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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Conjugal support, coping behaviours and mental health of elderly couples: a three-wave longitudinal panel study | | Author(s) | Francine Ducharme |
| Journal title | Health Care in Later Life, vol 2, no 3, July 1997 |
| Pages | pp 155-165 |
| Keywords | Married couples ; Personal relationships ; Quality of life ; Depression ; Longitudinal surveys ; Canada. |
| Annotation | The purpose of this three-wave longitudinal panel study was to examine the relationship between conjugal support, coping behaviours and the mental health of community-dwelling older couples. A multistage sample of 135 couples, aged 65 years and older, was drawn from a large Canadian metropolitan area. Standardised interviews were conducted by two trained nurses randomly assigned to each spouse. This original sample was followed for a four-year period; 90 couples were re-interviewed two years later, and 49 couples four years later. Correlational and hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed consistent results for both marital partners at each time point. Only one coping behaviour - reframing - was found over time, to have a significant effect on a mental health outcome, namely life satisfaction. The availability and reciprocity of conjugal support were also significant predictors of this outcome. The findings of this study suggest interventions to improve cognitive coping strategies and the exchange of instrumental and emotional support between older marital partners, with the ultimate aim of enhancing the quality of life of this growing population. |
| Accession Number | CPA-980212231 A |
| Classmark | SM: DS: F:59: ENR: 3J: 7S |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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