- Patients and caregivers reported generally non-distressed relationships, but patients rated relationship quality higher and both experienced significant declines over eight weeks.
- Greater caregiver burden at baseline was associated with poorer relationship quality for patients and caregivers; increases in burden predicted worse caregiver relationship scores.
- Better patient cognitive function at baseline and improvements over time predicted higher patient relationship satisfaction; baseline ratings predicted their own eight-week scores.
Psychooncology. 2026 Oct;35(10):e70634. doi: 10.1002/pon.70634.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Prior work has identified the protective effects of relationship quality on cancer outcomes. However, less work has focused on how the cancer experience can change relationship quality.
AIMS: To describe neuro-oncology patient-caregiver relationship quality over time and identify the impact of caregiver burden and patient physical and cognitive function on perceptions of relationship quality.
METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data obtained at enrollment and 8 weeks. Actor-partner interdependence models of patient and caregiver ratings of their relationship to each other (Couples Satisfaction Index) over time also included baseline measures of patient cognitive and physical function (Neuro-QOL), caregiver burden (Zarit), and change in these measures.
RESULTS: Data from 124 neuro-oncology patient-caregiver dyads were analyzed. Relationship quality at both time points, on average, indicated non-distressed relationships, but patients rated relationship quality significantly better than caregivers. Both rated relationship quality significantly worse over time (p values < 0.022). At baseline, caregiver burden was significantly negatively associated with patient (p = 0.014) and caregiver relationship quality (p < 0.001). Patient and caregiver baseline relationship quality predicted their own 8-week scores (actor effect; p values < 0.001). Baseline patient cognitive function (p = 0.011) and change in patient cognitive function (p = 0.039) were positively associated with 8-week patient relationship quality. Change in caregiver burden was negatively associated with 8-week caregiver relationship quality (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Prior research has largely focused on relationship quality as a resource, but factors associated with the cancer experience may impact perceptions of relationship quality. Lowering caregiver burden may be beneficial to preserving this important coping resource.
PMID:42893543 | DOI:10.1002/pon.70634
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