THE EFFECTS OF DISABILITY FOLLOWING A CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT ON OLDER INDIVIDUALS AND ON THEIR MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS (STROKE, COUPLES, ADJUSTMENT).
Contributors: University of Washington.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 186
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: A cerebrovascular accident with resultant disability is a stressful life event that requires adjustment by the individual and that individual's significant others. Measures of intrapersonal adjustment were self-concept and morale. Marital adjustment measures were role behaviors, marital intimacy, and marital satisfaction. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship of disability to intrapersonal and marital adjustment following a stroke. The specific aims were to examine (a) effects of physical impairment and enforced social dependency of intrapersonal adjustment to disability, (b) effects of physical impairment and enforced social dependency on marital adjustment to disability, (c) relationship of time since stroke to intrapersonal and marital adjustment to disability, and (d) couple congruence in relation to enforced social dependency, intimacy, and marital satisfaction.

The study was a cross-sectional survey consisting of interviews with 60 couples in which one member had had a stroke at least 3 months prior to participation in the study. Internal consistency reliability was moderate to high for all scales used in the study. Data analysis included correlations and stepwise multiple regression.

For the patient sample, findings indicated that the more physically impaired and/or socially dependent, the more negative the self-concept and morale. The results also suggested that physical impairment and enforced social dependency adversely affected intimacy and satisfaction within the marriage. There were reported changes in the performance of role behaviors: (a) household tasks, and (b) influence and decision-making following the stroke, in the direction of the spouses doing considerably more of the work following the stroke. Spouses also tended to take on the role of primary caregiver for the patients. The relationships between time since stroke and the dependent variables were either not significant or were in the opposite direction from that hypothesized. Couple congruence was tested with paired univariate t-tests. High congruence was found for scores on enforced social dependency, whereas moderate to low congruence was found for intimacy and marital satisfaction. The findings contributed to the knowledge base of nursing science in relation to the experiences of individuals and their spouses as they adjust to changes in their lives following a stroke.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-05, Section: B, page: 1430.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1984.

School code: 0250.