When individuals are faced with stressful or threatening events, they often turn to trusted others for comfort, assistance, and support. Indeed, a large body of research indicates that receiving social support, or feeling confident that it is available when needed, helps individuals cope more effectively with stressful life events and appears to have long-term benefits for health and psychological well being. This is a study of attachment processes in adulthood. The goal of the study is to explore normative processes as well as individual differences in patterns of careseeking and caregiving by having couples keep detailed daily diaries for a period of three weeks. A short-term longitudinal follow-up will also be included in order to investigate the role of caregiving processes in the development of trust relationship satisfaction over time. Eighty couples will be recruited to participate. Although we know a great deal about the important benefits of social support for personal adaptation, we know much less about the specific ways in which social support processes are carried out in close relationships. Attachment theory provides a useful perspective from which to study this topic. A rich data set from which to examine a variety of hypotheses will be created and substantial theoretical and empirical contributions are expected. The investigator is at a critical state in her career because she is nearing tenure review and has recently relocated to Southern California. This award will support the investigator in a one-year Visiting Professorship at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During this time, the investigator will engage in a variety of research and educational activities. In addition to conducting her research, she will obtain advanced training in two multivariate statistical methodologies that are essential for studying diary and couples data, and she will teach a graduate seminar. Together, these and other activities will enable the investigator to broaden her research program, strengthen her methodological skills, and greatly increase her visibility among scholars within and outside her research area.
