title: Marital relationship quality in early-stage dementia: perspectives from people with dementia and their spouses.
abstract: Spouse caregivers of people with dementia (PwD) report relatively poor marital relationship quality (RQ), but few studies have obtained the perspective of the PwD, examined discrepancies between spouses, or considered changes in RQ over time. This study explored caregiver and PwD perceptions of RQ, identified associated factors, and examined changes over an 18-month period. Participants were 54 couples where one spouse had early-stage dementia and 54 were control couples. RQ was assessed with the Positive Affect Index. Measures of mood, stress, and quality of life (QoL) were also administered. The clinical couples were followed up after 9 and 18 months. Caregivers gave significantly lower RQ ratings than controls. PwD ratings did not differ significantly from those of caregivers or controls. Dyadic discrepancies were significantly greater in the clinical than in the control group. Caregiver ratings were associated with stress, whereas PwD ratings were associated with depression and QoL. Discrepancies were associated with caregiver stress and with PwD mood, QoL, and age. Caregiver ratings declined significantly over time; PwD ratings did not decline significantly, but showed different trends for men and women. It is important to consider RQ when considering how to support couples where one partner has early-stage dementia.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2AS, United Kingdom. l.clare@bangor.ac.uk
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clare
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nelis
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Whitaker
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martyr
authors.forename: Ivana S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Markova
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Robin G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological