Table 3.

Parameter Estimates

The Paths		Estimate	95% CI		p
			Lower	Upper
Actor Effects
Patient	Appraisal -> Dyadic Communication	.18	−.02	.37	.060
	Appraisal -> QOL	.34	.21	.45	<.001
	Dyadic Communication -> QOL	.27	.12	.47	.004
Spouse	Appraisal -> Dyadic Communication	.21	−.02	.40	.049
	Appraisal -> QOL	.38	.19	.62	<.001
	Dyadic Communication -> QOL	.43	.20	.61	<.001
Partner Effects
	Patient Appraisal -> Spouse Dyadic Communication	.02	−.18	.18	.832
	Patient Appraisal -> Spouse QOL	.11	−.04	.29	.212
	Patient Dyadic Communication -> Spouse QOL	−.18	−.37	−.02	.050
	Spouse Appraisal -> Patient Dyadic Communication	.11	−.14	.33	.363
	Spouse Appraisal -> Patient QOL	−.01	−.13	.12	.838
	Spouse Dyadic Communication -> Patient QOL	.04	−.12	.18	.576

Mediation Testing
	Relationships	Estimate	95% CI		Percent of Total Effect
			Lower	Upper
Actor Effects
Patient	Total effect (Direct + Indirect)	.39	.26	.52
	Direct effect: Appraisal → QOL	.34	.21	.45	87.0%**
	Indirect effects (Mediation)	.05	.001	.14	Na [2]
	Patient appraisal → Patient communication → Patient QOL
	Patient appraisal → Spouse communication→ Patient QOL
Spouse	Total effect	.45	.26	.71
	Direct effect: Appraisal → QOL	.38	.19	.62	84%**
	Indirect effects (Mediation)	.07	−.01	.18	16% [1]
	Spouse appraisal → Patient communication → Spouse QOL
	Spouse appraisal → Spouse communication → Spouse QOL
Partner Effects
Patient	Total effect	.09	−.08	.28
	Direct effect: Appraisal → Spouse QOL	.11	−.04	.29	Na[2]
	Indirect effects (Mediation)	−.03	−.13	.04
	Patient appraisal → Patient communication → Spouse QOL
	Patient appraisal → Spouse communication → Spouse QOL
Spouse	Total effect	.02	−.11	.16
	Direct effect: Appraisal → Patient QOL	−.01	−.13	.12	Na[2]
	Indirect effects (Mediation)	.04	−.03	.14
	Spouse appraisal → Patient communication → Patient QOL
	Spouse appraisal → Spouse communication → Patient QOL

Note:

^*p<.05;

^**p<.01.

^[1]This mediation effect was not significant at 95% CI [−0.009, .211] and marginally significant at the 90% CI [0.008; 0.185].

^[2]Criteria for mediation testing were not met in these relationships, and thus, mediation effects were not tested.