Psychological resilience mediates the depressive effects of poor dyadic interaction in rural Australians: implications for couples counselling

ABSTRACT

To identify any mediating effects which psychological resilience may have upon depression arising from poor dyadic interaction, 111 community volunteers responded to standardized measures of dyadic interaction, depression and psychological resilience. There was a significant inverse correlation between dyadic interaction and depression. Psychological resilience had a significant mediating effect upon that correlation, reducing it to non-significance, but only one aspect of psychological resilience was responsible for the significant mediating effect. When examined at an individual item level, the key behaviours associated with the mediating effect were ‘feeling in control over one’s life’, and ‘having a sense of purpose’. Suggestions are made for the application of these findings within couples’ therapy settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Dyadic interaction
• depression
• psychological resilience
• sense of purpose

Author’s contributions

CFS, VB and LLA planned the study, analysed the data and drafted and approved the ms.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christopher F. Sharpley

Christopher Sharpley is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of New England. His research interests are in the neurobiology of depression.

Vicki Bitsika

Vicki Bitsika is Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of New England. She is an active clinician and researcher in the field of Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Linda L. Agnew

Linda Agnew is Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of New England. Her research interests are in the immunological bases of depression.