Sickle Cell Disease and Young Couples: Understanding the Influence of Shared and Individual Meaning on Couples’ Experience of Illness

Abstract This study explored the experiences of young adult couples navigating sickle cell disease (SCD), focusing on the shared and individual perspectives that inform their collective navigation of the illness. Using a systemic lens, the research addressed a critical gap in understanding how this chronic condition shapes relationship dynamics. Advances in SCD treatment have increased life expectancy, allowing more patients to transition into young adulthood and form intimate relationships. Despite this, systemic support for these couples remains sparse. As partners navigate shared coping, there is an urgent need for interdisciplinary care that integrates Medical Family Therapy (MedFT) with biomedical treatment to address the psychosocial complexities of the disease. Using a transcendental-phenomenological approach, researchers conducted individual interviews with both partners from nine couples ( N = 18). Data were analyzed dyadically to capture how individual perceptions and shared relational realities converge to influence adaptation. Six core themes were identified, indicating that effective adaptation and relational stability are fostered by couples’ ability to recognize the individual and shared experiences of living with a chronic illness. This research provides a foundation for medical family therapists to develop approaches that enhance psychosocial outcomes for young adult couples with SCD.