The effectiveness of couple-based interventions on the marital outcomes of women with genital and breast cancer and their partners: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer and genital cancer are known as cancers that affect people's relationships with their partners. Women with such cancers are emotionally vulnerable and need more support from their partners. The present systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of couple-based interventions on the marital outcomes of patients with these cancers and their intimate partners. METHODS: To perform this systematic review, Google Scholar and databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, SID (Scientific Information Database), and Magiran were searched systematically. The reviewed studies included randomized controlled trials and quasiexperimental studies in which the intervention group, couple-based interventions, and the control group received routine care, general education or no intervention for cancer treatment. In this study, the included participants were patients with breast cancer or genital cancer and their intimate partners. The primary outcomes considered in this study included patients' marital adjustment, patients' marital satisfaction, patients' marital intimacy, and patients' marital relationships. The secondary outcomes were partners' marital adjustment, partners' marital satisfaction, partners' marital intimacy, and partners' marital relationships. A meta-analysis was performed with Review Manager v. 5.3 software (The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Cochrane Collaboration, 2014; Copenhagen, Denmark). The intervention impacts on continuous outcomes were measured using standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence interval because of the use of various scales to evaluate the outcomes. The quality of evidence presented in the included studies was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. In the subgroup analysis, the studied outcomes were divided into two parts (theory-based and non-theory-based) in terms of the theoretical context of couple-based interventions. RESULTS: From a total of 138 retrieved studies, 14 trials were eligible for inclusion in the study. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the patient's marital satisfaction increased significantly with couple-based interventions (SMD 0.46, 95% confidence interval 0.07 to 0.85; 7 trials, 341 patients, very low certainty) compared to the control group, but the evidence was uncertain. However, there were no significant differences between the groups in the partner's marital satisfaction, the patient's and partner's marital adjustment, and the patient's and partner's marital intimacy. Additionally, the results of the subgroup analysis showed that the couple-based interventions significantly increased the patient's marital adjustment (SMD 1.96, 95% CI 0.87 to 3.06; 4 trials, 355 patients, very low certainty), the partner's marital adjustment (SMD 0.53, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.86; 4 trials, 347 partners, very low certainty), the patient's marital satisfaction (SMD 0.89, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.43; 2 trials, 123 patients, very low certainty), and the partner's marital satisfaction (SMD 0.57, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.94; 2 trials, 123 partners, very low certainty) compared to the control group in theory-based studies. In. However, in non-theory-based studies, the results of the meta-analysis revealed no significant differences between the intervention and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrated the impact of couple-based interventions on the marital outcomes of patients with breast and genital cancers. Because of the very low confidence in the evidence, high-quality randomized trials with a sufficient sample size should be conducted considering the proper theoretical context.

Communication skills training with the transactional analysis approach developed menopausal women's marital adjustment - a quasi-experimental study.

Introduction: Communication skills help people have a better life. Due to the changes caused by menopause and their effects on interpersonal communication, it is essential to reinforce communication skills during this period. This study aimed to investigate the effect of communication skills training (CST) using the transactional analysis (TA) approach on menopausal women's marital adjustment. Material and methods: This quasi-experimental study with a parallel design was performed by the availability sampling method with participation of 46 married menopausal women. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention group participated in eight CST sessions with a TA approach. The control group did not receive any psychosocial or educational services. Participants completed the demographic information, Queen Dam communication skills, and Spinner's marital adjustment questionnaire before, at the end of, and one month after the training period. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical tests with SPSS22 software. Results: There was no significant difference in demographics between the groups (p < 0.05). The mean marital adjustment scores were 53.48 ±12.24, 117.70 ±11.15, and 116.52 ±10.73 before, at the end of, and one month after the intervention, respectively. The marital adjustment scores before the intervention did not differ between the two groups but significantly increased after training and in the follow-up period (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Communication skills training with a TA approach in postmenopausal women improves marital adjustment. Therefore, it is suggested that midwives use this method in comprehensive health centers as an effective method for improving the lives of postmenopausal women.

A longitudinal investigation of marital dissolution, marital quality, and generalized anxiety disorder in a national probability sample.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common psychiatric disorder that is associated with high levels of distress and impairment. The present study was conducted to examine the 10-year longitudinal associations between marital dissolution, three measures of marital quality, and GAD among married participants from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) survey, a probability sample of American adults aged 24-74 years. Results indicated that GAD at baseline was significantly and positively associated with incidence of marital dissolution during the 10-year follow-up and marital strain (i.e., negative partner interaction) at baseline was significantly and positively associated with incidence of GAD at the 10-year follow-up. These associations remained statistically significant after adjusting for demographic characteristics and neuroticism. In comparison, marital satisfaction and marital support (i.e., positive partner interaction) at baseline were not significantly associated with incidence of GAD, GAD at baseline was not significantly associated with any of the three measures of marital quality at follow-up, and marital dissolution during follow-up was not significantly associated with incidence of GAD. These findings suggest that negative interactions with one's partner may be a risk factor for GAD and that improving marital functioning may be important for the prevention and treatment of GAD.

Effectiveness of a marital relationship skills training intervention on marital adjustment among individuals in Hosanna Town, Southwest Ethiopia: A randomized-controlled trial.

Marital distress increases the risk of morbidity and mortality by altering psychological and biological health, including cardiovascular and endocrine function. Numerous interventions have been developed to mitigate marital distress. However, most of these interventions had very specific content and were limited to certain segments of the population. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a marital relationship skills training intervention on the marital adjustment of married people in Ethiopia. We conducted a randomized-controlled trial study on 80 married people with low marital satisfaction. We used STATA 14 statistical software to process the data. The results of an Independent sample's t test analysis showed that marital relationship skills training had a significant impact on the marital adjustment of distressed couples (p = 0.001, 95% confidence interval: 0.79-1.10). A marital relationship skills training intervention can effectively improve marital adjustment and can be used as a treatment for marital distress.

Genetic and epigenetic effects on couple adjustment in context of romantic relationship: A scoping systematic review.

Introduction: Couples' relationships defined by a complex interaction between the two partners and their intrapersonal traits. Romantic; relationships and love are associated with marital satisfaction and stability, as well as couples' happiness and health. Personality traits influence romantic relationships and, personality influenced by genetical and non-genetically factors. The roles of non-genetically factors such as socioeconomic position and external appearance have revealed in determining the quality of romantic relationships. Methods: We; performed a scoping systematic review to assess the association between genetics and epigenetic factors and romantic relationship. Relevant articles were identified by PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and the APA PsycInfo searching between inception and 4 June 2022. Results: Different studies evaluated the associated polymorphisms in 15 different genes or chromosomal regions. In the first step; we classified them into four groups: (1) Oxytocin-related signaling pathway (OXTR, CD38, and AVPR1A); (2) Serotonin-related signaling pathway (SLC6A4, HTR1A, and HTR2A); (3) Dopamine and catecholamine-related signaling pathway (DRD1, DRD2, DRD4, ANKK1, and COMT); and (4) other genes (HLA, GABRA2, OPRM1, and Y-DNA haplogroup D-M55). Then, we evaluated and extracted significant polymorphisms that affect couple adjustment and romantic relationships. Discussion: Overall, the findings suggest that genetic and epigenetics variants play a key role in marital adjustment and romantic relationships over time.

Examination of the effect of the perceived stress in the coronavirus-19 pandemic on marital adjustment, sexual life and intimate partner violence.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to explore the effects of perceived stress during the pandemic on marital adjustment, sexual life and intimate partner violence. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was employed in this study. METHODS: The data were collected with an online survey between October and December 2020 from 901 participants in Turkey. Participants completed the Descriptive Information Form, the Marital Adjustment Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale. Multivariate analysis of variance and moderation analysis were used in the analysis of the data. RESULTS: The pre-pandemic marital adjustment scores of the participants significantly decreased during the pandemic. The marital adjustment and sexual life of those with high perceived stress levels were found to be negatively affected, and they were exposed to violence during the pandemic. In the moderation analysis, a non-standardized coefficient of the marital adjustment variable in the model turned out to be significant, and the perceived stress decreased as marital adjustment increased. The marital adjustment was low, and the stress level was high in individuals exposed to violence. Besides, perceived stress was found to be effective in being exposed to intimate partner violence. CONCLUSION: The stress perceived by individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected their marital adjustment and sexual life. Besides, perceived stress was found to be effective in being exposed to intimate partner violence, and marital adjustment decreased during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. IMPACT: During the pandemic period, health care providers should routinely screen the psychosocial health of individuals. Continuous, accessible, free psychosocial support services should be available in order to increase the psychosocial health and marital adjustment of people with high-stress levels and prevent exposure to violence. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The conduct of this study is based on an online survey with participants living in the same house with their spouses during the pandemic.

The relationship of marital adjustment and posttraumatic growth in female breast cancer patients and their husbands.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is very important for breast cancer couples to cope with cancer. Individual marital adjustment can affect PTG, however, it is still unknown that the effect of marital adjustment on one's own and their spouses' PTG in breast cancer couples. To investigate the status of PTG and marital adjustment and explore the relation between PTG and marital adjustment in breast cancer patient-husband dyads. General data, marital adjustment and PTG scores of breast cancer patients (N = 206) and their husbands (N = 206) were collected through a general information questionnaire, the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) and Marital Adjustment Test (MAT). T-tests and structural equation models were applied to explore the relations between marital adjustment and PTG among breast cancer patients and their husbands. The PTG among breast cancer patients was significantly higher than among their husbands (P < 0.05); the score of patients' marital adjustment was 96.18 ± 22.08, and that of their husbands was 96.22 ± 22.27. The participants' marital adjustment had a positive predictive effect on their own PTG (P < 0.05), and patients' marital adjustment also had a positive predictive effect on their husbands' PTG (P < 0.05). Breast cancer patients experienced more PTG than their husbands; patients' PTG was promoted by their own marital adjustment, while husbands' PTG was promoted by both their own and the patient's marital adjustment. In order to improve breast cancer patients' and their husbands' PTG, it is essential to promote their marital adjustment.

The Effect of Menopause on the Sexual Functions and Marital Adjustment of the Spouses.

Background: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional descriptive study to determine the effect of menopause on the SFs and marital adjustment (MA) of the spouses. Materials and Methods: The sample of the study consisted of a total of 254 people, 127 of whom were postmenopausal women and their spouses. The data were collected with the Descriptive Information Form, the Female Sexual Function Scale (FSFS), the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASES), and the Marital Adjustment Scale (MAS). The t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and correlation analysis were used in the analysis of the data. Results: Sexual dysfunctions (SDs) were detected in 91.3% of women and 77.2% of men. MA was found to be low in 74.1% of the women. The relationship between the level of MA and the total mean score of the women's FSFS was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). In addition, the relationship between the presence of SD in the postmenopausal women and the mean ASES score in the husband was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). According to Spearman's rho correlation coefficient, the positive correlation between the total mean score of the MAS and the mean total score of the FSFS was weak (r = 0.290; P = 0.001), and the negative correlation between the mean score of the total score of the ASES was weak (r = -0.381; P = 0.000) which was found to be a relationship (P < 0.05). Conclusion: In this study, it was determined that menopause affects the marriage and sexual adjustment of spouses negatively.

The Mediation Role of an Individual's and Couple's Psychological Factors, Including Parenting in the Prediction of Relational and Marital Satisfaction.

The goal of this study was to widen the scope of the social component of family sustainability. The fundamental goal of this non-experimental, quantitative study was to look at the links between parenting correlates, personality characteristics, marital satisfaction, and well-being in couples, as well as to construct explanatory prediction models for relational and marital satisfaction. The study focused on the effects of personality traits, parental self-efficacy, and attachment to marital and relational satisfaction. The test instruments applied were: the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised, Marital Adjustment Test, Couple Satisfaction Index, Relationship Satisfaction Scale, Family Distress Index, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (adapted to the role of a parent), Mowen's Personality Scale, and demographic data. A total of 238 Romanians answered the online survey, recruited based on a convenience sampling method. Participants in this research were individuals who were both married and had at least one child. The main findings show that agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, anxious and avoidant attachment, and marital adjustment predict the satisfaction in the relationship, and openness partially mediates the association between marital adjustment and relationship satisfaction. Parental self-efficacy appears to influence the association between relationship satisfaction and marital satisfaction. An increased parental self-efficacy score predicts an increased relationship satisfaction and marital satisfaction. The higher the parental self-efficacy, the higher the satisfaction in the relationship, which leads to an increase in satisfaction in the couple. These results show that marital adjustment and adaptation are related to relational satisfaction, and these relationship are partially mediated by an individual's openness. Despite some limitations, the current study significantly contributes to couples therapies and interventions in terms of physical and mental health, and the study provides insight into the experiences and perspectives of married individuals with children in Romania.

A dyadic approach to depression, resilience and quality of life on marital adjustment among infertile couples in Karachi, Pakistan: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Infertility is a major reproductive health problem in Pakistan. It has the potential to cause serious negative impact on a couple's marital life and psychological health. AIM: This study aimed to assess the factors associated with maladjustment among infertile couples. METHOD: An analytical cross-sectional design was employed. Validated scales were used to assess marital adjustment, depression, resilience and quality of life among infertile couples. Purposive sampling was employed to enrol 334 infertile couples from a private infertility medical centre, of Karachi, Pakistan. RESULTS: Among couples, marital adjustment scores were comparable, but resilience and quality of life were significantly low among wives whereas depression was significantly high among wives compared with husbands. Wives' marital adjustment was positively correlated with husband's resilience and quality of life and negatively related with his depression. After employing adjusted actor-partner interdependence modelling, wives' own depression and resilience had significant effect on their marital adjustment and their partner's resilience, depression and quality of life did not have any impact on their outcome. On the contrary, wives' resilience had a significant effect in increasing the marital adjustment of their husband. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need to promote psychological support (resilience building skills) or couples' therapy to all those couples undergoing infertility treatment.

Health Promotion Behaviors of Pregnant Couples in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Actor-Partner Interdependence Model.

Pregnancy during the pandemic may be a stressful life event. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the actor and partner effects of the fear of COVID-19, depression, posttraumatic growth, and marital adjustment on the health promotion behaviors of pregnant couples during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea. Data were collected from 123 pregnant couples using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). The actor effects of the fear of COVID-19, depression, and posttraumatic growth on the health promotion behaviors of pregnant women and their spouses were significant. Furthermore, both actor and partner effects of husbands' marital adjustment on health promotion behaviors were significant. When carrying out nursing intervention for the health promotion of pregnant couples, programs aimed at reducing depression and improving posttraumatic growth in pregnant couples should be included. In addition, improving marital adjustment will positively affect the health promotion behaviors of pregnant couples. The findings highlight the important role of healthcare providers in assessing depressive symptoms and fear of COVID-19 in pregnant couples and providing support to promote health behaviors as part of prenatal care.

Developing a model on the factors affecting family resilience in the COVID-19 pandemic: Risk and protective factors.

During the COVID-19, the relationships among family members and the stress that accompanied have increasingly affected families. The first aim of this study is to test the effects of marital adjustment, perceived stress and parental self-efficacy of married couples on family resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second aim of this study is to investigate whether or not family resilience, perceived stress, parental self-efficacy and marital adjustment differentiate depending on demographic and other variables in the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants consisted of 241 married individuals with at least one child between 4 and 18 years old, and data were collected online. It was found that when perceived stress increased, parental self-efficacy and marital adjustment decreased; besides, this perceived stress indirectly influenced family resilience through parental self-efficacy and marital adjustment. Similarly, it was found that pregnant participants experienced higher level of perception of stress during the COVID-19 period. It was found that the family resilience of participants who got support within the family was higher than participants who got support from outside the family. However, no differences were found between males and females. In stressful processes like the COVID-19 pandemic, each sub-system of the family (individual, couple and parent) has a significant role in the resilience level of the family as a whole. Future studies focus on experimental and can focus on programs prepared for family resilience. Intervention programs can be prepared related to stress perception, parental skills and marital adjustment of married couples and their influence on family resilience can be searched.

Intimate Relationships and Coronary Heart Disease: Implications for Risk, Prevention, and Patient Management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Research and clinical services addressing psychosocial aspects of coronary heart disease (CHD) typically emphasize individuals, focusing less on the context of intimate relationships such as marriage and similar partnerships. This review describes current evidence regarding the role of intimate relationships in the development, course, and management of CHD. RECENT FINDINGS: Having an intimate partner is associated with reduced risk of incident CHD and a better prognosis among patients, but strain (e.g., conflict) and disruption (i.e., separation, divorce) in these relationships are associated with increased risk and poor outcomes. These associations likely reflect mechanisms involving health behavior and the physiological effects of emotion and stress. Importantly, many other well-established psychosocial risk and protective factors (e.g., low SES, job stress, depression, and optimism) are strongly related to the quality of intimate relationships, and these associations likely contribute to the effects of those other psychosocial factors. For better or worse, intimate partners can also affect the outcome of efforts to alter health behaviors (physical activity, diet, smoking, and medication adherence) central in the prevention and management CHD. Intimate partners also influence-and are influenced by-stressful aspects of acute coronary crises and longer-term patient adjustment and management. Evidence on each of these roles of intimate relationships in CHD is considerable, but direct demonstrations of the value of couple assessments and interventions are limited, although preliminary research is promising. Research needed to close this gap must also address issues of diversity, disparities, and inequity that have strong parallels in CHD and intimate relationships.

Evaluation of the marital adjustment and sexual functions in individuals with visual disability.

BACKGROUND: Sexuality is an important component of marriage. Individuals with visual disability tend to experience more sexual problems, which could deteriorate their marriage relationships and cause difficulties in establishing and maintaining sexual relationships. AIMS: This study aims to evaluate marital adjustment and sexual functions in individuals with visual disability. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The sample of this descriptive study consisted of 95 individuals with visual disability who were members of a relevant private association in Turkey and met the inclusion criteria. The sample size was calculated using the sample with a known population approach. Data were collected using the Sociodemographic Form, the Marital Adjustment Scale (MAS), and the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS). The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn's test, and the Spearman's Rho Correlation Analysis. RESULTS: The mean scores for the MAS and the GRISS were 48.0 (23-60) and 51.5 (17-72), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of individuals with visual disability and their spouses in the MAS by their age (P < 0.05). The subscales of the GRISS (except for frequency and communication) indicated that men with visual disability had problems regarding impotence, premature ejaculation, sensuality, avoidance, and satisfaction subscales. There was a statistically significant and negative relationship between the marital adjustment total scores of the males with visual disability and their scores in the avoidance, satisfaction, frequency, and communication subscales (P < 0.05; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The participants were found to have good marital adjustment. However, males with visual disability had a low level of sexual problems.

Marital Adjustment in Patients with Cancer: Association with Psychological Distress, Quality of Life, and Sleep Problems.

Marital adjustment plays a key role in the physical and psychosocial wellbeing. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate marital adjustment and its association with psychological distress, suicidal ideation, sleep problems, and quality of life in patients with cancer. We collected demographic and clinical information using a structured survey. We assessed marital adjustment, quality of life, psychological distress profile, and sleep problems of participants using validated instruments: the Locke and Wallace Marital Adjustment Test (LWMAT), the Short-Form Health Survey-12, the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Suicidal ideation was assessed with item nine of the BDI. Of the 130 patients (52.3% females, mean age 57.9 ± 12.4 years) enrolled, 20 (15%) were classified as experiencing poor marital adjustment. Moderate to severe depression, anxiety, and insomnia were found in 25.4%, 34.6%, and 24.7% of participants, respectively. Positive suicidal ideation was documented in 13.8% of participants. We found a significant association between poor marital adjustment and depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and poor sleep. Our study confirms the relevance of marital adjustment in relation to the psychological wellbeing of patients with cancer. Depression, anxiety, and poor sleep were found to be significantly associated with poor marital adjustment.

A pathway to negative acculturation: marital maladjustment mediates the relationship between the length of residency and depressive symptoms in immigrant women in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Immigrant women in Taiwan experience a variety of acculturative and marital problems that result in a mental-health problems. We examined the mediational effect of marital adjustment on the relationship between acculturation and depressive symptoms in immigrant women in Taiwan. METHODS: All participants (N = 127) were interviewed to collect data regarding their basic sociodemographics, depressive symptoms, acculturation (using language proficiency and years in Taiwan as indicators), and marital adjustment. We used a Sobel test to examine how marital adjustment mediates the relationship between acculturation and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Our results indicated that an increased length of residency exacerbated depressive symptoms (ß = 0.62, p = 0.03) and that this relationship contributed, in part, to the mediational effect of marital adjustment. That is, marital adjustment deteriorated with the length of residency (ß = - 0.26, p = 0.0013), resulting in the development of depressive symptoms (ß = - 0.95, p = 0.0013). CONCLUSION: Although the duration of residency may be useful as a proxy for acculturation in the assessment of some health outcomes, our findings imply that it is better to conceptualize it as a cumulative stress when considering the mental health of immigrant women. Marital maladjustment acts as a mediator in this relationship. As such, it is important to provide immigrant families with programs and resources to assist them in adapting to their marriages and to improve the mental health of immigrant women.

Distinct dyadic coping profiles in Chinese couples with breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Conceptualizing cancer as a dyadic stress provides new insight into how stress impacts couples with breast cancer. The present study aimed to identify subgroups with distinct dyadic coping profiles in a sample of Chinese couples with breast cancer and to determine how these subgroups differed in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics in addition to marital adjustment outcomes. METHODS: Using convenience sampling, a cross-sectional survey was conducted. Couples with breast cancer completed the general information questionnaire, the Dyadic Coping Inventory, and the Locke-Wollance Marital Adjustment Test. The modeling was performed using a latent profile analysis to identify the dyadic coping subgroups. Parametric and nonparametric tests were applied to examine between-group differences across the identified classes. RESULTS: The analytical results supported a three-class solution of dyadic coping groups: high (27.4%), medium (32.2%), and low (40.4%). Between-group differences were found in educational background, number of children, postoperative time, and type of surgery. CONCLUSION: Most couples reported low levels of dyadic coping. The couples with an educational level of primary school or below, with one child or who were childless, and who had undergone breast preservation surgery within the past year were more likely to belong to the low dyadic coping group. When supporting couples with breast cancer, it is essential to assess several demographic and clinical risk factors in addition to the marital adjustment level to identify high-risk subgroups that warrant intervention.

[Correlation of stigma with marital adjustment in female patients undergoing artificial insemination with donor sperm].

Objective: To investigate the stigma and marital adjustment of the female patients undergoing artificial insemination with donor sperm (AID) and analyze their correlation. METHODS: Using the convenience sampling method, we selected 208 infertile female patients undergoing AID from March to December 2020. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among the patients with General Information Questionnaire, Infertility Stigma Scale (ISS), and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). RESULTS: The total ISS score and DAS score of the patients were 54.19 ± 14.52 and 116.23 ± 15.30, respectively. Pearson analysis showed that the total and individual item ISS scores were negatively correlated with the DAS score (P < 0.01). Multivariate linear regression analysis manifested that stigma was an important factor influencing marriage adjustment (P < 0.01) and explained 34.1% of the total variations. CONCLUSIONS: Stigma is an important factor affecting marital adjustment in female patients undergoing AID and negatively correlated with marital adjustment: The lower the stigma, the better the marital adjustment. Adequate attention should be paid to the stigma of the infertile women undergoing AID and targeted measures should be developed for its intervention.

Patient and sibling adjustment to pediatric cancer: the roles of parental relationship adjustment and depressive symptoms.

PURPOSE: Pediatric cancer may impact parents' partner relationship and increase patient, parent, and sibling distress. This study examined parents' reports of their relationship adjustment and depressive symptoms and their association with their ratings of patients' and siblings' emotional/behavioral problems in families of recently diagnosed pediatric cancer patients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire study. SAMPLE: A total of 31 parents (87% female; 71% Latino) of pediatric cancer patients. METHODS: Parents reported on their relationship adjustment, depressive symptoms, and the patients' and siblings' emotional/behavioral problems. FINDINGS: Poorer relationship adjustment was correlated with more parent depressive symptoms and patient emotional/behavioral problems. Parent depressive symptoms were positively correlated with emotional/behavioral problems in patients and siblings. After accounting for child age and parent depressive symptoms, relationship adjustment remained significantly associated with patient, but not sibling, problems. CONCLUSIONS: When parents have poorer relationship adjustment following diagnosis, children with cancer may be at increased risk for emotional/behavioral problems. IMPLICATIONS FOR PSYCHOSOCIAL PROVIDERS OR POLICY: Interventions targeting the partner relationship may be relevant to supporting family adjustment following diagnosis.

A comprehensive assessment of personality traits and psychosocial functioning in parents with bipolar disorder and their intimate partners.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) often possess maladaptive traits and present with various difficulties in psychosocial functioning. However, little is known about the intimate partners of adults with bipolar disorder (BD) and how mental illnesses other than BD within couples may further complicate the picture. Such knowledge is needed to inform both couple and family interventions. METHODS: Participants were parents whose children were enrolled in a prospective study: 55 with BD and their partners, and 47 healthy control couples. All completed diagnostic interviews, and questionnaires describing personality traits, negative life events, coping skills, social support, marital adjustment and inter-partner verbal aggression. Parents with BD and healthy control parents were compared, as were the intimate partners. A series of exploratory analyses focused on the average measures within couples, with and without BD, and took account of comorbid personality disorders among those with BD and major depressive disorder among their partners. RESULTS: Intimate partners of adults with BD, relative to healthy control partners, presented with more mental disorders, higher neuroticism, lower extraversion, more emotion-focused coping, smaller social networks, less satisfaction with their social networks, and little, satisfying social contact. Additionally, they reported less consensus and satisfaction in their marital relationships, and engaged in more verbal aggression towards their partners. Participants with BD showed similar, more extreme, characteristics. Marital distress and verbal aggression were greatest among couples with an adult having BD and a comorbid personality disorder or a partner with major depressive disorder. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that both parents with BD and their intimate partners exhibit high levels of mental illness, maladaptive personality traits and psychosocial difficulties, thus limiting their partners' ability to provide support and stability in the these high risk families. Moreover, mental illnesses other than BD may contribute to marital problems within couples. Some statistical analyses, particularly those involving comorbid conditions, were under-powered in this study. As clinical implications, the current study suggests that both individuals with BD and their partners could benefit from interventions aimed at lowering emotionality and verbal aggression, and increasing social support and effective coping skills.