A Contemporaneous and Longitudinal Network Analysis of Fear of Disease Progression and Dyadic Self-Care in Stroke Patients and Their Spouses.

Patients' self-care behavior and spousal contribution to self-care showed a positive association in contemporaneous networks at the dimensional level.

• 369 stroke patient-spouse dyads completed two rounds of surveys between August 2024 and May 2025
• Contemporaneous network analysis was used to examine interactions between fear of disease progression and dyadic self-care variables
• The positive association was identified at the dimensional level in the contemporaneous network
• Instruments used included the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory and the Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care Chronic Illness Inventory

Patients' fear of disease progression and spouses' fear of disease progression showed a positive association with each other in contemporaneous networks at the dimensional level.

• The association was identified in contemporaneous network analysis
• Fear of disease progression was measured using the Fear of Progression Questionnaire Short Form for patients and the Fear of Progression Questionnaire Short Form/Partner for spouses
• The mutual fear of disease progression between patients and spouses was confirmed as a dyadic phenomenon
• Data were collected from 369 stroke patient-spouse dyads

Spouses' fear of disease progression was negatively correlated with their contribution to self-care at the dimensional level in contemporaneous networks.

• This negative association was identified in the contemporaneous network analysis
• The finding suggests that higher spousal fear of disease progression is associated with lower caregiver contribution to self-care
• The Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care Chronic Illness Inventory was used to measure spousal contribution
• The sample consisted of 369 stroke patient-spouse dyads

Cross-lagged network analysis confirmed bidirectional predictions between patients' fear of disease progression and their self-care over time.

• Bidirectional temporal prediction was established using cross-lagged panel network analysis
• Two rounds of surveys were completed by 369 stroke patient-spouse dyads
• The longitudinal design allowed for temporal directionality to be assessed between fear of disease progression and self-care in patients
• The General Demographic Questionnaire, Fear of Progression Questionnaire Short Form, and Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory were used

Cross-lagged network analysis confirmed bidirectional predictions between spouses' fear of disease progression and their contribution to self-care over time.

• Bidirectional temporal relationships were confirmed between spousal fear and caregiver contribution to self-care
• The cross-lagged network method was used to capture temporal dynamics across two survey waves
• Data were collected from 369 patient-spouse dyads over a longitudinal period from August 2024 to May 2025
• Instruments included the Fear of Progression Questionnaire Short Form/Partner and the Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care Chronic Illness Inventory

Patients' fear of disease progression and self-care dimensions predicted corresponding dimensions in spouses over time.

• Cross-lagged network analysis revealed inter-dyadic temporal predictions from patient variables to spouse variables
• Specific dimensions of patients' fear of disease progression predicted corresponding dimensions in spouses
• Specific dimensions of patients' self-care predicted corresponding dimensions in spouses' contribution to self-care
• This finding supports the characterization of stroke rehabilitation as a 'dynamic dyadic synergy'