[Questionnaire to assess perception of chronic disease in couples. Perceptual pattern in coronary patients and their...

103 male patients with coronary heart disease and their partners filled out the Questionnaire about the Perception of an Illness and its Consequences (Fragebogen zur Wahrnehmung der Krankheit und ihrer Folgen, FWKF) which is available for both the patient and his partner. Factor analyses were done separately for the items of both FWKF versions, which examine with the consequences of coronary heart disease. Four interpretable factors were calculated, which are highly congruent in both versions: "dependency vs. independency", "resignation vs. hope regarding the physical condition", "positive vs. negative anticipation regarding social resonance" and " self and partner orientation vs. achievement". Four scales were derived which enable a diagnosis of the perception and coping modi of the patient and his partner and to draw conclusions about the partner interaction. Couples could be identified where both partners take similar extreme positions. They thus leave themselves little room for development. The significance of these results for more well-directed and therefore more improved psychosocial counselling of coronary patients and their partners is discussed.