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Marital discord and coronary artery disease: a comparison of behaviorally defined discrete groups

Timothy W Smith1, Bert N Uchino, Cynthia A Berg

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 South 1530 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. tim.smith@psych.utah.edu

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
|December 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Categorizing marital discord using behavioral observations revealed a link to coronary artery disease (CAD) risk in healthy couples. Self-reports may underestimate this association, highlighting the importance of observational data in understanding cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Psychology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Marital difficulties are linked to increased risk of coronary heart disease (CAD).
  • Previous research suggested continuous dimensions of marital discord, but taxometric studies indicate discrete groups may be more accurate.
  • This study aimed to explore the relationship between a categorical representation of marital discord and CAD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if a categorical model of marital discord, identified through cluster analysis, is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD).
  • To compare the association of behaviorally defined marital discord with CAD versus self-report defined marital discord.

Main Methods:

  • 150 healthy couples (average age 63.5) participated.
  • Couples engaged in a marital disagreement discussion, followed by self-reports of anxiety and anger.
  • Coronary artery calcification (CAC) was measured using computed tomography scans.

Main Results:

  • A 2-group cluster analysis identified 31% of couples as discordant, exhibiting higher hostility/dominance and lower warmth.
  • Discordant couples reported poorer marital adjustment and increased negative affect during discussions.
  • After controlling for other risk factors, discordant couples showed significantly greater CAC (p = .029), while groups defined by self-report did not differ (p = .17).

Conclusions:

  • Categorically defined marital discord, based on behavioral observations, is associated with increased asymptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD).
  • Behavioral assessments reveal a significant link between marital discord and early-stage CAD risk.
  • Self-report measures of marital adjustment may underestimate the association between marital discord and cardiovascular risk.
Abstract

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