Coping and the response of others

This cross-sectional study examined spouse responses to partners' coping among 84 parents (29 couples and 26 individuals) of children with disabilities. Participants completed questionnaires regarding coping with caregiving and psychological distress. Further, participants completed a Response of Others Scale in which they rated spouses' responses to their coping as positive, negative, or neutral. Findings from multilevel modeling suggested that positive responses to coping amplified the benefits of relationship-focused coping, and attenuated the negative effects of maladaptive coping strategies on distress. Cognitive restructuring was associated with lower levels of distress in the context of positive responses, but with greater distress in the context of negative responses. Findings suggest the utility of assessing the response of others in coping research.