An actor-partner interdependence mediation model for assessing the association between dyadic coping and post-traumatic growth in dyads of patients with stroke and their spouses: cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the dyadic associations between dyadic and post-traumatic growth in dyadic of patients with stroke and their spouses, and the mediating role of marital satisfaction in these associations. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from October 2023 to May 2024. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional study design using convenience sampling. A total of 215 stroke patients and their spouses from a tertiary hospital in China were selected as study actors. The General Information Questionnaire, Dyadic Coping Inventory, Marital Adjustment and Prediction Test, and Post-traumatic Growth Inventory were used; the data were analyzed using the actor-partner interdependence mediation model. RESULTS: The results showed that the dyadic coping of stroke patients and their spouses was significantly related to marital satisfaction and post-traumatic growth. In addition, the dyadic coping of stroke patients and their spouses had significant actor effects and partner effects on the post-traumatic growth through marital satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The dyadic coping of stroke patients and their spouses could produce actor and partner effects on the post-traumatic growth through the mediation of marital satisfaction, which provided empirical support for improving the level of post-traumatic growth among patients and spouses at the dyadic level.