Over the past several decades, an increase in mortality rates due to congestive heart failure has been observed. Although previous research highlights the importance of both supportive relationships and depressive symptoms in predicting a variety of physical health outcomes in this population, less is understood about how these variables relate to one another. Therefore, the purpose of this book is to provide an examination of this question. Results of the current work suggest that depressive symptoms are a pathway through which supportive relationships may influence physical functioning. This study adds to the growing body of research that has started examining the mechanisms through which supportive relationships influence physical health and should be especially useful to individuals in the fields of cardiovascular behavioral medicine and social-health psychology.
