Self-enhancement versus self-verification: Does spousal support always help?

Abstract

The current study replicates and extends previous work on self-enhancement and self-verification processes in marriage. A community sample of married individuals (N = 265) completed a self-esteem scale, perceived spousal support scale, and various measures of marital adjustment. Consistent with self-enhancement theory, higher levels of self-esteem support were related to higher levels of marital quality and stability across all indices for both men and women. Consistent with self-verification theory, greater discrepancies between self-esteem and perceived partner self-esteem support were related to lower levels of marital satisfaction among wives, and lower levels of satisfaction and intimacy among husbands. Consistent with the combined operation of self-enhancement and self-verification, greater partner self-esteem support was associated with increases in marital quality only up to the point that it verified self-esteem. It is concluded that self-enhancement and self-verification strivings may operate independently of each other within the marital context. Both theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.