Spouse Adjustment Research Articles

Determinants of intercultural adjustment among expatriate spouses

The adaptation of expatriate families to a host country seems crucial to successful fulfilment of international business assignments. The present study focused on personality, family characteristics and characteristics of expatriates’ work life as determinants of the intercultural adjustment of expatriate spouses. Among a sample of 247 expatriate spouses it was first shown that in particular the traits of open-mindedness and emotional stability were associated with expatriate spouses’ adjustment. In addition, family cohesion and family adaptability were found to have an impact on the spouses’ adjustment. Of the work related variables, both support from the company and work satisfaction were related to indicators of adjustment. These effects sustained after controlling for the influence of demographic variables such as duration of expatriation, command of the local language, having visited the country prior to relocation and economic situation that were also found to contribute to spouses’ adjustment. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Spousal adjustment on international assignments: the role of social support

The role of social support on international relocations is important because an overseas assignment presents both the disruption of established social support networks and the challenge to develop new ones. Such changes can be especially stressful for relocated accompanying spouses, due to competing family responsibilities, social isolation, sociopolitical constraints, and changes in their social and/or work status. Participants in this study were 194 women who had moved temporarily to a new country primarily because of their husband/partners’ jobs; they were living in one of 17 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, or Latin America. Women with higher adjustment (a) were in more cohesive families, (b) had had more involvement in the decision to move, (c) felt they had fewer losses in friendship networks, (d) had more functions of social support adequately met, and (e) received more of their support from local rather than long-distance providers, compared with those with lower adjustment.

When Managing Expatriate Adjustment, Don't Forget the Spouse

This article discusses research examining reasons for poor adjustment of an expatriate's spouse who relocates with them. The adjustment of spouses is measured by how well the spouse builds relationships with host-country nationals, how well the spouse adjusts to local customs and the culture in general, and the extent to which the spouse feels at home in the foreign country. Foreign language skill was found to be the factor that most influenced the ability to rebuild a personal sense of identity and achieve greater adjustment.

Depression and marital dissatisfaction in patients with end-stage renal disease and in their spouses

Little research has been performed assessing patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) as parts of marital dyads or within family structures. Recent findings suggest patient interactions within such systems are associated with patient outcomes. To evaluate the relationship between level of patient depression and spouse psychosocial status, 55 couples in which one partner was undergoing chronic hemodialysis therapy for ESRD were interviewed. Two variables that alone and in interaction with one another were expected to relate to the spouse's level of depression and marital satisfaction were investigated: patient depression level and spouse's perceived social support. Depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Spouses' levels of depressive affect correlated directly with patient BDI scores. A significant two-way interaction for spousal depression (patient depression and spousal support) supported viewing spouses' adjustment as a function of the interaction between spouse and patient factors. Additionally, a main effect of perceived spousal social support on spousal marital satisfaction indicated that spouses reporting high levels of social support had the least marital strain. The severity of the patient's illness did not correlate with any of the predictor variables or measures of spousal adjustment, but spouses reported significantly lower functional status for patients than did nephrologists. Spouse and patient levels of depression are related, although causal relationships cannot be determined by these studies. Moreover, spouse perception of marital satisfaction is related to depression scores. These findings suggest the patient with ESRD functions in a psychosocial dyad. Spouse psychosocial status could impact on the level of patient depression, and the spouse might be amenable to interventions that could improve patient outcome. © 2001 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.

Experiences of well spouses after lung transplantation.

To explore what life is like for well spouses after their partners' lung transplantation? The numbers of people having a lung transplant in the United States of America (USA), as well as surviving beyond 1 and 5 years, has increased steadily over the last decade. This trend is expected to continue. Few have examined the transplant experience from the view of well spouses who are the most typical patient-support person. Researchers have shown that spousal adjustment is closely associated with patient adjustment and recovery. Using written surveys and taped telephone interviews in 1998, a convenience sample of 12 well spouses shared details of their lives after their partners' lung transplant. Spouses from eight states in the USA responded to an invitation to participate which was posted on an internet listserv. Ages ranged from 40 to 66 years and the posttransplant time ranged from 4 to 60 months. Spouses completed a demographic form, the Family Inventory of Life Events (FILE), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) prior to interview. Triangulation of methods augmented and corroborated data. Interviews stopped when saturation was reached. Data collection and analyses were carried out simultaneously using a constant comparative method. The core theme was the "roller coaster ride" characterized by a series of ups and downs. Other major themes were coping, giving medications, knowing the donor, making comparisons, togetherness, and caring for the well spouse. Five identified stages were: the transplant event, cocooning, normalizing, branching-out and settling down. This study supports nurses using a family centred focus. Nurses in all practice areas can apply information gained from this study to help spouses anticipate chaos at each stage and develop effective coping strategies.

Forgotten partners of international assignments: development and test of a model of spouse adjustment.

The authors developed and tested a model of spouse adjustment to international assignments in a sequence of qualitative and quantitative investigations. From in-depth interviews with expatriate spouses, half of whom had either positive or negative experiences living abroad, the authors identified several potentially important sources of adjustment. These constructs were integrated with others from identity theory and earlier research on expatriates to develop a conceptual model of spouse adjustment. The model was tested by collecting multisource questionnaire data from 221 international assignee couples working in 37 countries. Correlation and regression analyses revealed several important relationships between individual, interpersonal relationship, and environmental sources of identity, and the adjustment of expatriate spouses.

Psychosocial impact of heart transplantation on spouses.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial impact of heart transplantation on spouses and compare the adjustment of spouses and their partners. Data were collected from 51 couples prior to transplant and 12 months posttransplant. The Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) was used to measure adjustment in seven domains. Prior to the transplant, spouses experienced profound psychosocial distress related to their partner's illness. From pretransplant to posttransplant, PAIS total score decreased (lower scores indicate better adjustment) for spouses (M = 42, SD = 16, vs. M = 26, SD = 13). Spouses showed improvement in all domains. Posttransplant, patients' and spouses' PAIS total scores (overall adjustment) were not significantly different. Spouses reported more psychological distress than patients; patients reported more problems than spouses in vocational and domestic function. Study findings highlight the importance of sensitivity in the clinical setting to the distinct psychosocial needs of spouses.

Forgotten partners of international assignments: Development and test of a model of spouse adjustment.

Forgotten partners of international assignments: Development and test of a model of spouse adjustment.

Cross‐cultural adjustment strategies of Japanese spouses in Silicon Valley

Studies have reported a strong correlation between expatriate failure and spouse adjustment in foreign assignments. Since Japanese firms have been relatively successful at minimizing executive failure rates, we examined the pre‐departure preparation and attitudes of Japanese spouses in the Silicon Valley area. Factor analysis and regression were used to test a number of hypotheses. Our study found that pre‐departure activities and attitudes had a significant effect on the post‐arrival adjustment of the spouses. We also found that Japanese spouses were able to take advantage of both personal and non‐personal sources at home and abroad for effective information gathering.

EXPATRIATES' PSYCHOLOGICAL WITHDRAWAL FROM INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS: WORK, NONWORK, AND FAMILY INFLUENCES

Integrating the expatriate adjustment and employee turnover literatures, we develop a model of expatriates' decisions to quit their assignments. This model explicitly considers the role of adjustment, the project‐based nature of international assignments, and the importance of several nonwork and family context factors in this withdrawal process. We test this model with a sample of 452 expatriates and a matched subsample (providing multiple sources of data) of 224 expatriates and spouses, living in 45 countries. Consistent with domestic turnover research, multiple regression analyses indicated that the work‐related factors of job satisfaction and organizational commitment were significant predictors of expatriate withdrawal cognitions. We also found support for the direct, indirect, and moderating influence of nonwork satisfaction and several family context variables (i.e., family responsibility, spouse adjustment, spouse overall satisfaction, and living conditions) on decisions of expatriates to quit their assignments. Implications for both organizational withdrawal and international HRM researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Managing spouse/partner preparation and adjustment

Identifies a number of critical spouse/partner preparation and adjustment factors derived from a larger study that examined the expatriate career management practices of 20 Australian business enterprises with a physical presence in the East‐Asian business region. Addresses concerns expressed by Adler (1991) that attention to the needs of an accompanying spouse is at best only having a neutral impact on spouse adjustment. That is, organizations have largely failed to assist spouses in establishing what Adler (1991) described as “a meaningful portable life”. Reviews spouse/partner preparation and adjustment from the views expressed by Australian business executives, expatriate and repatriates involved in business operations in East‐Asia. The views of spouses and partners were not gathered in this study. Results point to the need for re‐assessment of existing spouse/partner preparation and adjustment. While results are tentative, evidence from this study confirms the need for more attention by Australian organizations to spouse/partner preparation and adjustment, with particular attention to the development of business environment awareness and empathy which may assist in advancing Adler’s concept of “a meaningful portable life”.

The marital effects of individually oriented psychotherapy: is there evidence for the deterioration hypothesis?

We review evidence for the effects of individual psychotherapy on the client's marriage and on the well-being of his/her spouse. After reviewing the clinical case report literature, we provide a critical review of client surveys, outcome studies of individually oriented therapy, outcome studies in which individually oriented therapy was compared to spouse-involved treatments, and outcome studies in which individually oriented treatment was compared to marital therapy in the treatment of individual dysfunction. Based upon this review of over 20 independent clinical samples, we conclude that individually oriented psychotherapy has little demonstrated negative impact on marital functioning or spouse adjustment; indeed, marital functioning and spouse adjustment are enhanced in some instances. We highlight the methodological and conceptual issues that should be addressed in future research in this area.

Spousal adjustment to a postmarital disability in one partner.

Spousal adjustment to a postmarital disability in one partner.

Factors associated with suicide attempts by depressed older adults: a prospective study

This study sought to ascertain demographic, clinical, and interpersonal factors prospectively associated with suicide attempts by older adults with major depressive disorder. Elderly inpatients diagnosed as having major depressive disorder according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria were administered a structured diagnostic interview and then followed up for 1 year. Factors bearing on the interpersonal context of depression, including the emotional adjustment of patients' spouses and adult children, interpersonal strains, and relatives' concerns related to the care of their depressed family members, were also ascertained at the time of the patients' hospital admission. The elderly patients who attempted suicide during the follow-up period were compared with the nonattempters across demographic, clinical, and interpersonal factors assessed during the initial interviews. A suicide attempt was made by 8.7% (N = 11) of the 126 elderly depressed patients within 1 year after hospital admission. Compared with the nonattempters, the attempters were of a higher socioeconomic status, evidenced more past suicide attempts and current suicidal behavior, and constituted a disproportionately large percentage of those patients who had never had a remission of their index depressive episodes. Notably, the spouses and adult children of patients who later attempted suicide evidenced more psychiatric symptoms, more strain in the relative-patient relationship, and more difficulties in caring for the patient than the relatives of nonattempters. The findings emphasize the need for careful attention to both clinical and interpersonal factors in the assessment of suicide risk in the elderly.

Quality of Life Assessment of Patients With Posttraumatic Fracture Nonunion, Chronic Refractory Osteomyelitis, and Lower-Extremity Amputation

One hundred nine patients with long-bone fracture nonunion, chronic refractory osteomyelitis, and posttraumatic amputation were evaluated to assess the impact of chronic disability on the quality of life. The quality of life parameters were defined by a functional assessment instrument, the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS), and a Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS). A spouse PAIS self-report instrument was administered to assess the psychosocial adjustment of spouses or significant others. A final questionnaire was developed to determine the reasons, in order of their importance, for either continuing medical therapy or accepting amputation. The PAIS scores differed significantly between osteomyelitis patients and nonunion or amputation patients. The presence or absence of pain produced significant differences in AIMS and PAIS scores of nonunion and osteomyelitis patients. Subscale analysis of AIMS scores showed significant differences among the three groups with respect to health perception and scale of orthopaedic problem. The osteomyelitis patients were more severely affected than the nonunion or amputation patients. The PAIS was unable to detect any statistically significant differences in psychosocial adjustment of the spouses of patients in each of the three population groups. The most frequent reason for continuing medical and surgical management of nonunion and osteomyelitis was hopeful expectation for cure. The group who chose amputation did so in an attempt to put an end to the need for medical and surgical treatment. Differences in psychosocial and functional ability were related to disease diagnosis, pain, status of fracture healing, and timing of amputation. This study provides further insight into the quality of life experience for patients with long-term orthopaedic problems.

Differentiation of Self and Marital Adjustment of Clinical and Nonclinical Spouses

ABSTRACT Bowen theory posits that spouses in problematic marriages are lower on differentiation of self and marital adjustment than spouses in nonproblematic marriages. This paper reports the findings from an empirical study which provide support for this aspect of Bowen theory. Differentiation of self and marital adjustment were also found to be moderately, positively related to each other. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.

Implications of agency and communion for patient and spouse adjustment to a first coronary event.

Implications of agency and communion for patient and spouse adjustment to a first coronary event.

Implications of agency and communion for patient and spouse adjustment to a first coronary event.

The present study examined the effects of agency and communion on psychological adjustment to a 1st coronary event. Patients were interviewed about agency and communion and psychological adjustment in the hospital shortly before discharge (Time 1) and then reinterviewed along with spouses in their homes 3 months after discharge (Time 2). It was hypothesized that the extreme agentic orientation (unmitigated agency) and the extreme communal orientation (unmitigated communion) would be associated with poor adjustment for patients and spouses but that agency would promote self adjustment and communion would promote partner adjustment. In general, results confirmed predictions. It was suggested that the most distressed couples consist of a patient high in unmitigated agency and a spouse high in unmitigated communion. Although patients in such couples did not evidence the most distress, spouses did.

The Other Half of the Picture: Antecedents of Spouse Cross-Cultural Adjustment

Scholars have argued that the adjustment of the expatriate's spouse is an important factor in the success or failure of expatriates in overseas assignments; however, they have not empirically examined which factors are related to spouse adjustment. This study is the first to systematically examine the antecedents of spouse cross-cultural adjustment to interacting with host country nationals and to coping with the general, foreign environment. The results indicate that firms seeking the spouse's opinion about the international assignment, the spouse's self-initiated predeparture training, and social support from family and host country nationals during the overseas assignment have a positive relationship with spouse interaction adjustment. Additionally, firms' seeking the spouse's opinion about the international assignment and standard of living have a positive relationship with spouse general adjustment, while firm-provided training and culture novelty have negative relationships with spouse general adjustment. Several important research and practical implications are explored.

Psychosocial, functional, and quality of life assessment of patients with posttraumatic fracture nonunion, chronic refractory osteomyelitis, and lower extremity amputation.

One hundred nine patients with long-bone fracture nonunion, chronic refractory osteomyelitis, or posttraumatic amputation were evaluated for the impact of chronic disability on quality of life, as measured by the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS) and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS). A self-administered PAIS for spouses assessed psychosocial adjustment of spouses or significant others. A final questionnaire ranked the reasons for either continuing medical therapy or accepting amputation. The PAIS scores differed significantly between osteomyelitis patients and both nonunion and amputation patients (p less than .05). The presence or absence of pain produced significant differences in AIMS and PAIS scores of nonunion and osteomyelitis patients (p less than .05). Subscale analysis of AIMS scores revealed significant differences among the three groups in health perception and scale of orthopedic problem: osteomyelitis patients were more severely affected than nonunion or amputation patients. The PAIS detected no statistically significant difference in psychosocial adjustment of spouses of patients in the three population groups. The most common reason for continuing medical and surgical management of nonunion and osteomyelitis was expectation for cure. The amputee group chose ablation to avoid further treatment. Differences in psychosocial and functional ability were related to disease diagnosis, pain, status of fracture healing, and timing of amputation.