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Support‐seeking, support‐provision and support‐perception in distressed married couples: a multi‐method analysis
Author(s) -
Verhofstadt Lesley LL,
Lemmens Gilbert MD,
Buysse Ann
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-6427
pISSN - 0163-4445
DOI - 10.1111/1467-6427.12001
Subject(s) - psychology , emotional support , social support , observational study , perception , family support , distress , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , social psychology , medicine , pathology , neuroscience , physical therapy
An emerging consensus argues for the importance of spousal support in our understanding of how relationships succeed or fail. This report covers two studies that examined support seeking, support provision and support perception in distressed married couples. In S tudy 1 a total of seventy distressed and seventy non‐distressed couples participated in a survey study; in S tudy 2 twenty distressed and twenty non‐distressed couples participated in an observational study. Global self‐reports were used in both studies to assess spouses’ support behaviour and perceived support. These measures were supplemented in S tudy 2 with measures of observed support behaviour and interaction‐based perceived support as assessed during specific support interactions. Our self‐report and observational measures consistently indicated that distressed marital couples display lower levels of positive support‐seeking and emotional or instrumental support provision than non‐distressed couples. We also found evidence for higher levels of negative support‐seeking and provision behaviour in distressed couples, as compared to non‐distressed couples. Distressed spouses also reported lower levels of global and interaction‐based perceived support than non‐distressed spouses. Practitioner points Assess and evaluate the different support behaviour in couples Explain the interactional support behaviour cycle Increase support skills within the couple Detect and block negative support behaviour