Intrusive thoughts and psychological distress among cancer patients: The role of spouse avoidance and criticism

This study examined whether perceived spouse criticism and avoidance impacted cognitive processing in 129 cancer patients. It was hypothesized that intrusive thoughts would be associated with an increase in psychological distress among patients who felt their spouses were critical or avoiding them and that intrusive thoughts would not be positively associated with distress among patients who did not feel their spouses were critical or avoidant. The impact of spouse criticism was predicted to be stronger than the impact of spouse avoidance. A moderating effect for spouse criticism on the association between early intrusive thoughts and later distress was present. Spouse avoidance did not have a significant moderating effect on the relation between intrusive thoughts and later distress. Results suggest spouse criticism and avoidance may have differential effects on the cognitive processing of cancer.