SELF-ESTEEM AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN SPOUSAL SUPPORT AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS - A COMPARISON OF HEALTHY-INDIVIDUALS AND INDIVIDUALS COPING WITHARTHRITIS

This study examined whether self-esteem mediated the effects of both s elf-reported positive and negative marital interactions on depressive symptoms and whether the relationships among marital interactions, sel f-esteem, and depressive symptoms were stronger for individuals (n = 9 0) coping with arthritis compared with individuals (n = 90) not coping with a chronic illness. Data were drawn from the 1986 Americans' Chan ging Lives national survey. The results of multigroup structural equat ion analysis suggest that mediation depends on the type of marital int eraction being considered and the group being examined. For the arthri tis group, self-esteem mediated the relationship between negative mari tal interactions and depressive symptoms, whereas for the healthy grou p self-esteem played no role in mediating the relationship between mar ital interactions and depressive symptoms. Findings underscore the imp ortance of testing moderated-mediation models of social support.