The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the relationship between couples‟ communication, marital satisfaction, and involvement in a support group for couples where one partner has a genetic mutation that places him/her at a significant risk for developing cancer. Researchers have investigated marital satisfaction in couples with illness, the role of support groups for couples with illness, and communication about illness. Research looking at genetic risk for illness, however, is limited, especially as it relates to couples‟ relationships.
Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in women and ovarian cancer is the fifth most diagnosed cancer in women. About 10% of breast cancers and about 10% of ovarian cancers are related to a deleterious mutation, referred to as BRCA (Breast Cancer), that can be detected through a blood test. There are many decisions facing individuals and families in dealing with this BRCA mutation, and this stress can cause a great deal of strain on the couple relationship. Support groups are available to help wade through the vast amount of information. However, the role of these support groups on relationship satisfaction has not been studied.
A correlational research design examined data from 62 couples who were recruited through a support group called FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered). The couples recruited for the study required that at least one partner be diagnosed with the BRCA mutation. The couples were in a marital or co-habitating relationship. The couples were asked to complete a standardized instrument, the Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised, to examine issues impacting their relationship satisfaction. They also completed a demographic questionnaire that included several Likert scale questions regarding support for their BRCA status and involvement in a support group.
John Rolland‟s Family Systems-Illness Model (1994) was the lens used in examining the data reported by the participants. The results from this study may provide some information about issues couples with a genetic risk for disease may be facing, how support groups impact coping with this genetic knowledge, and how communication patterns are impacted for these couples. The present study looked at the relationship of the level of involvement in a support group on communication patterns and marital satisfaction in couples where one partner has the BRCA mutation