Social Support in Intimate Relationships: The Role of Relationship Autonomy

Prior research on effective support interactions in intimate relationships often focuses on support provision rather than how people seek support. The current study investigated how differences in relationship autonomy—authentic and self-determined relationship motivations—predicted the behavior and outcomes of couples ( N = 80) in support interactions. Results indicated that support seekers’ motivation and behavior were the primary contributor to effective support interactions. Support seekers who were autonomously motivated tended to seek support in a more direct and positive manner, which in turn promoted greater levels of emotional, informational, and tangible support from their partners. The relationship autonomy of both the support provider and the support seeker also predicted better subjective experiences regardless of behavior, such as perceiving the interaction as more supportive. These results illustrate how relationship autonomy promotes well-being in relationships via support seeking behaviors, as well as positive interpretations and experiences of important relationship interactions.