Marital discord and coronary artery disease: a comparison of behaviorally defined discrete groups

Journal ArticleObjective: Marital difficulties can confer risk of coronary heart disease, as in a study of outwardly healthy couples (T. W. Smith et al., 2011) where behavioral ratings of low affiliation and high control during marital disagreements were associated with asymptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD). However, taxometric studies suggest that marital discord is more accurately represented by discrete groups, rather than continuous dimensions. To determine if a categorical representation of marital discord was also related to CAD, discordant and nondiscordant groups were identified via cluster analysis in further analyses of the T. W. Smith et al. (2011) study. Method: One hundred fifty healthy couples (M age = 63.5) completed a marital disagreement discussion, self-reports of anxiety and anger during the disagreement, and self-report measures of marital adjustment. CAD was measured as coronary artery calcification (CAC) via computed tomography scans. Results: In a 2-group cluster solution, 31% of couples were characterized as discordant, with higher levels of hostility and dominance and lower levels of warmth compared with the nondiscordant group. Discordant couples reported lower marital adjustment and greater negative affect during the discussion. Controlling biomedical and behavioral risk factors, discordant couples had greater CAC (p = .029, η2 = .035). Discordant and nondiscordant groups defined via self-reported marital adjustment did not differ in CAC (p = .17, η2 = .014). Conclusions: Marital discord defined categorically and with behavioral observations was associated with greater levels of asymptomatic CAD. Marital discord is associated with higher risk at early stages of coronary heart disease, but commonly used self-reports may underestimate this risk

Humans\u27 Bonding with their Companion Dogs: Cardiovascular Benefits during and after Stress

This study examined whether having one\u27s companion dog present during and after stress posed similar cardiovascular benefits as having a close friend present, even when the relationship quality for both the companion dog and friend was highly positive. Positive aspects of relationship quality for participants\u27 dog and friend were not associated with one another, suggesting that these relationships exist independently. Additionally, compared to participants with a close friend present, those with their dog present had lower heart rate and diastolic blood pressure (p\u27s \u3c .05) while undergoing the stressors, and tended to have lower heart rate and systolic blood pressure (p\u27s \u3c .09) when recovering from stressors. This study indicates that even when relationship quality is similarly high for companion dogs and friends, dogs may be associated with greater reductions in owners\u27 cardiovascular reactivity to stress, particularly if there is a potential for evaluation apprehension in the human friendships. These findings support the value of the human- companion animal relationship in promoting human welfare

Racial-Ethnic Differences in Social Networks and Perceived Support: Measurement Considerations and Implications for Disparities Research

OBJECTIVES: Racial-ethnic differences in physical/mental health are well documented as being associated with disparities; however, emerging conceptual models increasingly suggest that group differences in social functioning and organization contribute to these relationships. There is little work examining whether racial-ethnic groups respond similarly to classic measures of social networks and perceived support and whether there are significant between-groups differences on these measures. METHOD: A multisite, cross-sectional study of 2,793 non-Hispanic White (NHW), non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and Hispanic participants was conducted using common measures of social networks and perceived support. A confirmatory factor analytic model was used to test for the invariance of factor covariance and mean structures in a three latent constructs model including social network, social provisions, and interpersonal support. Between-group differences in structural and functional support were assessed. RESULTS: We established measurement invariance of the latent representations of these measures suggesting that racial-ethnic groups responded comparably. In direct comparisons, Hispanics and NHWs demonstrated similar levels of network structure and support. In contrast, NHWs reported support advantages on a majority of measures compared with NHBs. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the use of these measures across groups and provide initial support for potential differences in this hypothesized mediator of racial-ethnic health disparities

Effects of couple interactions and relationship quality on plasma oxytocin and cardiovascular reactivity: Empirical findings and methodological considerations

Cardiovascular reactivity is a potential mechanism underlying associations of close relationship quality with cardiovascular disease. Two models describe oxytocin as another mechanism. The “calm and connect” model posits an association between positive relationship experiences and oxytocin levels and responses, whereas the “tend and befriend” model emphasizes the effects of negative relationship experiences in evoking oxytocin release. In this study of 180 younger couples, relationship quality had a small, marginally significant inverse association with plasma oxytocin levels, and neither positive nor negative couple interactions evoked change in plasma oxytocin. Negative couple interactions evoked significant cardiovascular reactivity, especially among women. Hence, in the largest study of these issues to date, there was little support for key tenets of the “calm and connect” model, and only very modest support for the ”tend and befriend” model. However, findings were consistent with the view that CVR contributes to the effects of relationship difficulties on health

Physiological Correlates of Volunteering

We review research on physiological correlates of volunteering, a neglected but promising research field. Some of these correlates seem to be causal factors influencing volunteering. Volunteers tend to have better physical health, both self-reported and expert-assessed, better mental health, and perform better on cognitive tasks. Research thus far has rarely examined neurological, neurochemical, hormonal, and genetic correlates of volunteering to any significant extent, especially controlling for other factors as potential confounds. Evolutionary theory and behavioral genetic research suggest the importance of such physiological factors in humans. Basically, many aspects of social relationships and social activities have effects on health (e.g., Newman and Roberts 2013; Uchino 2004), as the widely used biopsychosocial (BPS) model suggests (Institute of Medicine 2001). Studies of formal volunteering (FV), charitable giving, and altruistic behavior suggest that physiological characteristics are related to volunteering, including specific genes (such as oxytocin receptor [OXTR] genes, Arginine vasopressin receptor [AVPR] genes, dopamine D4 receptor [DRD4] genes, and 5-HTTLPR). We recommend that future research on physiological factors be extended to non-Western populations, focusing specifically on volunteering, and differentiating between different forms and types of volunteering and civic participation

Emotions in Social Relationships and Their Implications for Health and Disease: Introduction to the Special Issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.

Social relationships and emotions are important to health and disease, but research in this area has largely progressed along parallel and distinct historical paths. These areas are critically linked because relationships are among the most powerful elicitors of health-relevant emotions and emotions can in turn influence relationships for better or worse. Conceptually, relationships and emotions can have mediational, reciprocal, and interactive influences on health outcomes, associations that seem dependent on the broader sociocultural context. The articles in this issue of Psychosomatic Medicine are based on a joint meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society and the Society for Affective Science titled "Emotions in social relationships: implications for health and disease." Recent research and conceptual models that fall at the interface of relationships, emotions, and health are highlighted in this special issue. Future work that capitalizes on these links will be critical if this area is to fulfill its potential in terms of new scientific insights and intervention opportunities

Emotions in Social Relationships and Their Implications for Health and Disease: Introduction to the Special Issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.

Social relationships and emotions are important to health and disease, but research in this area has largely progressed along parallel and distinct historical paths. These areas are critically linked because relationships are among the most powerful elicitors of health-relevant emotions and emotions can in turn influence relationships for better or worse. Conceptually, relationships and emotions can have mediational, reciprocal, and interactive influences on health outcomes, associations that seem dependent on the broader sociocultural context. The articles in this issue of Psychosomatic Medicine are based on a joint meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society and the Society for Affective Science titled "Emotions in social relationships: implications for health and disease." Recent research and conceptual models that fall at the interface of relationships, emotions, and health are highlighted in this special issue. Future work that capitalizes on these links will be critical if this area is to fulfill its potential in terms of new scientific insights and intervention opportunities