Research demonstrates that social support received from partners is of critical importance for patients’ emotional well-being during all phases of the cancer experience. Indeed, existing data suggest that support provided by partners is unique and one of the most powerful psychological predictors of cancer patients’ well-being.  This course provides healthcare professionals with an empirical overview of the data on couples facing cancer, with a focus on relationship dynamics and communication strategies associated with individual- and couple-level psychosocial functioning. Further, the course reviews the empirical evidence for psychological and behavioral interventions to improve couple’s functioning and quality of life in the face of cancer. In addition, the course assists health care professionals to consider the impact of gender for cancer in the couple, as well as to provide ethical assessment and evaluation of couples where one individual has been diagnosed with cancer.

• Identify three kinds of communication patterns associated with negative psychological functioning in couples coping with cancer
• Describe three types of therapeutic interventions that benefit couples during cancer diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and re-entry
• Evaluate three gender differences and similarities in couples coping with cancer
• Articulate three ethical issues in working with couples with cancer