ABSTRACT

Chronic illness is both prevalent in U.S. adults and influential in people’s lives and relationships. In this study, we integrate relational turbulence theory with the theory of resilience and relational load to consider associations between perceptions of the relationship, relational maintenance, and two global relationship qualities: resilience and relational load. Results from a cross-sectional online survey of 100 dyads in which at least one partner reported a chronic condition suggest relational turbulence was associated with relational maintenance, which, in turn, was associated with relational load and resilience. Relational maintenance emerged as a mediator in the association between relational turbulence and resilience and relational load in several tests. Communal orientation was positively associated with relational maintenance and indirectly related to resilience and relational load in certain circumstances. We discuss these findings for each theory individually, the value of considering these theories concurrently, and pragmatic advice for couples navigating chronic illness.

摘要

慢性病在美国成年人中很普遍，并且对人们的生活和人际关系有影响。在这项研究中，我们将关系动荡理论与弹性和关系负载理论相结合，以考虑关系感知、关系维护和两种全局关系质量（弹性和关系负载）之间的关联。对 100 对夫妇进行的横断面在线调查的结果表明，关系动荡与关系维持相关，而关系维持又与关系负荷和弹性相关，其中至少一名伴侣报告了慢性病。在几个测试中，关系维护作为关系动荡和弹性与关系负载之间关联的中介出现。在某些情况下，社区导向与关系维护呈正相关，并与弹性和关系负荷间接相关。我们分别讨论了每种理论的这些发现、同时考虑这些理论的价值，以及对夫妇应对慢性病的实用建议。