Study: Spousal support and negative interactions among African Americans in long-term marriage (DOI: 10.1002/jey2.12015)
It's the question many young couples ask those in long-term marriages: What's the secret to a successful marriage?
For African American couples who have flourished for decades together, unwavering spousal support is the magic ingredient, according to a study led by University of Michigan researchers.
Respondents in the study who indicated that they had been married for 20 years or longer were interviewed. Those reporting that they sustained long and happy unions describe their marriages as havens of encouragement and strength, where moments of discord are few and far between.
Factors such as gender, education, income and how long each couple has been married subtly shape the nature of support and the frequency of disagreements, the study found.
Researchers said the work offers a missing component compared to similar studies involving matrimony among this demographic: an in-depth analysis of the positive dynamics thriving within long-term African American marriages.
"We challenge the predominant deficit-focused stories and bring balance to a field that has too often overlooked or oversimplified these relationships," said study co-author Robert Joseph Taylor, U-M professor of social work. "In doing so, we contribute a more detailed and affirmative portrait of a community deserving of deeper and more nuanced understanding."
To understand the correlates of spousal support and negative interactions among African Americans in long-term marriages-defined as lasting more than 20 years-the study used data from 200 participants from the National Survey of American Life Adult Reinterviews.
Among the study's highlights:
- Strong emotional and instrumental support from spouses involved feeling cared for, appreciated and receiving help during illness or financial need.
- Similar to findings from other studies, men tend to benefit more from marriage. Husbands report receiving more support from their spouses than wives receive from their spouses.
- Negative interactions, such as criticism or unmet demands, occur in marriages. In this study, negative interactions were infrequent. Women, however, reported experiencing more negative interactions with their spouse compared to men.
- Factors such as gender, education, income and length of marriage are associated with marital experiences. For example, higher education and income are linked to greater spousal support, while longer marriages are associated with fewer negative interactions.
Interestingly, according to study co-author Linda Chatters, U-M professor of public health and social work, being in a first marriage or being remarried was unrelated to spousal support and negative interactions.
"This contrasts with literature indicating that, compared to first marriages, remarriages are more fragile and have more difficulties," she said.
Researchers noted the findings would apply to all races.
The study, which appears in the Journal of Elder Policy, was also co-authored by Antonius Skipper, assistant professor at Georgia State University, and Ann Nguyen, associate professor at Case Western University.
