Christine Marie Lehane forsvarer sin ph.d.-afhandling ved Institut for Psykologi

Kandidat
Christine Marie Lehane

Titel
“Dyadic Adjustment to Sensory Loss: An investigation of couples’ mental health, support and coping mechanisms when living with hearing, vision or dual-sensory loss”. Afhandlingen fremlægges til gennemsyn på Det Samfundsvidenskabelige Fakultetsbibliotek, Gothersgade 140, 1353 København K.

Tid og sted
Mandag den 18. december 2017 kl. 10:00. Københavns Universitet, Center for Sundhed og Samfund, Institut for Psykologi, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1353 København K, lokale 2.0.63. Af hensyn til kandidaten lukkes dørene præcis.

Bedømmelsesudvalg

• Professor MSO Ingo Zettler, Institut for Psykologi, Københavns Universitet (formand)
• Professor Guy Bodenmann, Psychologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Schweiz
• Lektor Tea Trillingsgaard, Psykologisk Institut, Aarhus Universitet

Resumé
Accumulating evidence indicates that adults with sensory loss (hearing-, vision-, or dual-sensory loss) and their spouses are at risk for psychosocial difficulties such as reduced social participation, isolation, marital conflict, depression, and anxiety. However, despite increasing recognition that sensory loss poses a risk for couples’ relational and psychological well-being, information on how to support couples coping with sensory loss is scarce. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the psychological and relational well-being of couples living with sensory loss and to identify potential protective and risk factors for each partner’s adjustment. Incorporating the findings of four studies—(I) an integrative review, (II) a cross-sectional survey study, (III) a case-controlled survey study, and (IV) an online longitudinal survey study, a number of relational and non-relational factors were found to be of importance. Specifically, couples communication styles, perceived support, sexual intimacy, acceptance of the sensory loss, perceived partner acceptance of the sensory loss, use of assistive devices, and coping styles were associated with couples’ well-being. Overall, the findings of this thesis lend support to the suggestion that sensory loss is a dyadic experience and indicate the need to include both partners in research and rehabilitation services.