The goal of this investigation was to identify microlevel processes in the support provider that may foster or inhibit the provision of spousal support. Specifically, the authors focused on (a) how emotional similarity between the support provider and support seeker and (b) how empathic accuracy of the support provider relate to support provision in marriage. In a laboratory experiment, 30 couples were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions (support provider: man vs. woman) of a factorial design. The couples provided questionnaire data and participated in a social support interaction designed to assess behaviors when offering and soliciting social support. A video-review task was used to assess emotional similarity and empathic accuracy during the support interaction. As expected, greater similarity between the support provider's and support seeker's emotional responses, as well as more accurate insights into the support-seeking spouse's thoughts and feelings were found to be predictive of more skilful support (i.e., higher levels of emotional and instrumental support and lower levels of negative types of support).

Social support researchers and clinicians have repeatedly expressed the need to identify the antecedents of social support provision within close relationships. The aim of the present study is to investigate the extent to which individual differences in cognitive empathy (perspective taking) and affective empathy (empathic concern and personal distress) are predictive of social support provision in couples. Study 1 involved 83 female participants in a relatively young relationship; Study 2 involved 128 married couples. The authors used self-report measures in both studies to assess individual differences in empathy and participants' support provision behaviors. The main findings suggest a significant contribution of the different components of empathy with rather different pictures for each of these components. The authors discuss the present findings in light of existing theory and research on social support in relationships.

The present study examined how support providers’ empathic dispositions (dispositional perspective taking, empathic concern, and personal distress) as well as their situational empathic reactions (interaction-based perspective taking, empathic concern, and personal distress) relate to the provision of spousal support during observed support interactions. Forty-five committed couples provided questionnaire data and participated in two ten-minute social support interactions designed to assess behaviors when partners are offering and soliciting social support. A video-review task was used to assess situational forms of perspective taking (e.g., empathic accuracy), empathic concern and personal distress. Data were analyzed by means of the multi-level Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Results revealed that providers scoring higher on affective empathy (i.e., dispositional empathic concern), provided lower levels of negative support. In addition, for male partners, scoring higher on cognitive empathy (i.e., situational perspective taking) was related to lower levels of negative support provision. For both partners, higher scores on cognitive empathy (i.e., situational perspective taking) correlated with more instrumental support provision. Male providers scoring higher on affective empathy (i.e., situational personal distress) provided higher levels of instrumental support. Dispositional perspective taking was related to higher scores on emotional support provision for male providers. The current study furthers our insight into the empathy-support link, by revealing differential effects (a) for men and women, (b) of both cognitive and affective empathy, and (c) of dispositional as well as situational empathy, on different types of support provision.

Self-report data from 200 married couples were used to examine personal characteristics (i.e., extraversion, neuroticism, attachment-related anxiety and avoidance) and relationship properties (i.e., intimacy, commitment, marital conflict, and marital satisfaction) as determinants of supportive behaviours and perceptions of support availability within marital relationships. The data revealed that both personal and relational variables had important value in the prediction of support perceptions, support seeking, and support provision in marriage. Furthermore, relational predictors were found to explain more variability in spousal support than personal characteristics. Finally, results indicated that personal influences on support perceptions and support behaviours were less pronounced when relationship features were taken into account. In conclusion, the present research advocates in favour of a relationship perspective on social support in marriage.

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