Developing a couple typology: A qualitative study of couple dynamics around physical activity

Area of Science:

• Health Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Behavioral Medicine

Background:

• Partner support is crucial for physical activity (PA) engagement.
• Couples exhibit diverse strategies in providing and receiving support for PA.
• Existing interventions may not account for relationship dynamics influencing PA support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how relationship dynamics affect couple-based support for physical activity (PA).
• To inform the development of targeted intervention strategies that leverage couple characteristics to enhance PA.
• To identify different couple typologies based on their approaches to supporting PA.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving in-depth, semistructured interviews with 19 couples (individuals with osteoarthritis and their partners).
• Narrative analysis of interview transcripts to identify themes related to attitudes towards joint activity and shared reality.
• Development of a four-category couple typology based on attitudes and narrative concordance.

Main Results:

• Identified four couple typologies: "Working together works," "Doing our own thing," "Conscious conflict," and "Different realities."
• Observed significant variation in couples' attitudes towards joint PA and their shared understanding of these attitudes.
• Each typology reflects distinct patterns of collaboration and shared reality regarding PA support.

Conclusions:

• Couple relationship dynamics significantly influence the provision and reception of social support for physical activity.
• A typology of couples based on attitudes and shared reality can characterize different approaches to PA support.
• Future research should investigate tailoring interventions to specific couple types to optimize PA engagement.