Sociocultural Influences on Positive Affect: Social Support Adequacy From One's Spouse and the Intersections of Race and SES

Abstract

Positive affect is linked with better mental health. Despite growing interest in disparities in mental health, little research has examined whether there are disparities in positive affect based on SES and racial status, and no research has examined the interactions of SES and racial status in the experience of positive affect. Additionally, disparities in positive affect may be buffered by social support. Actor-partner interdependence modeling was used with a sample of 111 newlywed couples to determine whether (1) African American/Black individuals with lower SES experienced lower positive affect compared to individuals with higher SES and Caucasian, non-Hispanic/White individuals and (2) whether a stress-buffering or main effects model best described the associations between emotional and tangible support adequacy received from spouses and positive affect. Contrary to expectations, SES was positively associated with positive affect for White men. SES was not associated with positive affect for Black ind...