Attachment and Psychological Health in Older Couples Coping with Pain

Monin, Joan K.; Zhou, Lu; Kershaw, Trace

doi:10.1024/1662-9647/a000110

Cited by 21 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…osteoarthritis, lower back pain), referred to as ‘partners’, and their heterosexual spouses, referred to as ‘spouses’, participated in a multi-phase study to examine the effects of support provision on cardiovascular reactivity. The present hypotheses and analyses do not overlap with those of the four other papers from this multi-method study of 77 couples in which one person had chronic pain (Mitchell, Levy, Keene, & Monin, 2015; Monin, Chen, & Stahl, 2016; Monin, Levy, & Kane, 2015; Monin, Zhou, & Kershaw, 2014). Here, we focus on the results of one component of the multi-method study, an experiment in which support recollection was manipulated during spouses' speeches of their partner's suffering and spouses' emotional responses were examined.…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 48%

“…The Monin, Levy, and Kane (2015) study examined marital satisfaction and gender (assessed in the background surveys) as moderators of the association between perceived spousal suffering and daily emotional contagion in a subsample of 45 spouses that also completed 7 daily telephone interviews. The Monin, Zhou, and Kershaw (2014) study used the actor–partner interdependence model to examine the extent to which attachment related to one's own (actor effect) and one's partner's (partner effect) depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction in the background surveys for all 77 dyads. …”

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confidence: 99%

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Recalling support provision decreases distress and anger in response to partner suffering

Monin

Mitchell

et al. 2017

Aging & Mental Health

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Objectives Thinking about a loved one's suffering can be emotionally stressful and have negative effects on a person's psychological and physical health over time. This study examined the hypotheses that when thinking about a partner's suffering (1) recalling past support provision to the suffering partner can decrease distress and anger and increase compassion, and (2) attachment orientation moderates these effects. Method Seventy-seven older adult spouses of individuals with chronic pain were video-recorded while they disclosed: (1) an instance of partner suffering and (2) an instance of partner suffering plus their support provision. Compassion for the partner and their own distress and anger were self-reported immediately after each account. Accounts were coded for statements of support. Attachment was assessed with the Experiences with Close Relationships measure. Results As hypothesized, distress and anger were lower in the ‘suffering with support’ condition versus the ‘suffering only’ condition. There was no evidence that attachment orientation significantly moderated the effect of support recollection on emotional responses; however, more avoidant individuals reported less compassion and anger and used more words reflecting anger across conditions. More anxiously attached individuals reported greater compassion across conditions. Conclusion When thinking about a partner's suffering, there are attachment-related differences in emotional reactions. Yet, regardless of these differences, it may be adaptive for spouses to think about their role in providing support to their partner to decrease their own negative emotions.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 48%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Recalling support provision decreases distress and anger in response to partner suffering

Monin

Mitchell

et al. 2017

Aging & Mental Health

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“…This study was part of a larger, multi‐method, IRB approved study (see also Monin, Zhou, & Kershaw, in press). After indicating informed consent and performing a series of tasks, spouses completed a background questionnaire in separate rooms that included the following measures.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dyadic Associations Between Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults with Musculoskeletal Conditions and Their Spouses

2014

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This study examined the association between physical activity of older individuals with musculoskeletal conditions (IMCs) and their spouses’ physical activity, how physical activity related to one’s own and one’s partner’s depressive symptoms, and whether the similarity of partners’ physical activity related to each partner’s depressive symptoms using the actor–partner interdependence model. Seventy-seven dyads completed self-report measures of physical activity, depressive symptoms and potential covariates (socio-demographics, physical health conditions and marital satisfaction; IMCs’ functional impairment and pain; and spouses’ support-related stress). As hypothesized, we found a positive association between the IMC’s and the spouse’s physical activity. Also, spouses had more depressive symptoms when IMCs engaged in less physical activity. However, for both partners, one’s own physical activity was not significantly associated with one’s own depressive symptoms. The spouse’s physical activity was also not significantly associated with the IMC’s depressive symptoms, and the similarity between partners’ physical activity did not significantly relate to either partner’s depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that interventions that help increase the physical activity of both partners, but particularly IMCs, may benefit spouses’ well-being.

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“…Going further than previous studies, Monin et al (2014) examined the interplay between partners’ attachment styles and indicators of individual (depressive symptoms) and relational (marital satisfaction) psychological health in older married couples where one partner had a musculoskeletal pain condition. They found that when one or both partners were insecurely attached, both reported greater depressive symptoms and lower marital satisfaction ( Monin et al, 2014 ). In particular, if one partner’s had attachment anxiety, this was associated with greater depressive symptoms for both partners.…”

Section: Pain and Psychological Theoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…What is more, spouses reported lower marital satisfaction when their CP partner had high anxious attachment. With regard to avoidant attachment, this was associated with lower marital satisfaction for both partners, whilst CP patients whose spouses had high avoidant attachment reported more depressive symptoms ( Monin et al, 2014 ). Taken together, these results suggested that avoidant attachment impedes both the support-seeking and caregiving processes.…”

Section: Pain and Psychological Theoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attachment Style and Chronic Pain: Toward an Interpersonal Model of Pain

et al. 2017

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Chronic pain (CP) is a burdensome symptom. Different psychological models have been proposed to explain the role of psychological and social factors in developing and maintaining CP. Attachment, for example, is a psychological construct of possible relevance in CP. The first studies on the role of attachment in CP did not investigate the partner’s psychological factors, thus neglecting the influence of the latter. The main aim of this mini-review was to examine the more recent literature investigating the relationship between CP and attachment style. In particular, whether or not more recent studies assessed the psychological variables of a patient’s partner. The articles were selected from the Medline/PubMed database using the search terms “attachment” AND “pain”; “CP” AND “attachment style,” which led to nine papers being identified. The results showed that, even though the key point was still the hypothesis that an insecure attachment style is associated with CP, in recent years researchers have focused on the possible psychological aspects mediating between attachment style and CP. In particular, worrying, coping strategies, catastrophizing and perceived spouse responses to pain behavior were taken into account. Only one study considered the role of the reciprocal influence of attachment style of both patient and partner, underlining the role of real significant others’ responses to pain behaviors. In conclusion, the results of the present mini-review highlight how in recent years researchers have moved toward investigating those psychological aspects that could mediate the relationship between attachment and CP, while only partially evaluating the interpersonal perspective.

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Attachment and Psychological Health in Older Couples Coping with Pain

Cited by 21 publications

References 63 publications

Recalling support provision decreases distress and anger in response to partner suffering

Recalling support provision decreases distress and anger in response to partner suffering

Dyadic Associations Between Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults with Musculoskeletal Conditions and Their Spouses

Attachment Style and Chronic Pain: Toward an Interpersonal Model of Pain

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