The effect of marital support and support from other adults on the emo
tional and physical adjustment of 121 husbands of women with breast ca
ncer was examined. Role function and satisfaction with health care als
o were evaluated as predictors of adjustment. Intact data series were
obtained at 7-10 days and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.
Emotional adjustment could be predicted by satisfaction with the patie
nt's response to interactional and emotional needs and by support from
other adults. The relationships were significant at concurrent times,
across contiguous times, and predictive from the 7-10 day postsurgica
l period to both the 6-month and one-year end points. Although physica
l adjustment was predicted by support only at selected times, satisfac
tion with health care was predictive of perceived overall health statu
s at five of the six data-collection periods. Functional status in voc
ational, domestic, and social roles was significantly related to emoti
onal adjustment at all times with few exceptions and to physical adjus
tment at selected times. Type of surgery and stage of disease had an e
ffect on selected physical and emotional outcomes over time.