Speaking for patients with diabetes during accompanied medical encounters: Pronoun use, diet-related support, and patient dietary adherence
Abstract
Cognitive interdependence is a relational sense of self that motivates couples to work collaboratively towards mutually beneficial goals. Previous research has linked cognitive interdependence with commitment and pro-relationship behaviors including social support in health contexts (Agnew & Etcheverry; Lewis et al., 2006). In this study, I expected verbal indicators of cognitive interdependence including spousal speaking for the patient (SFP) and spouses' use of first person plural pronouns (UPP) within SFP to act as mediators with patient receipt of diet related support in separate multiple mediation models that tested the association between spouse diet-related support provision and patient dietary adherence. Additionally, I expected spouses' use of other-focused pronouns (U2P; e.g., you, he, she) within SFP, an indicator of cognitive independence, to be negatively associated with spouse diet-related support provision and patient dietary adherence because it is known to be associated primarily with deleterious outcomes including relationship distress and poor adjustment to a chronic illness in health contexts. Multiple mediation analyses failed to reveal any significant associations between SFP, UPP within SFP, U2P within SFP and spouse diet-related support provision and patient dietary adherence. Study findings did show that spouse diet-related support provision and patient dietary adherence were positively associated, replicating previous findings. Both Aim 1 and Aim 2 hypotheses were not supported by study outcomes, revealing that SFP and pronoun use did not act as mechanisms through which spouse diet-related support influenced patient dietary adherence.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Shields, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Communication|Medicine
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