MARITAL ADJUSTMENT AND EFFECTS OF ILLNESS IN MARRIED PAIRS WITH ONE OR BOTH SPOUSES CHRONICALLY ILL

This study explored marital adjustment and the effects of illness in a sample of 46 married pairs with chronic physical illness. Approximate ly half of the sample consisted of pairs in which both spouses were il l, while one-half was made up of pairs with only one spouse ill. Regar dless of spouse health, marital adjustment scores for levels of cohesi on were significantly higher than reported norms, while levels of cons ensus were significantly lower. The inverse relation of cohesion and c onsensus is interpreted as indicating conflict-regulated oscillation a nd as describing a configuration of interaction which may be specific to married pairs with physical illness. In contrast, spouse health was found to significantly affect how illness was perceived, responses to illness, relations with physicians, and content of communication betw een spouses. Greater imbalance and potential stress occurred in marria ges with only one spouse ill. It is concluded that spouse health is mo re important than sex of caretaker in determining reactions to illness .