Chronic cardiac illness was associated with significantly higher Depressed Mood and Depressive Features compared to healthy controls, while social support and adaptive coping predicted fewer symptoms.
Cross-Sectional (n=752)
Are social support and adaptive coping strategies associated with fewer depressive symptoms in patients with chronic cardiac illness?
In patients with chronic cardiac illness, social support and adaptive coping strategies are associated with reduced depressive symptoms.
Abstract This study tests an integrative cross-sectional model of psychosocial adjustment in a late-middle-aged sample of patients repohg diagnoses of cardiac illness. Findings based on 362 individuals diagnosed with chronic cardiac illness and 390 healthy controls strongly supported hypotheses. Individuals with chronic cardiac illness scored significantly higher than did than did persons free of illness on both Depressed Mood and Depressive Features. In addition, women experienced more Depressed Mood and Depressive Features than did men. An integrative structural equation model demonstrated that, for both men and women with chronic cardiac illness, social support and adaptive coping strategies were related to less depressive symptoms. Social support predicted less depressive symptoms both directly and indirectly through coping strategies.
Holahan et al. (Thu,) conducted a cross-sectional in chronic cardiac illness (n=752). Chronic cardiac illness vs. Healthy controls was evaluated on Depressed Mood and Depressive Features. Chronic cardiac illness was associated with significantly higher Depressed Mood and Depressive Features compared to healthy controls, while social support and adaptive coping predicted fewer symptoms.