response to breast cancer. , 1995, Social science & medicine.

[21]  B. Knight,et al.  Explaining gender differences in caregiver distress: the roles of emotional attentiveness and coping styles. , 1994, Psychology and aging.

[22]  J. Coyne,et al.  Couples coping with a myocardial infarction: contextual perspective on patient self-efficacy , 1994 .

[23]  T. Antonucci,et al.  Gender differences in the link between marital support and satisfaction in older couples. , 1994, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[24]  I. Sarason,et al.  General and relationship-based perceptions of social support: are two constructs better than one? , 1991, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[25]  D. A. Smith,et al.  Couples coping with a myocardial infarction: a contextual perspective on wives' distress. , 1991, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[26]  R. Sanderman,et al.  Sex differences in assetiveness on the U.S. version of the Scale for Interpersonal Behavior (SIB) , 1991 .

[27]  T. Elliott,et al.  Assertiveness, social support, and psychological adjustment following spinal cord injury. , 1991, Behaviour research and therapy.

[28]  S. Gramling,et al.  Personal Assertiveness and the Effects of Social Support among College Students. , 1990 .

[29]  C. Cutrona,et al.  Stress and Social Support—in Search of Optimal Matching , 1990 .

[30]  R. Sanderman,et al.  The Scale for Interpersonal Behaviour and the Wolpe-Lazarus Assertiveness Scale: a correlational comparison in a non-clinical sample , 1990 .

[31]  R. Sanderman,et al.  Correlates of assertiveness in normal and clinical samples: A multidimensional approach , 1990 .

[32]  J. V. Wood,et al.  Social Support and Marital Adjustment After Breast Cancer , 1988 .

[33]  V. Florian,et al.  Assertion, loneliness, and perceived control among students with and without physical disabilities. , 1986 .

[34]  Shelley E. Taylor,et al.  Close Relationships and the Female Cancer Patient , 1986 .

[35]  C. Schaap,et al.  The Maudsley Marital Questionnaire (MMQ): An Extension of its Construct Validity , 1985, British Journal of Psychiatry.

[36]  W. Arrindell,et al.  On the psychometric properties of the Maudsley Marital Questionnaire (MMQ): Evaluation of self-ratings in distressed and ‘normal’ volunteer couples based on the dutch version , 1983 .

[37]  W. Arrindell,et al.  THE MAUDSLEY MARITAL QUESTIONNAIRE (MMQ): A FURTHER STEP TOWARDS ITS VALIDATION , 1983 .

[38]  S. Meikle,et al.  The topography of assertive behavior in positive and negative situations , 1980 .

[39]  M. Hersen,et al.  Components of assertive behavior. , 1973, Journal of clinical psychology.