Influencing factors and pathways of benefit finding in young and middle-aged patients with first-episode acute myocardial infarction and their spouses: a path analysis

BackgroundYoung and middle-aged patients with first-episode acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and their spousal face significant psychological challenges, yet existing research often overlooks their dyadic interdependence in the process of benefit finding.AimTo investigate the levels of benefit finding in young and middle-aged patients with first-episode acute myocardial infarction and their spouses, to identify the influencing factors, and to analyze the pathways among these factors.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 212 dyads of young and middle-aged patients with first-episode acute myocardial infarction and their spouses. Data were collected using a set of validated scales to measure benefit finding, psychological resilience, coping styles, and family function. Data analyses encompassed descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and path analysis via the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to examine the actor and partner effects within the dyads.ResultsBenefit finding scores were (64.77 ± 13.05) for patients and (65.65 ± 12.87) for spouses. Multiple regression revealed that patients’ benefit finding was significantly associated with their own education, comorbidities, number of stents, resilience, positive coping, and their spouse’s resilience. For spouses, their benefit finding was associated with their own education, age, resilience, family function, as well as the patient’s age and comorbidities (all p < 0.05). The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) further showed significant actor effects: both patients’ and spouses’ resilience and positive coping positively predicted their own benefit finding. Moreover, spouse’s family function exhibited a significant actor effect on their own benefit finding. Regarding partner effects, both patients’ and spouses’ resilience positively predicted each other’s benefit finding.ConclusionBenefit finding in both patients and spouses is moderate-low and influenced by multiple individual and dyadic factors. Interventions should target resilience, coping strategies, and family function from a dyadic perspective to enhance benefit finding.