The development of a situation-specific theory of dynamic interactions for multimorbid dyads in Chinese family culture

Objectives: To develop a situation-specific theory of dynamic interactions for multimorbid dyads within the context of Chinese family culture and to propose intervention strategies based on the developed theory. Methods: A four-step integrative approach was used, drawing from multiple sources, including a scoping review, existing theory analysis, and qualitative research. Results: The theory developed in this study comprises four components: risk and protective factor assessment, dyadic appraisal and coping, dyadic care outcomes, and the influence of context and time. Three intervention strategies were proposed based on the developed theory： assess the discrepancies of dyadic appraisal, tailor interventions based on coping patterns, consider the dynamic interactions for the multimorbid dyads. Conclusions: This study presents a situation-specific theory to elucidate the dynamic interactions of multimorbid dyads, grounded in Chinese family culture. Future research should validate and refine this theory while exploring its applicability to diverse populations and cultural contexts.