The current study examined the effect of social support behaviors on psychological adjustment in couples. Couples (N = 123) completed surveys assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms. Observational support interactions were conducted to measure partners’ positive and negative affective support behaviors. Structural equation modeling and actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) were used to estimate effects. Results highlight the unfavorable effects of negative social support behaviors on one’s own depression symptoms. Additionally, men’s, but not women’s, negative support behaviors were found to be associated with elevated partner depression symptoms. No significant predictors were found in models predicting anxiety. The combination of partners’ support behaviors was not predictive of depression or anxiety symptoms in men or women. Future research should continue to examine the complex relationship between social support and psychological adjustment.
","abstract_html":"<p>The current study examined the effect of social support behaviors on psychological adjustment in couples. Couples (<em>N</em> = 123) completed surveys assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms. Observational support interactions were conducted to measure partners’ positive and negative affective support behaviors. Structural equation modeling and actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) were used to estimate effects. Results highlight the unfavorable effects of negative social support behaviors on one’s own depression symptoms. Additionally, men’s, but not women’s, negative support behaviors were found to be associated with elevated partner depression symptoms. No significant predictors were found in models predicting anxiety. The combination of partners’ support behaviors was not predictive of depression or anxiety symptoms in men or women. Future research should continue to examine the complex relationship between social support and psychological adjustment.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Parnell, Lucas H."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Chong Man Chow, Ph.D.","Rusty McIntyre, Ph.D.","Stephen Jefferson, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2023,"date_issued":"2023-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2023-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:47Z","subjects":["anxiety;couples;depression;dyadic data;social support","Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1201","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Chong Man Chow, Ph.D.","Rusty McIntyre, Ph.D.","Stephen Jefferson, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Parnell, Lucas H."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-11-07T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["anxiety;couples;depression;dyadic data;social support","Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1201"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The current study examined the effect of social support behaviors on psychological adjustment in couples. Couples (N = 123) completed surveys assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms. Observational support interactions were conducted to measure partners’ positive and negative affective support behaviors. Structural equation modeling and actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) were used to estimate effects. Results highlight the unfavorable effects of negative social support behaviors on one’s own depression symptoms. Additionally, men’s, but not women’s, negative support behaviors were found to be associated with elevated partner depression symptoms. No significant predictors were found in models predicting anxiety. The combination of partners’ support behaviors was not predictive of depression or anxiety symptoms in men or women. Future research should continue to examine the complex relationship between social support and psychological adjustment.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Dyadic analysis of positive and negative social support behaviors and psychological outcomes in romantic couples"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Chong Man Chow, Ph.D.","Rusty McIntyre, Ph.D.","Stephen Jefferson, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Parnell, Lucas H."],"dc:date.available":["2023-11-07T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The current study examined the effect of social support behaviors on psychological adjustment in couples. Couples (N = 123) completed surveys assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms. Observational support interactions were conducted to measure partners’ positive and negative affective support behaviors. Structural equation modeling and actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) were used to estimate effects. Results highlight the unfavorable effects of negative social support behaviors on one’s own depression symptoms. Additionally, men’s, but not women’s, negative support behaviors were found to be associated with elevated partner depression symptoms. No significant predictors were found in models predicting anxiety. The combination of partners’ support behaviors was not predictive of depression or anxiety symptoms in men or women. Future research should continue to examine the complex relationship between social support and psychological adjustment.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1201"],"dc:subject":["anxiety;couples;depression;dyadic data;social support","Psychology"],"dc:title":["Dyadic analysis of positive and negative social support behaviors and psychological outcomes in romantic couples"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:47Z"}