The goals of this study were to (i) examine the association of
social support and strain with psychological well-being and
health, (ii) investigate whether these associations depended
on relationship-type (partner, family, friend), (iii) examine the
buffering effects of support on strain (both within and across
relationship-type), and (iv) test the extent to which these
associations differed by age and sex. The sample contained
2,348 adults (55% male) aged 25 to 75 years (M 46.3), who
were married or cohabitating. Positive and negative social
exchanges were more strongly related to psychological wellbeing
than to health. For both sexes, partner support and
strain and family support were predictive of well-being
measures; partner strain was also predictive of health problems.
However, family strain was predictive of well-being and
health outcomes more often for women. Further, while we did
find evidence that supportive networks could buffer the detrimental
effects of strained interactions, friends and family
served a buffering role more often for women than for men.