PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT IN PATIENTS REPORTING CARDIAC ILLNESS

This study tests an integrative cross-sectional model of psychosocial adjustment in a late middle-aged sample of patients reporting diagnose s of cardiac illness. Findings based on 362 individuals diagnosed with chronic cardiac illness and 390 healthy controls strongly supported h ypotheses. Individuals with chronic cardiac illness scored significant ly higher than did than did persons free of illness on both Depressed Mood and Depressive Features. In addition, women experienced more Depr essed Mood and Depressive Features than did men. An integrative struct ural equation model demonstrated that, for both men and women with chr onic cardiac illness, social support and adaptive coping strategies we re related to less depressive symptoms. Social support predicted less depressive symptoms both directly and indirectly through coping strate gies.