title: A study of a couple with type 2 diabetes: dyadic adjustment and psychological morbidity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  this study assessed dyadic adjustment and psychological morbidity in type 2 diabetic patients and their partners, focusing on the role of gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  214 diabetic patients and their partners participated in the cross-sectional study and were assessed on psychological morbidity (HADS) and marital adjustment (RDAS). Data was analyzed using dyadic analysis, a statistical process that studies the patient/partner dyads simultaneously.
  
  
  RESULTS
  results revealed that the negative relationship between dyadic adjustment and psychological morbidity in female patients was stronger than in male diabetic patients or in partners of male diabetic patients. On the other hand, the relationship between dyadic adjustment and psychological morbidity in partners of diabetic men was stronger than the same relationship in partners of diabetic women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  since gender is a moderator, it is important to attend to the different needs of female and male patients and the education of diabetic patients should be centered on the patient/partner dyad.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: M Graça
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: José C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: M Rui
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pedras
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001938:Brazil; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D018454:Spouses