Analysis of the actor-partner interdependence mediation model for self-disclosure between social support and benefit finding among stroke patients and their caregivers.

OBJECTIVE

Stroke is an acute, sudden-onset condition that constitutes an acute stressful event for both patients and caregivers, exerting a significant psychological impact. Based on the actor-partner interdependence mediating model, this study examines the influence of social support on benefit finding among stroke patients and their caregivers and investigates whether self-disclosure mediates this relationship.

METHODS

This study is a cross-sectional study. Using convenience sampling, 278 pairs of stroke patients and their caregivers were selected from a Grade III Level A hospital in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, China, as the study subjects. The assessment tools included a general information questionnaire, the Social Support Rating Scale, the Distress Disclosure Index, and the Benefit Finding Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 27.0 and Mplus 8.3 software, and a 95% confidence interval for the indirect path was estimated using bootstrap resampling with 5,000 repetitions to correct for bias.

RESULTS

Regarding actor effects, the indirect paths from patients' and caregivers' own social support to benefit finding via self-disclosure were both statistically significant (β = 0.106, 95% CI = 0.055-0.156; β = 0.072, 95% CI = 0.029-0.115) Regarding the partner effect, the indirect path from the caregivers' social support to the patients' benefit finding via the patients' self-disclosure was statistically significant (β = 0.058, 95% CI = 0.015-0.102).

CONCLUSION

The results indicate an actor-partner interdependence mediating effect among social support, self-disclosure, and benefit finding among stroke patients and their caregivers. This provides support for enhancing benefit finding among stroke patients and their caregivers; healthcare professionals can facilitate this by expanding the social support networks of patients and caregivers and encouraging them to express their inner thoughts, thereby enhancing benefit finding during the course of treatment.