Date of Award:

5-2025

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Human Development and Family Studies

Committee Chair(s)

Ryan Seedall

Committee

Ryan Seedall

Committee

Diana Meter

Committee

Spencer Bradshaw

Abstract

Couple support, a unique form of social support, as defined in this thesis is the felt sense of being upheld, valued, lifted up, and empowered by your romantic partner, during both times of distress and success. In this master’s thesis, I used secondary data provided by Dr. Ryan Seedall and conducted statistical analyses to develop a new measure, the Couple Support Behavior Questionnaire (CSBQ). Using data from 443 individuals who had all been in a relationship for at least three years and were all above the age of 18, I used statistical methods to shorten and provide a 19-item measure, with four subscales. Each of the four types of support represent a unique kind of support that can be present within relationships and impart valuable and distinctive pieces of couple support. Caring support (9 items) is focused on both emotional and physical forms of support. Guidance support (5 items) is a more action-oriented type of support. Informational support (3 items) centers on imparting knowledge and facts. Lastly, non-judgmental acceptance (2 items) is a unique type of support that conveys a mindset associated with specific support behaviors. The CSBQ measure is now available to be used in assessing couple support behaviors in both clinical and research settings.

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