Abstract
This study examined support concordance (i.e., the extent to which spouses agreed that supportive and unsupportive behaviors occurred) and the relationship, individual, and situational factors that influenced it. Cancer patients and their spouses (N = 239 couples) indicated how often spouses provided supportive and unsupportive behaviors. Couples had high agreement and showed greater concordance on unsupportive behaviors than supportive behaviors. Marital quality was associated with greater support concordance. Neither length of marriage nor psychological distress was related to support concordance. In terms of affiliative need, only spouses' need for attention was related to lower support concordance. Contrary to prediction, greater patient physical impairment was not significantly related to concordance for supportive behaviors but was related to lower concordance for unsupportive behaviors.
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