PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF CANCER-PATIENTS AND THEIR SPOUSES - THE WEAKNESSOF MARITAL STRENGTH

In a prospective study, 133 married cancer patients and their spouses were interviewed within a month of diagnosis and administered three se lf-reports: The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) to assess psychological distress, the Impact of Events Scale (IES) to assess coping, and the F amily Adaptability and Cohesion Scares (FACES III) to assess family re lations. Patients and spouses were moderately distressed. The patient' s psychological distress was explained by the level of intrusion, by t he spouse's psychological distress and cohesion which had a protective effect (R-2.41). The spouse's distress was explained by intrusion, ge nder and, to some extent, by the patient's distress (R-2.41); but cohe sion had no influence. Only half of the group (as couples) reached the last follow-up nearly 2 years later. A disassociation seems to have o ccurred; family relations, as well as partner's distress, did not have an influence on either the patient's or spouse's distress. The inform ation gathered at the beginning of the study explained about 25 % of t he distress 2 years later of male patients and their wives, and that o f female patients but not of their husbands. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Son s, Ltd.