Validating Communication in Couples’ Experience of Chronic Illness: Associations with Relational and Health Circumstances and Overarching Relational Perceptions

Validating communication is a relational variable tied to physical functioning and emotional well-being and helps couples navigate the stress of chronic illness. In this study, we evaluated relational uncertainty, illness severity, and depressive symptoms as correlates of validating communication, and then considered associations between validating communication and both resilience and relational load. A cross-sectional study of romantic dyads coping with one or more chronic illnesses revealed support for hypothesized associations, illustrating associations among relational perceptions, illness characteristics, mental health, communication, and global relationship qualities.