Quality of partner relationship and emotional responses to a health threat

This study investigated whether existence of a cohabiting relationship and its quality was related to psychological distress in women facing an acute stressor - a health threat. Levels of social support and self-esteem were tested as predictors of distress. One hundred and fifty-eight women with symptomatic breast problems referred to a diagnostic one-stop breast clinic participated in the study. Levels of psychological distress (stress, anxiety, depression), social support, self-esteem and, for women with partners, quality of partner relationship were measured using standardized self-report instruments. No differences were found between women with and without partners in terms of distress and psychosocial variables. However, women in low quality relationships experienced significantly more distress and received less support than women in high quality relationships. Self-esteem was not related to partner relationships. Low personal self-esteem significantly predicted distress on the appointment day for all groups of women, accounting for between 19% and 54% of the variance. Social self-esteem and ideal social support were also found to be significant predictors of distress for women without partners and cohabiting women in low quality relationships. It would appear that women with self-rated poor quality spousal relationships are at risk of elevated psychological morbidity in the context of investigation for suspected breast disease.