Paper

Social problem solving and depression in couples coping with cancer

  1. Kelly S. McClure1,*,
  2. Arthur M. Nezu2,
  3. Christine Maguth Nezu3,
  4. Erin L. O'Hea4,5,
  5. Cori McMahon1,6

Article first published online: 10 OCT 2010

DOI: 10.1002/pon.1856

Issue

Psycho‐Oncology

Psycho-Oncology

Volume 21, Issue 1, pages 11–19, January 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

McClure, K. S., Nezu, A. M., Nezu, C. M., O'Hea, E. L. and McMahon, C. (2012), Social problem solving and depression in couples coping with cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 21: 11–19. doi: 10.1002/pon.1856

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychology, La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

  2. 2

    Departments of Psychology, Medicine, and Community Health & Prevention, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

  3. 3

    Departments of Psychology and Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

  4. 4

    Department of Psychology, Stonehill College, North Easton, MA, USA

  5. 5

    Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA

  6. 6

    Cooper Cancer Institute, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ, USA

*Department of Psychology, La Salle University, 1900 W. Olney Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 3 JAN 2012
  2. Article first published online: 10 OCT 2010
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 13 AUG 2010
  4. Manuscript Revised: 3 AUG 2010
  5. Manuscript Received: 20 FEB 2010

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Keywords:

  • cancer;
  • psychosocial oncology;
  • problem solving;
  • social problem solving;
  • couples;
  • depression

Abstract

Objective: When one person in a couple has cancer, both members may experience depressive symptoms and may react as an emotional system. However, the variables that influence this depressive system have not been identified. This study examined whether social problem solving, an important moderator of individual cancer-related depression, is related to depression in the couple system.

Methods: Sixty-three couples with one partner diagnosed with cancer completed self-report questionnaires regarding depressive symptoms, social problem solving, and relationship satisfaction.

Results: Multiple regression correlations supported the hypothesis that depression occurs in an emotional system (patient depression predicted partner depression and partner depression predicted patient depression). When examining how partner social problem solving impacts transmission from patient to partner, hierarchical multiple regression demonstrated that one social problem-solving component (positive problem orientation) eliminated the prediction of partner depression by patient depression. No other component of partner social problem solving eliminated the prediction of partner depression by patient depression. Partner social problem solving had no effect on whether partner depression predicted patient depression.

Conclusions: Partners with more positive beliefs about solving problems were less likely to experience depression together with the patients. Further investigation into the role of social problem solving in the interpersonal depression system is warranted. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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