One Meaning for Two Persons: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model Analysis of Meaning in Life, Anxiety, and Depression Among Rehabilitation Patients and Caregivers

Objective Patients and caregivers in the inpatient physical rehabilitation setting are presented with life-changing medical conditions, and their meaning in life can change dramatically. Meaning in life is associated with fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms, but little is known about how they are related interdependently among patients and caregivers. In the current study, we aim to explore their dyadic relationships. Design Actor-partner interdependence model through structural equation modeling for dyadic analyses. Setting and Participants A total of 160 pairs of patients and caregivers recruited from 6 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals in China. Methods Cross-sectional surveys were conducted among pairs of rehabilitation patients and caregivers. The presence of and search for meaning were measured with the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. Results In 2 separate models, we found that patients' presence of meaning was negatively associated with their own depression (β = −0.61, P < .001) and anxiety (β = −0.55, P < .001), as well as their caregivers' depression (β = −0.32, P < .001) and anxiety (β = −0.31, P < .001). However, the caregivers’ presence of meaning was only negatively associated with their own depression (β = −0.25, P < .05) and anxiety (β = −0.21, P < .05). A search for meaning was not significantly associated with depression or anxiety. Conclusions and Implications The results indicate that the anxiety and depressive symptoms of rehabilitation inpatients and caregivers are associated with their own level of presence of meaning. Caregivers' depression and anxiety are interdependently associated with patients' presence of meaning. Clinicians should take dyadic interdependence into consideration when providing psychological services to rehabilitate patients and their caregivers. Meaning-centered interventions can be helpful for the dyads’ meaning-making and mental health.