Interrelation between dyadic coping and psychological resilience among cervical cancer couples in Northwest China: An Actor-Partner interdependence model

Tianruixue Zhang; Ping Yan; Zhisheng Huang; Li Liu; Yanhui Zhou; Yuqiao Xiao; Guiyuan Ma; Zixuan Liu; Jia Xu; Can Gu

doi:10.1016/j.apjon.2024.100615

Interrelation between dyadic coping and psychological resilience among cervical cancer couples in Northwest China: An Actor-Partner interdependence model

Asia Pac J Oncol Nurs. 2024 Nov 15;11(12):100615. doi: 10.1016/j.apjon.2024.100615. eCollection 2024 Dec.

Authors

Tianruixue Zhang¹, Ping Yan^{1

2}, Zhisheng Huang^{3

4}, Li Liu⁵, Yanhui Zhou⁶, Yuqiao Xiao⁵, Guiyuan Ma⁵, Zixuan Liu¹, Jia Xu¹, Can Gu^{2

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nursing School of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
² Department of Health Care Research Center for Xinjiang Regional Population, Urumqi, China.
³ Department of Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shanghai Pudong New Area Mental Health Center, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Department of AI, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, China.
⁶ Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South, Hengyang, China.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore how dyadic coping (DC) influences the psychological resilience (PR) levels of patients with cervical cancer (CC) and their spouses.

Methods: From April to June 2024, this cross-sectional study involved 177 dyads of patients with CC and their spouses from the gynecology and oncology wards of two tertiary hospitals in Xinjiang. Data were collected through questionnaires on demographic information, clinical characteristics, the Resilience Scale, and the Dyadic Coping Inventory, all of which were self-report measures. The results were thoroughly analyzed utilizing the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model.

Results: The patients had a mean age of 49.94 ± 8.05 years (range: 26-64), with the majority being at stage II of CC. Their spouses had a mean age of 51.90 ± 8.02 years (range: 27-65). DC scores averaged 105.50 ± 23.98 for patients and 103.34 ± 22.26 for spouses, while PR scores were 63.51 ± 19.68 for patients and 67.44 ± 18.97 for spouses. Positive DC, which significantly correlated with higher levels of PR, was observed in patients with CC and their spouses (r = 0.285, P < 0.01; r = 0.697, P < 0.01). Conversely, a negative DC was associated with a lower PR (r = -0.187, -0.390; P < 0.01). Positive DC by patients with CC and their spouses equally improves both partners' PR. In contrast, negative DC by patients with CC and their spouses affects only their own PR.

Conclusions: Patients with CC and their spouses' PR is significantly influenced by both partners' DC behaviors. When both partners used positive coping strategies, their PR increased. Conversely, negative DC behaviors affected only patients' PR, possibly because of self-concealment and communication barriers, which may explain the lack of a reciprocal impact. Nurses should identify couples at risk for negative DC and implement resilience interventions to encourage both partners' engagement in positive coping.

Keywords: Actor-Partner interdependence model; Cervical cancer; Dyadic coping; Psychological resilience.