Daily Individual and Marital Processes in Osteoarthritis, funded by NIA grant R01 AG026010, 9/1/2007-8/31/2013

This daily diary study of 152 older adults with knee osteoarthritis and their spouses  focuses on spouses’ daily behaviors (e.g., empathic responses, autonomy support, and solicitousness). Our overall goal is to examine the effects of daily positive and negative spousal behaviors on patient functioning (pain, mood, sleep, physical activity) and whether daily illness cognitions (i.e., self-efficacy, catastrophizing) explain these effects. Patients and spouses were assessed three times per day using electronic diaries while also wearing accelerometers to measure daytime physical activity. We are also exploring the impact of gender on dyadic processes.

Project Team

Lynn M. Martire, Ph.D.

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Ruixue Zhaoyang, Ph.D.

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Mary Ann Parris Stephens, Kent State University, Co-Investigator
Richard Schulz, University of Pittsburgh, Co-Investigator
Francis J. Keefe, Duke University, Co-Investigator