For married patients, chronic illness management often includes involvement of their spouses. We examined expectations regarding spouse involvement in the health of a partner with type 2 diabetes (N = 139 couples) from the perspectives of the patient and spouse. Partners' dyadic expectations and spouses' gender were posited to moderate spouses'…

In this dyadic study, we examined diabetes distress experienced by male and female patients and their spouses (N = 185 couples), and its association with depressive symptoms using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Diabetes-related distress reported by both patients and spouses was associated with each partner's own depressive symptoms…

This article integrates theory and research related to boundary ambiguity in parents of children with a chronic health condition. We propose that boundary ambiguity is a risk factor for psychological distress in these parents. Clinical applications and a case example highlight how boundary ambiguity can be assessed and managed in clinical settings…

Describes interdisciplinary college course designed to prepare students in psychology and related fields to work with children and families with special needs. Presents techniques for enhancing knowledge about developmental disabilities and chronic illness in childhood, including scope of the problem and legal rights, increasing sensitivity to…

Addresses the relative importance of clinical characteristics of the child and parental emotional reactions, to child-rearing practices towards children with hemophilia. Results indicate that mother's emotional reactions appear to have a stronger influence on child-rearing uncertainty and overprotection than clinical characteristics of the child.…

The utility of "coping congruency" and "average level of couple coping" in explaining adjustment to multiple sclerosis was examined. Interview and questionnaire data was collected for 45 dyads with a 12-month follow-up. Predictors include Time 1 illness, caregiving, and coping variables. Findings support both concepts for…

Measured family stress, resources, parental coping, and family types in families who had a child with myelomeningocele. Determined the relationships between the family characteristics, the child's health status, and number of active health problems based on level of impairment. Demonstrated an increasing level of family system involvement…

Compared primary caregivers' perceptions of social support received in father-present (N=15) and father-absent (N=19) Black families caring for a child with sickle cell anemia. Found most support to caregivers came from extended kin network, despite father presence or absence. Caregivers reported decrease in network support between diagnosis in…

Examines factors affecting parental stress and caregiving demands and the use of support services. Data obtained from parents of children (N=231) with mental retardation or chronic illness indicate that coping with significant behavior problems was more important than disability type in determining most forms of parental stress and mental health…

Reports on a model that explains the effects of race on the caregiving experience. Data from 741 White and 100 African-American women with adult children having chronic disabilities revealed that even with differences such as age, education, and income, race did not influence caregiving burden or caregiving satisfaction. (RJM)

Investigated correlates of satisfaction and strain in 80 wife caregivers of frail elderly veterans. Support from spouse was the strongest positive predictor of satisfaction with caregiving and the strongest negative predictor of caregiver strain. Self efficacy was the strongest predictor of caregiver life satisfaction. (Author)

National Survey of Families and Households 1987-88 (n=13,017) data were used to generate population estimates of in- and out-of-household caregiving. More than one in seven U.S. adults reported caring for relatives or friends during the previous year. Predictors of caregiving likelihood were gender, age, marital status, education, ethnicity,…

Investigated maternal conditions and perceptions after the birth of a very low birthweight (VLBW) infant. Compared to mothers of term infants, mothers of VLBW infants had higher incidence of psychological distress during the neonatal period but did not differ from term-birth mothers in feelings of role restriction, parenting competence, or social…