Disease-related communication difficulties and dyadic coping among patients with breast cancer and their spouses: An actor-partner interdependence model.

[OBJECTIVE] To examine the association between disease communication problems and dyadic coping in patients with breast cancer and their spouses.

[METHODS] Dyadic coping and disease communication problems were assessed using the General Data Questionnaire, Chinese version of the Dyadic Coping Inventory, and the Cancer-Related Communication Problems within Couples Scale. Actor-partner interaction between dyadic coping and disease communication problems was modeled.

[RESULTS] The mean disease communication problems scores were 7.08 ± 2.86 for patients and 7.07 ± 2.87 for spouses. Significant differences were observed between patients and spouses in the emotional support, treatment-specific issues, and protective buffering dimensions of disease communication problems ( < 0.05). The mean dyadic coping scores were 118.67 ± 13.16 for patients and 117.82 ± 12.86 for spouses. Patients reported significantly higher negative coping scores than their spouses ( < 0.01). Disease communication problems in patients and spouses were significantly negatively correlated with self- and partner-dyadic coping scores ( = -0.360 to -0.433, < 0.01). Disease communication problems of patients and spouses were negatively affected by self and partner positive dyadic coping, while positively influencing negative dyadic coping.

[CONCLUSIONS] Dyadic coping levels in couples are interactively influenced by their own communication problems and their partner's communication problems. A couple-centered disease communication strategy should be established to improve psychological and social adaptation among spouses. Such an approach may strengthen collaborative coping, deepen relational intimacy, enhance support efficacy, and provide a stronger psychosocial foundation for disease management.