Skip to main content
Log in

Hiding Worries from One's Spouse: Associations Between Coping via Protective Buffering and Distress in Male Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients and Their Wives

Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The relationship between protective buffering, a style of coping in which the individual hides his/her concerns from spouse, and level of distress was studied among post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients and their spouses. Forty-three male married MI survivors and their wives completed measures of psychological distress and protective buffering at 4 weeks and 6 months post-hospital discharge. At both time periods, a greater propensity for protective buffering by the patient was related to higher levels of patient distress. Protective buffering by wife was also associated with higher levels of wife distress. In addition, patient buffering at 4 weeks predicted increased patient distress at 6 months. The results suggest that male MI patients who conceal their worries from their spouses adjust more poorly over time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • American Heart Association (1984). Heart Facts, American Heart Association, Dallas, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blumenthal, S. J., and Matthews, K. A. (1993). Psychosotial aspects of cardiovascular disease in women: Introduction and overview. Ann. Behav. Med. 15: 109-111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Briggs, S. F., and Cheek, J. M. (1986). The role of factor analysis in the development and evaluation of personality scales. J. Personal. 54: 106-148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S., and Syme, L. (eds.) (1985). Social Support and Health, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coyne, J. C., and Smith, D. A. F. (1991). Couples coping with myocardial infarction: A contextual perspective on wives' distress. J. Person. Soc. Psychol. 61: 404-412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coyne, J. C., and Smith, D. A. F. (1994). Couples coping with a myocardial infarction: Contextual perspective on patient self-efficacy. J. Fam. Psychol. 8: 43-54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coyne, J., Ellard, J., and Smith, D. A. (1990). Unsupportive relationships, interdependence, and unhelpful exchanges. In Sarason, I. G., Sarason, B. R., and Pierce, G. (eds.), Social Support: An Interactional View, Wiley, New York, pp. 129-149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croog, S., and Levine, S. (1977). The Heart Patient Recovers, Human Sciences Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeLongis, A., and O'Brien, T. (1990). An interpersonal framework for stress and coping: An application to families of Alzheimer's patients. In Stephens, M. A. P., Crowther, J. H., Hobfoll, S. E., and Tennenbaum, D. L. (eds.), Stress and Coping in Later Life Families, Hemisphere, Washington, DC, pp. 221-239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derogatis, L. R., Lipman, R. S., Rickels, K., Uhlenhuth, E. H., and Covi, L. (1974). The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL): A self-report symptom inventory. Behav. Sci. 19: 1-15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doehrman, S. R. (1977). Psycho-social aspects of recovery from coronary heart disease: A review. Soc. Sci. Med. 11: 199-218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckenrode, J. (ed.) (1991). The Social Context of Coping, Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross, J. J., and Levenson, R. W. (1993). Emotional suppression: Physiology, self-report, and expressive behavior. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 64: 970-986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helgeson, V. S. (1991). The effects of masculinity and social support on recovery from myocardial infarction. Psychosom. Med. 53: 621-633.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helgeson, V. (1994). The relation of agency and communion to well-being: Evidence and explanations. Psychol. Bull. 116: 412-428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heshbacher, P. K., Downing, R. W., and Stephansky, P. (1978). Assessment of psychiatric illness severity by family physicians. Soc. Sci. Med. 12: 4-52.

    Google Scholar 

  • House, J. S., Landis, K. R., and Umberson, D. (1988). Social relationships and health. Science 241: 540-544.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krantz, D. S., and Deckel, A. W. (1983). Coping with coronary heart disease and stroke. In Burish, T. G., and Bradley, L. A. (eds.), Coping with Chronic Disease: Research and Applications, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R., and Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping, Springer, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manne, S. L., and Zautra, A. J. (1990). Couples coping with chronic illness: Women with rheumatoid arthritis and their healthy husbands. J. Behav. Med. 13: 327-342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayou, R., Foster, A., and Williamson, B. (1978). The psychological and social effects of myocardial infarction on wives. Br. Med. J. 1: 669-701.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michela, J. L. (1987). Interpersonal and individual impacts of a husband's heart attack. In Baum, A., and Singer, J. E. (eds.), Handbook of Psychology and Health, Vol. 5, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ, pp. 255-301.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Brien, T., and DeLongis, A. (1997). The interactional context of problem-, emotion-and relationship-focused coping: The role of the Big Five personality factors. J. Personal. 64: 775-814.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennebaker, J. W. (1988). Confession, inhibition, and disease. In Berkowitz, L. (ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 22, Academic Press, Orlando, FL, pp. 211-242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennebaker, J. W., and Chew, C. H. (1985). Deception, electrodermal activity, and inhibition of behavior. J. Personal Soc. Psychol. 49: 1427-1433.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennebaker, J. W., Hughes, C. F., and O'Heeron, R. C. (1987). The psychophysiology of confession: Linking inhibitory and psychosomatic processes. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 52: 781-793.

    Google Scholar 

  • Puletti, M., Sunseri, L., Curione, M., Erba, S. M., and Borgia, C. (1987). Acute myocardial infarction: Sex-related differences in prognosis. Am. Heart J. 108: 63-66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roemer, L., and Borkovec, T. (1994). Effects of suppressing thoughts about emotional material. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 103: 467-474.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rook, K. (1984). The negative side of social interaction: Impact on psychological well-being. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 46: 1097-1108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roth, S., and Cohen, L. J. (1986). Approach, avoidance, and coping with stress. Am. Psychol. 41: 813-819.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruberman, W., Weinblatt, E., Goldberg, J. D., and Chaudhary, B. S. (1984). Psychosocial influences on mortality after myocardial infarction. N. Engl. J. Med. 311: 552-559.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shumaker, S. A., and Czajkowski, S. M. (1993). A review of the health-related quality-of-life and psychosocial factors in women with cardiovascular disease. Ann. Behav. Med. 15: 149-155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shumaker, S. A., and Hill, D. R. (1991). Gender differences in social support and physical health. Health Psychol. 10: 102-111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silver, R. C., Boon, C., and Stones, M. H. (1983). Searching for meaning in misfortune: Making sense of incest. J. Soc. Issues 39: 81-102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skelton, M. and Dominian, J. (1973). Psychological stress in wives of patients with myocardial infarction. Br. Med. J. 1: 699-701.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern, M., and Pascale, L. (1979). Psychosocial adaptation to myocardial infarction: The spouses' dilemma. J. Psychosom. Res. 23: 83-87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suls, J. (1982). Social support, interpersonal relations, and health: Benefits and liabilities. In Sanders, G., and Suls, J. (eds.), Social Psychology of Health and Illness, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ, pp. 255-277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suls, J., and Fletcher, B. (1985). The relative efficacy of avoidant and nonavoidant coping strategies: A meta-analysis. Health Psychol. 4: 249-288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suls, J., Sanders, G., and Labrecque, M. (1986). Attempting to control blood pressure without systematic instruction: When advice is counterproductive. J. Behav. Med. 9: 567-577.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suls, J., David, J., and Harvey, J. H. (1997). Personality and coping: Three generations of research. J. Personal. 64: 711-736.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wegner, D. (1989). White Bears and Other Unwanted Thoughts, Guilford, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wegner, D., Shortt, J., Blake, A., and Page, M. (1990). The suppression of exciting thoughts. J. Personal Soc. Psychol. 58: 409-418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wortman, C., and Dunkel-Schetter, C. (1979). Interpersonal relationships and cancer: A theoretical analysis. J. Soc. Issues 35: 120-155.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Suls, J., Green, P., Rose, G. et al. Hiding Worries from One's Spouse: Associations Between Coping via Protective Buffering and Distress in Male Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients and Their Wives. J Behav Med 20, 333–349 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025513029605

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025513029605

Navigation