THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SENSE OF COHERENCE AND ADJUSTMENT TO DISABILITY STUDIED IN THE CONTEXT OF MARITAL INTERRELATIONS

The aim of this article was to examine the Sense of Coherence (SOC) as a personal disposition, accounting for differences in the ability of the individual to cope effectively with the stressful experience of di sability in the marital context. The relationship between the SOC of b oth spouses and their adjustment to a postmarital disability of one pa rtner was examined within the interpersonal context of the marital rel ationship, incorporating an environmental perspective. Two groups of s ubjects were assessed: the individuals with disability and their spous es. The dominant disabilities were Spinal Cord Injury and CVA, all res ulting in some form of paralysis. The SOC was found to be significantl y associated with adjustment, and positive correlations existed betwee n the SOC of both partners as well as between the adjustment of both, indicating that the reciprocal relations are explained beyond the pers onal variables. The practical and theoretical implications of these fi ndings are discussed.