I’ll Be There for You: Couples’ Support Providing and Seeking Behaviors in a Stressful Situation

Abstract

We examined the associations between stress and support seeking or providing in couples during a stressful situation, as well as the moderating role of hyperactivation and deactivation of the attachment and caregiving systems. One hundred nine couples completed questionnaires and participated in an in-laboratory situation aiming to induce stress. Support seekers with higher stress or higher hyperactivation reported a greater desire to be with their partner during the procedure, while those with higher deactivation reported a lower desire to be with their partner. Support providers with higher hyperactivation also reported a greater desire to accompany their partner. Support providers who perceived their partner as more stressed reported a lower desire to be with them when their partner reported greater deactivation. Clinical implications are discussed.