Social Support and Caregiving Processes in Close Relationships

University Of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA

Investigators

Abstract

When people are faced with stressful or threatening events, they often turn to close others for comfort, assistance, and support. A large body of research indicates that receiving social support, or feeling confident that it will be available when needed, helps people to cope more effectively with stressful life events and has long-term benefits for health and psychological well-being. However, although the links between social support and important personal outcomes are now well-documented, researchers know surprisingly little about the specific ways in which social support processes are carried out in close relationships, or about the role that social support plays in the development and maintenance of those relationships. The primary goal of this research is to address this critical gap in the literature by studying social support as an interpersonal process within adult intimate relationships. To accomplish this goal, a series of laboratory studies will examine how partners behave when one member of the couple is undergoing a stressful laboratory experience. Using a variety of research methods, the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses of both members of the couple will be examined under a number of different laboratory conditions. In doing so, this research will explore a variety of factors that may explain why some people are more effective support-seekers and more responsive support-providers. These factors include personality factors (e.g., attachment style, communal orientation), relationship characteristics (e.g., closeness, commitment), and situational variables (e.g., feelings of empathy, perceptions of partner need). Finally, the links between supportive social interactions (as observed in the laboratory) and personal well-being (e.g., depression, health symptoms) and relationship functioning (e.g., satisfaction, trust) will be examined over time. The broad goals of this research are to gain a better understanding of the processes underlying effective support-seeking and care-giving behavior in close relationships, and to develop a more comprehensive theoretical model to explain these processes. By understanding the specific factors that enhance or inhibit effective social support processes, we will have a better set of tools for identifying individuals (and couples) who are at risk for poor outcomes, and a stronger theoretical and empirical basis for developing interventions aimed at improving care giving processes in couples, and thereby promoting health and well-being.