Emotional intelligence and coping strategies as determinants of quality of life in depressed patient-caregiver dyads: An actor-partner interdependence analysis

Objective: Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and their natural caregivers experience major lifestyle difficulties. Little is known concerning dyadic (i.e., patient and natural caregiver) characteristics' impact on quality of life. In a sample of depressed patient-caregiver dyads, we examined quality of life (QoL) levels compared with the general population and whether QoL is influenced by emotional intelligence (EI) and coping strategies using the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM).

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 79 patient-caregiver dyads. The self-reported data, completed by patients and their primary caregivers, included QoL (SF-36), EI (TEIQue-SF) and coping strategies (BriefCope). The QoL of patients and caregivers was compared with 158 French age-sex-matched healthy controls. The dyadic interactions were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Results: Patients and their caregivers experienced lower QoL levels than French age-sex-matched controls. The EI findings showed actor (degree to which the person's EI was associated with his/her own QoL) and partner (degree to which the person's EI was associated with QoL of the other member of the dyad) effects for patients and caregivers. The coping strategies (i.e., problem solving, positive thinking, avoidance and social support) revealed only actor effects.

Conclusion: QoL is seriously impaired in depressed patients and their primary caregivers and is associated with EI and coping strategies. Targeted interventions focusing on EI and coping strategies could be offered to improve QoL in dyads.