Psychological Well-Being, Life Satisfaction and Sense of Coherence in Spouses of Persons with Stroke

Abstract

PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING, LIFE SATISFACTION AND SENSE OF COHERENCE IN SPOUSES OF PERSONS WITH STROKE. The purpose of our studies was to explore change in the psychological well-being and life satisfaction of spouses in the first year after their partner’s stroke as well as the impact of the sense of coherence on this phenomenon. We also compared the satisfaction of the spouses and their partners with important domains in life one year after a stroke. The research data consisted of data about the patients’ neurological end emotional status, questionnaires about the spouses’ self-rated well-being, life satisfaction and sense of coherence, and interview data concerning the spouses’ everyday life and need of support. Even though the spouses’ psychological well-being increased after the first chaotic months after their partner’s stroke their life satisfaction decreased, even in spouses of persons who had suffered a less severe stroke. The spouses’ sense of coherence in the first weeks after their partner’s stroke seemed to be related to their future well-being. However, change in their sense of coherence also occurred in the first year after their partner’s stroke. Need of support seemed to be different in different phases after their partner’s stroke, which has implications for the development of models of interventions to support spouses during their adaptation process. In our Stroke Research Group there are ongoing studies concerning spouses’ activities, participation, health and life satisfaction in a long-term perspective and concerning older spouses’ experience of need of support. A study concerning the effect of family-centred interventions directed to families in which a person suffers from “hidden dysfunctions” is also planned.