Dyadic coping, marital adjustment and quality of life in couples during pregnancy: an actor–partner approach

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aimed to examine the impact of dyadic coping on the quality of life of couples during pregnancy and to explore the potential mediating role of marital adjustment on this association.

Background: According to the systemic transactional model, pregnancy can be characterised as a situation of dyadic stress because it affects both members of the couple. However, the impact of dyadic coping on couples’ quality of life during pregnancy is unexplored. Also, the potential mediating role of marital adjustment on this association remains understudied.

Methods: Participants were 320 pregnant women and their partners (N = 640) who completed the Dyadic Coping Inventory, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life instrument. Data were analysed using the actor–partner interdependence mediation model.

Results: Results showed that there was an intrapersonal indirect effect of dyadic coping on quality of life through marital adjustment. Moreover, an interpersonal indirect effect was found with fathers’ dyadic coping being associated with mothers’ quality of life through mothers’ marital adjustment.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of assessing dyadic coping strategies of couples during pregnancy and targeting them in the psychological support offered to couples as a way of improving their marital adjustment, and consequently, their quality of life.

KEYWORDS:

• Dyadic coping
• marital adjustment
• quality of life
• dyadic approach

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research has been partially funded by Portuguese national funds through FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology – as part of the project Psychology Research Center – UAL Refª UID/PSI/04345/2013 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [UID/PSI/04345/2013].