Couples and Arthritis Studies

"Can We Talk?"

If you have a chronic disease, your conversations with your partner may be more important than you think. Shelley Kasle, Ph.D., research assistant professor at the Arizona Arthritis Center, investigates how relationships impact those with chronic diseases such as arthritis.

Dr. Kasle’s “Couples and Arthritis” study focuses on “mutuality” as a potential factor influencing the health of rheumatoid arthritis patients. The study defines mutuality as “reciprocated interest in sharing thoughts and feelings in a close relationship – truly wanting to know where each partner is coming from.” Dr. Kasle measures mutuality as participants’ ratings of how often they and their partners react with interest, empathy and openness when they talk about things that are important to them. Although interest, validation and empowerment are components of mutuality, Dr. Kasle notes that highly mutual couples are authentic with each other. “They can be themselves all the time and they can disagree without jeopardizing their closeness.” She adds, “Mutuality is not equivalent to love, since some couples might adore each other and still not converse in ways that fit this definition of mutuality.”

Dr. Kasle mails questionnaires to study participants at six-month intervals to assess mutuality and health outcomes such as pain, fatigue, depression, arthritis symptoms, physical function and flares. “Initial results suggest that more mutuality is associated with fewer concurrent symptoms of depression and anxiety, less physical disability, and less fatigue,” says Dr. Kasle, whose dissertation was based on data from the study. “In addition, mutuality appears to have a protective role for women RA patients. Women who reported higher levels of mutuality at baseline tended to report better health six months later, even after accounting for initial levels of health.”

With these preliminary findings suggesting a link between how partners relate to each other and their health outcomes, the Arthritis Foundation recently awarded Dr. Kasle $50,000 annually for up to three years to investigate this link further in 140 women rheumatology patients. Other initial results suggest that mutuality may also be important for the health of men who have RA. Additional funding to expand the study to male RA patients is being sought through the National Institutes of Health.

These studies are expected to increase understanding of “active ingredients” in good relationships. This information can be used in the development of social support interventions to improve outcomes for people living with chronic disease.

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, click here.