Ambivalence over emotional expression and psychological well-being among rheumatoid arthritis patients and their spouses

Associations between ambivalence over emotional expression and psychologica l well-being among rheumatoid arthritis patients and their spouses were inv estigated. Sixty-nine couples completed questionnaires assessing ambivalenc e over emotional expression, emotional expressiveness, psychological well-b eing, and strategies used in coping with arthritis. Associations between th e patient's ambivalence and psychological well-being were stronger for thos e married to a highly ambivalent spouse, although this pattern of results w as not found for spouses. Lower psychological wellbeing among more ambivale nt spouses, and to a lesser extent patients, could be partially explained b y their greater use of passive and distancing coping strategies. Results em phasize the importance of taking a dyadic approach to the study of psycholo gical functioning among chronically ill patients and their spouses.