Exploration of relationship maintenance strategies in spouses and their partners with mild neurocognitive disorder using dyadic approach

• Main Author: Christian, Rahel Dika Puspita
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2016
• Subjects: Cognition disorders
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/5352
• Institution: De La Salle University

Previous studies identified strategies for maintaining a relationship, but focused on the caregiving role of spouses. These studies explored perspectives from single groups separately (i.e. caregiver or care recipient) and identified strategies from non-clinical samples or from disease population. However, these may not be entirely applicable to individuals dealing with Mild Neurocognitive Disorder (mNCD). The present study described the narrative experience of spouses dealing with mNCD and how they maintained their relationship (i.e., strategies), This was explored through separate interviews from different perspectives (i.e., partner with mNCD, spouse, dyadic). Five main strategies for maintaining relationships in this context emerged, namely: conflict avoidance and resolution, commitment, communication, individuation, and maintaining intimacy. The study contributes to role theory and relational resilience theory by exemplifying role transitions and resilience of inflicted couples in the context of MCD. Future studies may explore to validate the results of this study by determining the relationship between emergent strategies from the research and relationship quality. Furthermore, the application of these strategies in other clinical populations may be investigated.