Spousal collaboration mediates the relation between self-rated health and depressive symptoms of Chinese older couples: an actor-partner interdependence approach

Abstract

<h3>Background</h3><p>Dyadic coping resources have been considered a potential explanatory mechanism of spousal interdependence in health, but the mediation of spousal collaboration for the relationship between self-rated health and depressive symptoms has yet to be examined. This study aimed to investigate the within- (actor effect) and between-partner effects of self-rated health on depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older couples facing physical functioning limitations and to examine the role of spousal collaboration in mediating the actor and cross-partner effects of self-rated health on depressive symptoms.</p><h3>Method</h3><p>Data from 185 community-dwelling older Chinese married couples were analyzed using the actor–partner interdependence mediation model (APIMeM). Couples were interviewed through trained research assistants using the 5-item common dyadic coping subscale of the Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI), the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of the QoL questionnaire EQ-5D and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ‐9).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Husbands’ self-rated health had an actor effect on their own depressive symptoms and a partner effect on their wives’ depressive symptoms. Wives’ self-rated health had an actor effect on their own depressive symptoms. The actor effects between self-rated health and depressive symptoms were partially mediated by their own perception of spousal collaboration. Furthermore, husbands’ self-rated health not only affects wives’ depressive symptoms directly but also indirectly by influencing wives’ perceptions of spousal collaboration.</p><h3>Discussion</h3><p>The findings from this study underscored the importance of viewing couples’ coping processes from a dyadic and gender-specific perspective, since more (perceived) collaborative efforts have beneficial effects on both partners’ mental health outcomes.</p>