Abstract
We investigated associations between spouses' shared possible selves and well-being as a function of their perceptions of collaboration in 61 late-midlife (M = 60 years) and older (M = 72 years) couples dealing with prostate cancer. Spouses completed assessments of possible selves (with shared selves defined as possible selves portraying a similar goal across spouses), psychological well-being, and enjoyment and frequency of collaboration. Associations between shared selves and better well-being occurred through better enjoyment of collaboration regardless of age (after controlling for marital quality and subjective health). An interaction revealing that shared selves were associated with better well-being only with frequent collaboration was obtained with older couples but was not found in late-midlife couples.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 416-424 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences |
Volume | 65 B |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2010 |
Keywords
- Collaborative problem solving
- Late-midlife and older married couples
- Prostate cancer
- Psychological well-being
- Shared possible selves
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Gerontology
- Clinical Psychology
- Social Psychology
- General Medicine