Thematic Analysis of Dyadic Coping in Couples With Young-Onset Dementia

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Young-onset dementia (YOD) significantly impacts individuals and their spousal caregivers.
• Dyadic coping (DC) models offer a framework for understanding how couples manage stressors as a unit.
• Existing DC models have not been extensively applied to the context of YOD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of couples coping with young-onset dementia (YOD).
• To apply an integrated dyadic coping (DC) model to understand couple's experiences with YOD.
• To identify positive and negative dyadic coping strategies employed by couples managing YOD.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving couples where one partner has YOD.
• Interviews conducted via live online video between March and June 2020.
• Thematic analysis guided by an integrated DC framework.

Main Results:

• Five deductive themes from the DC framework were supported: stress communication, positive individual/conjoint DC, and negative individual/conjoint DC.
• Inductive subthemes revealed specific couple coping mechanisms for YOD.
• Positive conjoint DC involved teamwork and collaborative communication; negative conjoint DC involved avoidance, leading to conflict and hindering adaptive coping.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first qualitative analysis guided by a DC framework for couples with YOD.
• Findings highlight the importance of adaptive coping strategies like acceptance and collaborative problem-solving for long-term adjustment.
• Results can inform the development of dyadic psychosocial services for YOD and other progressive illnesses.