In the past twenty years or so, research on support processes in relationships has emerged as a distinct development in the field. Researchers have drawn from studies in the fields of communication, social support, and intimate relationships to conduct research examining support processes in relationships on micro and macro levels. Theoretical models of support processes in intimate relationships have been developed and increasingly sophisticated methodologies and data analytic techniques are being used to accumulate considerable and convincing evidence of the importance and complexity of support processes in intimate relationships. This edited book offers a broad yet coherent view of the field, showcasing novel, state-of-the-art research and theory on support processes in intimate relationships. Cutting-edge scholarly work is compiled in one accessible volume, which is designed to provoke and guide new research on social support. The book is divided into five sections designed to reflect emerging themes in the literature on support processes and intimate relationships. "Getting What One Wants: Perceived Support in Intimate Relationships" highlights the importance of offering support that is consistent with the needs of the recipient. "Providing What Partners Need: Interpersonal Aspects of Support" focuses on the importance of empathic understanding, validation of support seekers' needs, attachment styles, and the emotional context for effective support provision. "Complexities of Support Processes in Individual and Couple Well Being" highlights the complex nature of support, presenting research on the effects of partner support on coping with stress, differential responses to daily support, and the importance of providing support for positive events. "Support in the Context of Health-related Problems and Behaviors" is comprised of chapters describing the effects of support on health, illness, and injury. Finally, "Culture and Gender" presents research that explores the role of gender and culture in support processes in couples.

ForewordThomas N. BradburyIntroductionKieran Sullivan and Joanne DavilaSection 1: Getting what one wants: Perceived support in close relationships1. Support Adequacy in Marriage: Observing the Platinum RuleRebecca L. Brock and Erika Lawrence2. The Effectiveness of Social Support Attempts in Intimate Relationships: 'T ain't what you doit's the way that you do it"Christine Rini and Christine Dunkel SchetterSection 2: Providing what partners' need: Interpersonal aspects of support3. "I Know What You Need Right Now": Empathic Accuracy and Support Provision in MarriageLesley L. Verhofstadt, William Ickes, and Ann Buysse4. An attachment theoretical perspective on social support dynamics in couples: Normativeprocesses and individual differencesNancy L. Collins and Brooke C. Feeney5. Accurate Expression and Validating Responses: A Transactional Model for UnderstandingIndividual and Relationship DistressAlan E. Fruzzetti and John M. WorrallSection 3: Complexities of support processes in individual and couple well being6. Spousal Support and Dyadic Coping in Times of StressAnita DeLongis, Susan Holtzman, Eli Puterman, and Mark Lam7. The Effects of Daily Support Transactions During Acute Stress: Results From a Diary Studyof Bar Exam PreparationPatrick E. Shrout, Niall Bolger, Masumi Iida, Christopher Burke, Marci E. J. Gleason, andSean P. Lane8. Being there when things go right: Support processes for positive eventsShelly L. Gable and Sara AlgoeSection 4: Support in the context of health-related problems and behaviors9. Social Support, Social Control and Health Behavior Change in SpousesKieran Sullivan, Lauri Pasch, Kathrine Bejanyan, and Katherine Hanson10. Intimate Relationships and CancerSharon Manne and Hoda Badr11. Social support after a partner's traumatic injury: Situational, relationship, and individualdifference predictorsNatalya C. Maisel, Amy J. Rauer, Grant N. Marshall, and Benjamin R. KarneySection 5: Cultural and gender-based aspects of support12. Explaining Cultural and Sex Differences in Responses to Supportive Communication:A Dual-Process ApproachBrant R. Burleson and Lisa K. Hanasono13. Social Networks and Marital Stability among Black American and White American CouplesEdna Brown, Terri L. Orbuch, and Artie Maharaj14. Daily Support Across Cultural Contexts: A Comparison of Daily Support Experiences ofYoung Families in Four Cultural ContextsDominik Schoebi, Zhiyun Wang, Valentin Ababkov, and Meinrad PerrezConclusions: Bringing the field together and moving forwardJoanne Davila and Kieran Sullivan