Emotional approach coping and daily support behavior in romantic relationships

People differ in the degree to which they seek emotional support from romantic partners during times of stress. Moreover, receiving emotional support from partners is not always beneficial. Emotional approach coping (EAC)—the tendency to cope with stress by processing and expressing emotions—may play an important role in determining who seeks and who benefits from emotional support. This report used dyadic data from a two-week daily diary study ( N = 116 couples) to determine if those higher in EAC seek more emotional support, receive more emotional support, and perceive the support they receive from romantic partners as more effective than those lower in EAC. Further, we examined if these associations are stronger on days of above average perceived stress. Finally, we examined if participants higher in EAC, were more likely to benefit from receiving emotional support. Participants higher in EAC were more likely to seek emotional support from their partners. After adjusting for emotional support seeking, EAC was unrelated to receiving emotional support; however, participants higher in EAC rated the emotional support they received as more effective. Although participants reported greater individual well-being and higher relationship satisfaction on days they received emotional support from their partners, EAC did not moderate these associations. Taken together, these results suggest that people higher in EAC are more likely to experience benefits from receiving support because they seek more emotional support and report receiving more effective emotional support from their partners.

Intervention and Mediation Effects of Target Processes in a Community Oncology Clinic-Based Randomized Controlled Trial of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Objective: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a promising intervention for cancer survivors, but its mechanisms in real-world settings are not fully understood. This study examined ACT-specific and broader target processes as mediators in the Valued Living randomized controlled trial, which compared ACT and usual care for anxious cancer survivors in a real-world community oncology setting.Method: Two ACT-specific target processes (experiential avoidance and values-aligned behavior, each measured with two validated instruments) and two broader target processes (emotional approach coping and self-compassion) were analyzed at Pre- and Post-intervention as predictors and mediators of anxiety symptoms, cancer-related trauma symptoms, and fear of cancer recurrence in a causal steps framework (n = 117). Results: During the intervention, ACT participants improved significantly more than usual care participants on the broader target processes (ps <= .035) but not the ACT-specific target processes (ps >= .080). Cancer-related emotional approach coping mediated cancer-related trauma symptoms and fear of recurrence (ps .043-.044). Self-compassion mediated fear of recurrence (p = .045), and showed marginal patterns for trauma symptoms (p = .059) and anxiety symptoms (p = .084).Conclusion: ACT may work in real-world settings for cancer survivors by promoting self-compassion and coping through emotional processing and expression.

Metacognitive Beliefs, Positive States of Mind, and Emotional Approach Coping as the Predictors of Medical Compliance in Patients with Cancer

Background: Medical compliance plays an essential role in the control of cancer and psychological factors such as metacognitive beliefs, positive psychology, and coping styles which are among the predictors of medical compliance. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine how much metacognitive beliefs, positive states of mind, and emotional approach coping can predict medical compliance in patients with breast cancer. Methods: This was a descriptive correlational study. By available sampling method, 154 women with breast cancer who were medically treated and had inclusion criteria, responded to the Morisky Medication Adherence scale (MMAS), Metacognitive Beliefs questionnaire (MCBQ), Positive states of mind (PSOM) scale, and emotional approach coping (EAC) scale. Stepwise multiple regression analysis by SPSS statistics version 24 was applied for data analysis. Results: There was a significant correlation between positive states of mind and metacognitive beliefs and between emotional approach coping with medical compliance (P < 0.05). Positive states of mind and metacognitive beliefs were the best predictors of medical compliance (P < 0.001), while the emotional approach coping could not predict medical compliance. Results also showed that positive states of mind (β = 0. 51) have the greatest predictive power to medical compliance, and the variable of emotional approach coping is not effective in predicting. Conclusions: Research findings suggest that positive states of mind and orientation toward metacognitive beliefs can control anxiety among patients and predict medical compliance in patients with breast cancer but research about emotional approach coping needs to more investigation.