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. 2018 May;22(2):170-195.
doi: 10.1177/1088868317735767. Epub 2017 Oct 20.

Communal Coping and Adjustment to Chronic Illness: Theory Update and Evidence

Vicki S Helgeson  1 , Brett K Jakubiak  1 , Meredith Van Vleet  1 , Melissa Zajdel  1
Affiliations

Communal Coping and Adjustment to Chronic Illness: Theory Update and Evidence

Vicki S Helgeson et al. Pers Soc Psychol Rev. 2018 May.

Abstract

We present a theory of communal coping that describes an optimal pathway to patient adjustment among couples in which one person faces a chronic illness. Communal coping consists of a shared illness appraisal (i.e., person perceives illness as a joint rather than individual problem) and collaboration with a partner to manage the illness. We present a model of the communal coping process that links patient and partner shared illness appraisals to collaboration and a set of supportive interactions that might be reframed as collaboration in the presence of shared illness appraisals. We then outline a model that identifies potential antecedents of communal coping and mechanisms that link communal coping to patient illness adjustment (i.e., enhanced psychological well-being, improved health behaviors, better physical health) and partner psychological well-being. We review the empirical evidence for this model and conclude by identifying several moderator variables, noting potential limitations, and outlining future research directions.

Keywords: close relationships; health; well-being.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The communal coping process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Model of the process by which communal coping leads to optimal adjustment to chronic illness.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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