The effects of cystic fibrosis on couples: Marital satisfaction, emotions, and coping strategies

Delelis, G., Christophe, V., Leroy, S., Vanneste, J. & Wallaert, B. (2008). The effects of cystic fibrosis on couples: Marital satisfaction, emotions, and coping strategies. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. An earlier diagnosis and better overall multidisciplinary care enable people suffering from Cystic Fibrosis (CF) to have a life expectancy of 40. Consequently, new populations and questions about the development of the life of couples have arisen. This study by questionnaires takes a first look at marital adjustment, anxiety, depression, and emotion focused, social support focused, and problem focused coping strategies in 16 CF patients and their partners. As a whole, the couples' marital adjustment level was good; it was higher for men who were patients than men who were partners, and vice versa for women. Anxiety was high for at least one partner in 10 of the couples; depression, for at least one partner in seven of them. The participants seem to use coping strategies to a lesser extent than the general population. The results are discussed in terms of how the quality of life as a couple with one partner suffering from CF is affected by the proper mutual adjustment of the partners.