Depression in spouses of chronic pain patients: the role of patient pain and anger, and marital satisfaction

Abstract

Although several studies have shown that spouses of chronic pain patients may experience clinically significant depressive symptoms few studies have comprehensively examined the role of both patient and spouse-related factors in the development and maintenance of this emotional distress. Twenty-nine married male chronic benign low back pain patients and their spouses were recruited in order to examine the role of patient, spouse, and marital factors in spouse depressive symptomatology. The results indicated that 28% percent of the spouses in the sample reported significantly depressed mood. A 2-stage regression analysis was employed that revealed 3 significant predictors of spouse's depressed mood, namely patient's average pain, patient's reported levels of anger and hostility, and the spouse's level of marital satisfaction. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for clinical interventions for pain patients and their families.