Discrepancies Between Husbands’ and Wives’ Emotional Support Provision Following a Miscarriage: Implications for Relational Satisfaction and Mental Health (Top Paper)

• In Event: Top Four Papers in Interpersonal Communication

Abstract

Based in equity and social support theorizing, the present study’s primary goal was to test the effects of the discrepancy between spouses’ provided and received emotional support on mental and relational health in the context of miscarriage. Actor-partner interdependence modeling (n = 183 married couples; N = 366) revealed that husbands’ perceptions of their wife’s emotional support predicted their own and their partner’s mental health. Further, wives’ perceptions of their husband’s emotional support positively predicted their own relational satisfaction, as well as their husband’s relational satisfaction. Analyses revealed that the spouses’ emotional support discrepancy positively moderated the relationship between wives’ perceptions of their husband’s emotional support and wives’ relational satisfaction. These findings demonstrate that, despite occurring within the physically and emotionally traumatizing context of miscarriage, women may experience discomfort from being overbenefited by their husband. Implications for furthering equity and support theorizing, as well as practical applications, are explored.

Authors

• Haley Kranstuber Horstman, U of Missouri

• Amanda Holman, Creighton U

• Andrew High, U of Iowa

• Christine Luckasen, U of Missouri