Active Engagement, Protective Buffering, and Overprotection: Three Ways of Giving Support by Intimate Partners of Patients with Cancer

In the present study, possible departments and effects of three different styles of giving support by healthy partners of patients with cancer were examined. Both partners' and patients' perceptions regarding these ways of providing support by healthy partners were studed. A survey was conducted among 106 patients with cancer and their intimate partners. Both healthy partners' evaluation of the patient's copying and their self effency in providing support was related to the ways in which support was provided by partners. Partners who thought the patient was copying better sith the cancer showed more active engagement and less over-protection Partners high in self-efficacy showed more active engagement, where as partners' who lacked this self-efficacy show more protective buffering. Further more, the way in which support was given was related to partners' well-being, and relationship satisfaction. Patients' with cancer reported more distress and less felings of control when their partners where move over protective. Moreover patients' evaluated the relationship with their partner more positively when thir partners where more actively engaged. In turn, patients' distress was positively related to the extend to which parters' said they show acgive engagement.