The moderating effect of relationship quality on partner secondary traumatic stress among couples coping with cancer

A considerable amount of research has investigated symptoms of posttraumatic stress in cancer patients while the occurrence and correlates of secondary traumatic stress on patients' intimate partners has yet to be explored. This study examined the prevalence of secondary traumatic stress symptoms (Modified Secondary Trauma Questionnaire) in partners of cancer patients and evaluated the association of these symptoms with patients' posttraumatic stress symptoms (Impact of Event Scale-Revised). The study also investigated the moderation effect of relationship quality (Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised) on the association between patients' and partners' posttraumatic and secondary traumatic stress respectively. A heterogeneous sample of 90 patient-partner dyads was recruited through a provincial cancer agency. Multiple symptoms of secondary traumatic stress were reported by 23% of partners. These symptoms were experienced at a clinically significant level by 10% of all participating partners. Although patients' and partners' traumatic stress symptoms were correlated (r = .44, p < .001), only one dyad consisted of both a patient and a partner scoring clinically significant levels of traumatic stress symptoms. Therefore, of the 90 dyads in the study, 18% included at least one partner reporting clinically significant levels of traumatic stress. Relationship quality accounted for 11% of the variance in secondary traumatic stress, in addition to the 19% already accounted for by patients' posttraumatic stress. Relationship quality also exhibited buffering effects benefiting couples with higher quality relationships. Implications of results for future research and holistic health care models are discussed.