Jw. Reich et Aj. Zautra, SPOUSE ENCOURAGEMENT OF SELF-RELIANCE AND OTHER-RELIANCE IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS COUPLES, Journal of behavioral medicine, 18(3), 1995, pp. 249-260
Studying and helping couples burdened with a major life stressor such
as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be enhanced by employing well-underst
ood conceptual and empirical frameworks, in our research person/enviro
nment fit (P x E) models. We measured P x E effects in a sample of 62
rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with locus of control beliefs, age,
and the health status of the subjects as the Person variables and the
ir spouses' control encouragement as the Environment variable. As pred
icted, externals were most sensitive to their spouses' behavior. Healt
h status and age moderated the effects of the subjects' control belief
s and spouses' control efforts. Control encouragement showed positive
benefits, but only for the younger and healthier subjects; it was rela
ted to increased psychological distress for externals in poorer health
. Although many models of therapy suggest the benefits of increasing p
ersonal control, these data suggest the necessity of employing a more
complex model integrating both person and social environment variables
in understanding mental health.