We present a theory of communal coping that describes an optimal pathway to patient adjustment among couples in which one person faces a chronic illness. Communal coping consists of a shared illness appraisal (i.e., person perceives illness as a joint rather than individual problem) and collaboration with a partner to manage the illness. We present a model of the communal coping process that links patient and partner shared illness appraisals to collaboration and a set of supportive interactions that might be reframed as collaboration in the presence of shared illness appraisals. We then outline a model that identifies potential antecedents of communal coping and mechanisms that link communal coping to patient illness adjustment (i.e., enhanced psychological well-being, improved health behaviors, better physical health) and partner psychological well-being. We review the empirical evidence for this model and conclude by identifying several moderator variables, noting potential limitations, and outlining future research directions.

我们提出了一种共同应对理论，该理论描述了一个人面临慢性疾病的夫妇中患者调整的最佳途径。共同应对包括共同的疾病评估（即，人们将疾病视为共同问题而不是个人问题）以及与合作伙伴合作管理疾病。我们提出了一个公共应对过程模型，该模型将患者和合作伙伴共享的疾病评估与协作和一组支持性交互联系起来，在共享疾病评估的情况下，这些交互可能被重新构建为协作。然后，我们概述了一个模型，该模型确定了公共应对的潜在前因以及将公共应对与患者疾病调整联系起来的机制（即增强心理健康、改善健康行为、更好的身体健康）和伴侣的心理健康。我们回顾了该模型的经验证据，并通过确定几个调节变量、指出潜在的局限性和概述未来的研究方向来得出结论。