Observed couple interactions among White and Black persons with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

The majority of observed couple communication research has focused on physically healthy couples and those who are White, educated, and affluent. In the present study, we observed persons with Type 2 diabetes and their romantic partners discuss how to improve diabetes management; afterward, we measured positive affect, negative affect, and discussion evaluations. We also measured mood and self-care behavior over the next 2 weeks. Couples (n = 207) were recruited from the community and varied in education, income, and race. Half of patients were White (53%), and half were Black (47%). Results showed that observed patient warmth was related to a more positive evaluation of the discussion, more postdiscussion positive affect, less postdiscussion negative affect, and better 2-week daily happy mood; observed patient negativity was related to less postdiscussion progress, a more negative evaluation of the discussion, less postdiscussion positive affect, and poorer 2-week dietary adherence; and observed patient distress was related to a more negative discussion evaluation, more postdiscussion negative affect, and worse mood over the next 2 weeks. Two of the findings were moderated by race, in the direction of links being stronger for Black than White patients. Partner warmth was rarely related to outcomes, but partner negativity was related to patients' poorer discussion evaluation, patient's lower happy mood and higher angry mood over the next 2 weeks, and patient's poorer 2-week dietary adherence. Future research on couple interactions should attend to important contextual variables such as race, ethnicity, income, and social status. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).