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Coping within couples: adjustment two years after forced geographic relocation
F S Wamboldt1, P Steinglass, A Kaplan De-Nour
1Department of Medicine, National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver, CO.
Family Process
|September 1, 1991
Summary
Couples adjust to stressful events as a unit. One partner's coping skills influenced both individuals' adaptation during a forced relocation, highlighting the family system's role in stress response.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Understanding individual adjustment to major life stressors is crucial.
- Previous research often overlooks the relational context of stress adaptation.
- The family system's influence on individual coping remains an area for deeper exploration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether analyzing individual adjustment within the context of marriage enhances understanding of stress adaptation.
- To examine how couples function as a dyadic unit during significant life transitions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a natural experiment involving the forced evacuation of the Israeli settlement of Ophira.
- Analyzed the adjustment patterns of married individuals before and after relocation.
- Employed dyadic analysis to assess couple-level adaptation.
Main Results:
- Individual adjustment became more similar within couples following the relocation.
- Couples demonstrated adaptation as a cohesive family system.
- One partner's coping mechanisms significantly predicted the adjustment of both individuals.
Conclusions:
- Viewing individuals as part of a couple provides a more comprehensive understanding of stress adjustment.
- The findings underscore the interconnectedness of partners in navigating major life events.
- Effective coping strategies within a couple can be influenced by, and impact, both partners' adaptation processes.