Interpersonal Communication and Psychological Well-Being Among Couples Coping With Sensory Loss: The Mediating Role of Perceived Spouse Support

TY - JOUR

T1 - Interpersonal Communication and Psychological Well-Being Among Couples Coping With Sensory Loss

T2 - The Mediating Role of Perceived Spouse Support

AU - Hofsøe, Sofia Maria

AU - Lehane, Christine Marie

AU - Wittich, Walter

AU - Hilpert, Peter

AU - Dammeyer, Jesper

PY - 2019/8/1

Y1 - 2019/8/1

N2 - Couples who are willing to discuss sensory loss-related issues typically report better well-being, while couples who avoid such discussions tend to report poorer well-being. Inspired by the relationship intimacy model, the present study examined whether the link between couples’ sensory loss-related communication and well-being can be explained by perceived spouse support and whether this mediation mechanism is stable over time. Adults with sensory loss (AWSLs) and their spouses (N = 206 individuals) completed an online survey and were followed up 6 months later. A multi-group actor–partner interdependence mediation model was used to test the mediation mechanism as well as its stability over time. Results showed that the association between couples’ willingness to communicate about the sensory loss and psychological well-being was mediated by perceived spouse support for AWSLs only. Furthermore, this mediation effect remained stable over the 6-month period. These results support prior research that the manner in which couples communicate about the sensory loss is important for their well-being. However, because perceived spouse support was not found to mediate the association for spouses, future studies should investigate other factors as potential mediating mechanisms among spouses of adults with sensory loss.

AB - Couples who are willing to discuss sensory loss-related issues typically report better well-being, while couples who avoid such discussions tend to report poorer well-being. Inspired by the relationship intimacy model, the present study examined whether the link between couples’ sensory loss-related communication and well-being can be explained by perceived spouse support and whether this mediation mechanism is stable over time. Adults with sensory loss (AWSLs) and their spouses (N = 206 individuals) completed an online survey and were followed up 6 months later. A multi-group actor–partner interdependence mediation model was used to test the mediation mechanism as well as its stability over time. Results showed that the association between couples’ willingness to communicate about the sensory loss and psychological well-being was mediated by perceived spouse support for AWSLs only. Furthermore, this mediation effect remained stable over the 6-month period. These results support prior research that the manner in which couples communicate about the sensory loss is important for their well-being. However, because perceived spouse support was not found to mediate the association for spouses, future studies should investigate other factors as potential mediating mechanisms among spouses of adults with sensory loss.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Communication style

KW - dual sensory loss

KW - dyadic analysis

KW - hearing loss

KW - interpersonal perceptions

KW - psychological well-being

KW - social support

KW - vision loss

U2 - 10.1177/0265407518787933

DO - 10.1177/0265407518787933

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0265-4075

VL - 36

SP - 2323

EP - 2344

JO - Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

JF - Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

IS - 8

ER -