title: Late-midlife and older couples' shared possible selves and psychological well-being during times of illness: the role of collaborative problem solving.
abstract: We investigated associations between spouses' shared possible selves and well-being as a function of their perceptions of collaboration in 61 late-midlife (M = 60 years) and older (M = 72 years) couples dealing with prostate cancer. Spouses completed assessments of possible selves (with shared selves defined as possible selves portraying a similar goal across spouses), psychological well-being, and enjoyment and frequency of collaboration. Associations between shared selves and better well-being occurred through better enjoyment of collaboration regardless of age (after controlling for marital quality and subjective health). An interaction revealing that shared selves were associated with better well-being only with frequent collaboration was obtained with older couples but was not found in late-midlife couples.
authors.affiliation: Cluster of Excellence Languages of Emotion, Free University Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany. ines.schindler@fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schindler
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Jorie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: Katherine T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Fortenberry
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Wiebe
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011340:Problem Solving; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept