SEQUENTIAL-ANALYSIS OF AUTONOMY-INTERDEPENDENCE AND AFFILIATION-DISAFFILIATION IN COUPLES SOCIAL SUPPORT INTERACTIONS

Sequential patterns of social support interactions between satisfied ( n = 33) and dissatisfied (n = 23) husbands and wives were observed as the spouses took turns confiding about personal problems. The interact ions were coded with an adaptation of Benjamin's Structural Analysis o f Social Behavior, which evaluates interpersonal behaviors along two d imensions of independence-interdependence and affiliation-disaffiliati on. Log-linear analysis verified expected complementary sequential exc hanges of behaviors that fell in the mid-ranges of independence, inter dependence, affiliation, and disaffiliation, although extreme forms of independent and interdependent behavior showed unexpected functional associations with non-complementary behaviors. Dissatisfied wives disp layed imbalanced levels of independent and interdependent behaviors, a nd both spouses showed relatively less support for each other's indepe ndent initiative. Dissatisfied spouses also had difficulty providing a nd accepting assistance in affiliative ways. The findings are discusse d in terms of the balance of autonomy and interconnectedness in marria ge, and the implications for improving supportive interactions for dis satisfied couples.