Examining the Effects of Family Relationships on Mental and Physical Health

Family and romantic relationships have been linked to both mental and physical health outcomes. Previous research has lacked attention on precise pathways by which these associations occur and continue to use predominately White, middle-class, nuclear families as the basis of study. The Biobehavioral Family Model (BBFM) is a biopsychosocial approach to health that integrates family emotional climate, biobehavioral reactivity (emotion dysregulation), and physical health outcomes into a comprehensive model. The present study was conducted to examine the ability of the BBFM to explain connections between family processes and health for primarily uninsured, low-income adult primary care patients. Patient participants (ages 18-65 years) self-reported their family functioning, romantic relationship satisfaction, anxiety, depression, alcohol use, illness symptoms, and physical well-being (n = 125). Data were also collected from patient medical charts. Separate models using family functioning (Model 1) and romantic relationship satisfaction (Model 2) as measures of family emotional climate were tested using path analyses and bootstrapping. Results demonstrated support for the BBFM in explaining health quality for this sample. Applying the BBFM to diverse primary care patients demonstrates pathways by which family processes affect the mental and physical health of these individuals. Recommendations for future research and clinical implications are discussed.