Coping and Depressive Symptoms in Adults Living With Heart Failure

Abstract

Individuals who used more planful problem-solving and social support seeking coping strategies had fewer depressive symptoms, whereas individuals who used more escape-avoidance coping (eg, wishful thinking) had more depressive symptoms. When demographic factors also were included in a regression analysis assessing depressive symptoms, marital status, functional impairment, and the coping strategies of planful problem-solving and escape-avoidance were all statistically significant predictors of depression. Single individuals, those who used more escape-avoidance, less planful problem-solving coping, and more functional impairment had more depressive symptoms. These results suggest that psychosocial factors, in addition to physical parameters, and the ways individuals cope with the stressors of living with heart failure may be important predictors of depressive symptoms.

Depression and Coping in Heart Failure Patients

“…16,28 The strategy of planful problem solving was also found to be associated with less depression. 26 Problem-focused strategies, however, were not found to be significantly associated with less depression in the other studies. 24,25,27 Although not statistically significant, it was found that participants who were high users of active behavioral coping showed less depression than did participants who used active behavioral coping less.…”

“…Single wave data collection is a convenient method for both the researcher and the participant. Vollman et al 26 investigated the relationships between depression and coping in heart failure patients (n = 75) by administering verbal questionnaires. The participants included a convenience sample selected from a heart institute and ranged in age from 27 to 82 years (mean [SD], 54.6 [13.1] years).…”

“…Overall, this investigation showed that those individuals who used more problem-focused coping methods had less depression and those who used more escape-avoidance coping had more depression. 26 A study by Klein et al 25 used a convenience sample of heart failure patients (n = 80) from a family care center and heart failure specialty clinic to identify the relationship between coping styles and depression and the relationship between coping styles and health-related quality of life. This sample was different from other studies because it consisted entirely of older adults (Q60 years old) with a mean (SD) age of 69 (7) years.…”

“…16,26,28 Those who used active coping were found to have Heart Failure, Depression, and Coping 113 less depression. 16,28 The strategy of planful problem solving was also found to be associated with less depression.…”

“…The maladaptive and emotionfocused coping skill of avoidance coping was found to be associated with higher levels of depression. 24,26 The coping behaviors of self-distraction, self-blame, venting, and behavioral disengagement were found to be associated with lower quality of life and more depression. 25 Disengagement was also found to be associated with increased depression in the study by Murberg et al 27 These findings are similar to other research that has shown that participants who used more emotion-focused coping such as denial or wishful thinking to deal with their uneasy emotions were found to have more depression.…”