The study, published in The Journal of Rheumatology, examined dyadic coping—when a couple engages in joint problem-solving information gathering, sharing feelings, and demonstrating mutual commitment—from both partners’ perspectives. T. “Dyadic coping refers to how couples work together to manage the challenges of one partner’s illness. This process is a key predictor of how well patients adjust to their disease and overall well-being,” says Dr. Manasi Murthy Mittinty from the College of Medicine and Public Health. . The sample consisted of 163 couples.
Dyadic coping fosters a sense of unity, helping couples create strategies together to deal with stressful situations, and serves as a protective factor that reduces the likelihood of divorce.
Collaborating as a couple is essential for navigating the challenges posed by one partner’s illness, especially in cases of rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that can lead to irreversible tissue damage, progressive deformity, and pain. Approximately 18 million people worldwide are affected by RA, including nearly 456,000 Australians.
Although the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has improved significantly due to biologic treatments, many patients still experience severe physical pain and stiffness. Additionally, around 35% of individuals with RA report mental and behavioural conditions, such as bipolar disorder, mania, and anxiety disorders.
“We found that supportive dyadic coping leads to lower depression, anxiety, and stress for patients, as well as improved relationship quality. In contrast, negative dyadic coping increases psychological distress and reduces relationship quality for both partners,” says Dr Mittinty.
“By examining the interpersonal dynamics of couples grappling with chronic disease, we hope to significantly improve the quality of life for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their spouse.”
The study is the first in Australia to report dyadic coping from the perspective of both participants with RA and their spouses.
RA patients and their spouses were invited to participate in an online survey study if they were more than 18 years old and had lived together for more than a year. The survey included the Chronic Pain Grade Scale, Dyadic Coping Inventory, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and Dyadic Adjustment Scale.
“The results underscore the interconnected nature of dyadic coping, highlighting the need to consider both viewpoints in understanding its impact on couples.
“For decades, the focus has been limited to reducing patients’ illness-related distress and improving patient outcomes. More recently, scientists have adopted a new approach into understanding how illness in a spouse can affect the couple’s relationship and the other spouse’s well-being.
“Our findings demonstrate the reciprocal nature of dyadic coping that transpires between patients with RA and their spouses and showcases that integrating dyadic coping training in disease management may be a valuable resource for enhanced mental health outcomes and relationship quality of couples,” she adds.