Family Sense of Coherence, Dyadic Coping, and Quality of Life in Young and Middle-Aged Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer and Spousal Caregivers: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model.

BACKGROUND

Cancer is now recognized as a dyadic stress that seriously impacts the mental and physical well-being of both patients and their spousal caregivers (SCs). Analyzing from a dyadic perspective whether and how dyadic coping and family sense of coherence (FSOC) affect the quality of life (QOL) of couples is crucial.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the dyadic association between FSOC, dyadic coping, and QOL in young and middle-aged couples facing advanced lung cancer and to evaluate the mediating role of dyadic coping from a dyadic perspective.

METHODS

From October 2023 to April 2024, 202 dyads were recruited from 2 tertiary care hospitals in Tianjin, China. The participants' measurement indicators were evaluated using corresponding questionnaires. The procedure for dyadic analysis was based on the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model.

RESULTS

The actor effect of FSOC on the QOL was mediated by the dyadic coping of patients ( β = .100; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.053-0.155; P = .001) and SCs ( β = .124; 95% CI, 0.059-0.193; P = .002). The partner effect suggested that patients' QOL may be indirectly impacted by SCs' FSOC through patients' dyadic coping ( β = .078; 95% CI, 0.038-0.127; P = .004).

CONCLUSIONS

The QOL, dyadic coping, and FSOC of young and middle-aged couples facing advanced lung cancer were dyadically interdependent. To enhance couples' QOL, strategies for intervention must be developed.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This study offered a novel viewpoint on the relationship between QOL, dyadic coping, and FSOC and provided a theoretical foundation for the creation of dyadic intervention strategies meant to enhance cancer couples' QOL.