Sex Differences in the Mental Health Effects of Spouse Support and Equity

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Abstract
The relationships of spouse expressiveness and spouse inequity to depression are examined for employed husbands, nonemployed wives, and employed wives. Husbands appear to realize a slight marital advantage in that more husbands than wives report having appreciative, affirming, affectionate, and reciprocating spouses. The three groups are not affected in the same way by spouse supportiveness. Husbands are more likely to be depressed if their spouses are unaffectionate and unaffirming, and particularly so if their work relationships are unsatisfactory. Unemployed wives are particularly depressed by unaffirming spouses, whose evaluations of their wives increase the wives' dissatisfaction with the housekeeping role. Employed wives are depressed by unaffirming and inequitable husbands, particularly if there is disagreement over the husband's help with domestic duties. The findings suggest that depression emerges from unsupportive relationships that people have with intimate others, and from everyday social roles that promote low self-evaluation or that involve role strain.

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