The association of social support and gender with life satisfaction, emotional symptoms and mental adjustment in patients following a first cardiac coronary event

Abstract

Abstract This study, carried out on 95 patients hospitalized because of their first cardiac coronary event, analysed the association of gender and perceived social support with life satisfaction and negative life events. More specific variables related to disease including adjustment to illness and anxiety and depression symptoms were also considered. Gender was expected to moderate the relationships between social support and the psychological variables studied. Main results showed several significant interactions between gender and social support. Men with high support reported less negative events compared with men with low support and with women with either low or high support. Women with high support used more positive adjustment compared with women with low support, whereas men did not change with social support, using always more adaptive strategies. In addition, regression analyses showed that life satisfaction was significantly predicted by social support in men. In women, this relationship was mediated by the adjustment strategies to disease. It is suggested that interventions that account for the relevance of gender and perceived support on life satisfaction, emotional distress and coping strategies following a recently diagnosed cardiac disease may facilitate adjustment and well‐being. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.