Dyadic adjustment for younger individuals following stroke: A cross-sectional study

Stroke recovery and its associated outcomes have an impact on both persons with stroke and their care partners. The current study examined differences between younger and older couples coping with stroke, as well as focusing on how depression and satisfaction outcomes for one member of the dyad impacted the other.

This cross-sectional secondary analysis examines baseline data from a pilot study involving 34 couples coping with stroke, originally part of an 8-week positive psychology intervention designed to foster resilient romantic relationships. Participants completed self-reported ratings of depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire) and satisfaction with social roles (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Satisfaction with Social Roles-Short-Form 7a v1).

Younger persons with stroke were more likely to be unemployed, have children under 18, and report lower education levels, whereas older participants were more often male and had longer relationships. Significant inverse correlations were found between depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and satisfaction with social roles (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Satisfaction with Social Roles), particularly among younger dyads. Actor-partner interdependence models revealed that younger stroke survivors' social role satisfaction was inversely related to both their own and their care partners' depressive symptoms, whereas in older dyads, only care partners' outcomes showed significant negative associations.

This study highlights differences between younger and older couples coping with stroke, revealing that younger dyads exhibit more influence among one another as well as worse recovery outcomes. These findings underscore factors that can impact long-term recovery and life participation for both persons with stroke and their care partners. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).