Living with a chronic condition such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a daily challenge. But when this disease affects a couple, it doesn’t just affect one person. It transforms the relationship dynamic, tests communication, and can either bring partners closer together or drive them apart. A recent study based on data from the Australian Rheumatology Association highlights a key factor that is often overlooked: dyadic coping, or how couples cope with the disease together.
What is dyadic coping?
Dyadic coping refers to the strategies that couples use together to manage the stress of a difficult situation, such as a chronic disease. This can include:
- Mutual emotional support
- Problem solving together
- Active listening and validation of emotions
- Or, conversely, negative behaviours such as avoidance or criticism
In the context of RA, where pain, fatigue and physical limitations are common, these mechanisms take on paramount importance.
What the Australian study reveals
The study involved 163 couples, one of whom had RA. Each member of the couple completed a questionnaire assessing:
- The type of coping used (positive or negative)
- Levels of stress, anxiety and depression
- Perceived quality of the relationship
The results are clear:
- Positive coping is associated with less psychological distress and better relationship quality.
- Negative coping, on the other hand, increases symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, while damaging the relationship.
- Interestingly, even spouses who are not ill feel the effects of negative coping, showing that the disease has a profound impact on both partners.
Why this is important for couples
RA is not something you experience alone. It affects daily life, plans, intimacy and even finances. In this context, the support of your partner becomes an essential lever for better living with the disease.
Here are some concrete examples of positive coping:
- Plan medical appointments together
- Adapt household tasks to the abilities of the ill partner
- Regularly expressing gratitude and empathy
- Participating in couples’ support groups
These simple gestures can strengthen the sense of unity and reduce the mental burden on the person with the disease.
What if we trained couples to cope better?
The study suggests that targeted interventions could help couples adopt more effective coping strategies. For example:
- Communication workshops to learn how to express needs without hurting others
- Couples therapy focused on stress management
- Educational programmes to better understand RA and its impacts
These approaches could improve not only patients’ mental health, but also marital stability and satisfaction.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex disease, but it does not necessarily have to weaken a couple’s relationship. On the contrary, it can become an opportunity to strengthen bonds, provided that couples learn to cope together. Dyadic coping is not a miracle solution, but it is a powerful tool for transforming adversity into shared strength.