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. 2011 Oct;16(7):1109-19.
doi: 10.1177/1359105311401670. Epub 2011 Mar 30.

Are spouses of chronically ill partners burdened by exerting health-related social control?

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Are spouses of chronically ill partners burdened by exerting health-related social control?

Kristin J August et al. J Health Psychol. 2011 Oct.

Abstract

Spouses often seek to influence the health behaviors of chronically ill partners, but little research has examined whether spouses find such involvement to be burdensome. The current study examined this question in a sample of 191 nondiabetic spouses whose partners had type 2 diabetes. Results revealed that spouses who attempted to exert more control over their partners' dietary behavior experienced greater burden, particularly when their partners exhibited poor dietary adherence and reacted negatively to spouses' involvement. The findings contribute to a sparse body of knowledge on how spouses are affected by efforts to influence their chronically ill partners' disease management.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Moderated mediation model of the effects of social control on spouse burden.

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