| Summary |
Cancer affects not only individuals, but also family members--most notably romantic partners (Tatrow & Montgomery, 2006). Therefore, it is crucial for scholars to have a better understanding of its impact on individuals, couples, and families. Additionally, unlike some chronic illnesses, the progression of cancer and its consequences (i.e., pain, surgery, financial burdens, and possibly death) are rapid and do not allow partners to prepare for the upheavals it inevitably brings to partners' roles, relationship functioning, and physical and mental well-being (Brosseau, McDonald, & Stephen, 2011; Kim & Carver, 2007; Robbins, Mehl, Smith, & Weihs, 2013). Consequently, couples faced with cancer must quickly adapt to new relationship dynamics. The impact, therefore, of adaptive processes (i.e., behavioral exchanges that may be positive or negative in response to stressors faced) on romantic relationship quality and stability among couples with cancer merits attention (Manne & Badr, 2010). In the current study, we examine how biological, psychosocial, spiritual, and interpersonal adaptive processes are linked with romantic relationship quality and stability in couples with cancer. This dissertation is comprised of the following six chapters: (a) an introduction to the dissertation, (b) a literature review exploring dyadic function of couples with cancer, (c) a qualitative study on fostering a relational perspective through narrative therapy in couples with cancer, (d) a proposed methodology for the original research study, (e) an original research study exploring the association among the biological, psychosocial, spiritual, and interpersonal adaptive processes associated with romantic relationship quality and stability in couples with cancer (N = 160), and (f) a series of implications and recommendations for researchers, clinicians, and policy makers. |
