Relationship Satisfaction and Emotional Language in Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer Disease Patients and Spousal Caregivers

• DOI: 10.1097/wad.0b013e3181bd66a3
• Publication Date: 2010-02-25T06:21:11Z
• Authors: Elizabeth A. Ascher; Virginia E. Sturm; Benjamin H. Seider; Sarah R. Holley; Bruce L. Miller; Robert W. Levenson
• Keywords: Marital status

We studied the impact of 2 types dementia on marital satisfaction and emotional language that spouses use during conflictive interactions. Fifteen frontotemporal (FTD) 16 Alzheimer disease (AD) patient-caregiver couples, 21 control discussed a relationship problem in laboratory setting. Marital was assessed through questionnaire, emotion quantified using text analysis. FTD couples reported lower than AD couples. During interactions, caregivers used significantly more negative words their patient (no spousal differences were found couples). also controls. interpret these findings as reflecting challenges behavioral changes create for maintaining healthy bond.