The Couples' Daily Lives Study 2 (CoDL-2)
This study will test for divergent effects of relationship closeness for older adults with chronic low back pain and their partners. Patients and partners reported on their daily experiences twice per day for 30 days using tablet computers, and are being interviewed every 6 months over 2 years. Aim 1 is to examine prospective effects of patients’ daily pain experience on spousal caregivers’ distress and controlling responses, and divergent effects of daily closeness. Aim 2 will use multilevel latent growth curve modeling to link daily caregiver emotional reactivity and controlling responses with longer-term outcomes for both partners. This study is supported by the National Institute on Aging (R01 AG063241).
The Transitions in Health and Relationships Project
Social connections and the quality of relationships are important for health and well-being. In turn, important life events and transitions such as diagnosis of a chronic illness, family caregiving, and moving to a new residence are likely to affect the structure and quality of one’s relationships. Little research to date has examined such prospective, bi-directional associations between social connections and health. The overarching goal of the Transitions study is to better understand the connections between changes in health and changes in close relationships as people age (http://sites.psu.edu/transitions/). The study focuses on independent living and retirement communities in Central Pennsylvania, and is supported by Penn State's Center for Healthy Aging. Data collection has been ongoing since 2016.
This study will test for divergent effects of relationship closeness for older adults with chronic low back pain and their partners. Patients and partners reported on their daily experiences twice per day for 30 days using tablet computers, and are being interviewed every 6 months over 2 years. Aim 1 is to examine prospective effects of patients’ daily pain experience on spousal caregivers’ distress and controlling responses, and divergent effects of daily closeness. Aim 2 will use multilevel latent growth curve modeling to link daily caregiver emotional reactivity and controlling responses with longer-term outcomes for both partners. This study is supported by the National Institute on Aging (R01 AG063241).
The Transitions in Health and Relationships Project
Social connections and the quality of relationships are important for health and well-being. In turn, important life events and transitions such as diagnosis of a chronic illness, family caregiving, and moving to a new residence are likely to affect the structure and quality of one’s relationships. Little research to date has examined such prospective, bi-directional associations between social connections and health. The overarching goal of the Transitions study is to better understand the connections between changes in health and changes in close relationships as people age (http://sites.psu.edu/transitions/). The study focuses on independent living and retirement communities in Central Pennsylvania, and is supported by Penn State's Center for Healthy Aging. Data collection has been ongoing since 2016.
The Couples' Daily Lives Study 1 (CoDL-1)
Behavioral data have provided strong evidence linking marital interactions and physiological functioning (i.e., cardiovascular reactivity and immune response), but such data have been collected primarily in a laboratory setting and with healthy couples. An innovative and ecologically valid method for capturing marital interactions and health is to observe behavior in couples’ natural environment. The aims of this feasibility study were to: 1) assess ambulatory heart rate variability (HRV) in chronic pain patients and spouses; 2) capture patient pain disclosure and spouse verbal responses in the home environment, using stationary microphones; and 3) link patient pain disclosure with real-time changes in spouse HRV and mood. This study was supported by Penn State's Social Science Research Institute, and findings were published in Families, Systems, and Health (Wilson, Martire, & Graham-Engeland, 2018).
Behavioral data have provided strong evidence linking marital interactions and physiological functioning (i.e., cardiovascular reactivity and immune response), but such data have been collected primarily in a laboratory setting and with healthy couples. An innovative and ecologically valid method for capturing marital interactions and health is to observe behavior in couples’ natural environment. The aims of this feasibility study were to: 1) assess ambulatory heart rate variability (HRV) in chronic pain patients and spouses; 2) capture patient pain disclosure and spouse verbal responses in the home environment, using stationary microphones; and 3) link patient pain disclosure with real-time changes in spouse HRV and mood. This study was supported by Penn State's Social Science Research Institute, and findings were published in Families, Systems, and Health (Wilson, Martire, & Graham-Engeland, 2018).
The Daily Assessment in Arthritis Study (DAS)
This daily diary study of 152 older adults with knee osteoarthritis and their spouses focused on spouses’ daily behaviors (e.g., empathic responses, autonomy support, and solicitousness). Our overall goal was to examine the effects of daily positive and negative spousal behaviors on patient functioning (pain, mood, sleep, physical activity) and whether daily illness cognitions (i.e., self-efficacy, catastrophizing) explain these effects. Patients and spouses were assessed three times per day for 22 days using electronic diaries while also wearing accelerometers to measure daytime physical activity. This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging (R01 AG026010) and findings have been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals.
This daily diary study of 152 older adults with knee osteoarthritis and their spouses focused on spouses’ daily behaviors (e.g., empathic responses, autonomy support, and solicitousness). Our overall goal was to examine the effects of daily positive and negative spousal behaviors on patient functioning (pain, mood, sleep, physical activity) and whether daily illness cognitions (i.e., self-efficacy, catastrophizing) explain these effects. Patients and spouses were assessed three times per day for 22 days using electronic diaries while also wearing accelerometers to measure daytime physical activity. This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging (R01 AG026010) and findings have been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals.
