The goal of the proposed study is to better understand the relationship between anxiety disorders and marital functioning. Although studies have shown that individuals with anxiety disorders experience their marriages as troubled, the immediate mechanisms by which anxiety disorders affect each partner remain poorly understood. The proposed study will address this issue by monitoring the daily experiences of 60 married couples in which one partner suffers from an anxiety disorder. Each partner will be asked to complete a brief structured questionnaire (diary) each day, on 14 consecutive days. This daily diary will inquire about levels of distress experienced by each partner, as well as perceptions of the quality of marital interactions on the day of reporting. Analyses will examine whether daily fluctuations in the anxiety levels experienced by patients with an anxiety disorder are related to changes in the levels of distress experienced by their spouses. The proposed study will further examine factors associated with changes in patient and spouse distress. Findings from this study will be used to inform existing theories on the interpersonal life of individuals with anxiety disorders, and to explore possible refinements in existing interventions.
| Zaider, Talia I; Heimberg, Richard G; Iida, Masumi (2010) Anxiety disorders and intimate relationships: a study of daily processes in couples. J Abnorm Psychol 119:163-73 |
