Your Spouse's Personality Can Help or Hinder Your Recovery from a Serious Illness

DENVER - June 30, 2013 - PRLog -- A recent study by a team of researchers led by John M. Ruiz, an assistant professor of psychology at Washington State University, found that the personality of one’s spouse influences recovery from bypass surgery. The results were published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

The study included coronary artery bypass patients and their spouses and assessed aspects of personality, depression, and marital satisfaction.

The main result was that a patient married to a generally neurotic or anxious spouse was more likely to report symptoms of depression 18 months after surgery.. "We've known for some time that a patient's personality and mood before surgery influence their own mental and physical recovery following surgery," Ruiz said. "We also know that a partner's personality and mood can affect us in the short term. What this work shows is that a partner's personality traits are also important determinants of our own long-term emotional and physical recovery from a major health challenge.

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