Relationship Quality, Motivation and Health Behaviors Among Patients with Heart Disease

Stephanie Susinski

University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Canada

Biography :

Stephanie Susinski, is a clinical research coordinator in Dr. Heath­er Tulloch’s Cardiovascular Health Psychology lab at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and incom­ing graduate student in psycholo­gy. She coordinates a randomized controlled trial, Healing Hearts To­gether, evaluating a couples-based intervention to improve relation­ship quality and cardiac health outcomes. She has presented at behavioral medicine conferences covering topics on mental health in­terventions and neuropsychological outcomes following cardiac events. Stephanie authored a scoping re­view on psychological interventions for women with cardiac disease and led a meta-analysis on mental health interventions for this popula­tion.

Abstract :

Background: Cardiac disease is the leading cause of global mortality. Social relationships may engender self-determined motivation for risk-reducing behaviors. The present study examines the association between couple relationship quality and cardiac health behaviors, and if it is mediated by motivation.

Methods: Participants completed validated questionnaires on motivation and health behaviors, including fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol use, and physical activity (Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire). Relationship quality (RQ) was assessed using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Global motivation (adapted GMS-28) was calculated using the Relative Autonomy Index. PROCESS macro in SPSS was used to examine whether motivation mediated the association between relationship quality and health behaviors.

Results: A total of 263 patients (77% male; Mean age = 63 years; 91% White) participated; 75% were in satisfying relationships. Alcohol consumption was the only health behavior in which a direct effect of RQ was present. Higher RQ was associated with increased alcohol intake (b = .0457, p = .0366) albeit with low levels of consumption (M=3.4 drinks/week); motivation did not mediate this relationship. Motivation mediated small but significant indirect effects of RQ on fruit and vegetable intake (b = .0025, 95% BCa CI [.0003, .0056]; M=2.8 servings/day) and MVPA (b = .3282, 95% BCa CI [.0105, .8427]; M=198 minutes/week).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that RQ is related to alcohol consumption, while motivation may foster exercise and healthy eating. Future research with a diverse sample (e.g., ethnicity, relationship distress) is required to validate these findings.