Is Perceived Emotional Support Beneficial? Well-Being and Health in Independent and Interdependent Cultures

Abstract

Previous studies show there is little or no association between perceived emotional support and well-being in European American culture. The authors hypothesized that this paradoxical absence of any benefit of perceived support is unique to cultural contexts that privilege independence rather than interdependence of the self. Study 1 tested college students and found, as predicted, that among Euro-Americans a positive effect of perceived emotional support on subjective well-being (positive affect) was weak and, moreover, it disappeared entirely once self-esteem was statistically controlled. In contrast, among Asians in Asia (Japanese and Filipinos) perceived emotional support positively predicted subjective well-being even after self-esteem was controlled. Study 2 extended Study 1 by testing both Japanese and American adults in midlife with respect to multiple indicators of well-being and physical health. Overall, the evidence underscores the central significance of culture as a moderator of the effectiveness of perceived emotional support.

Personal or interpersonal construal of happiness: A cultural psychological perspective

“…Other factors, such as attainment of interpersonal goals over personal goals (Oishi & Diener, 2001), positive relational emotional experiences (Kitayama et al, 2006), receiving emotional support (Uchida, Kitayama, Mesquita, Reyes, & Morling, 2008), fulfilling relational norms (Suh, Diener, Oishi, & Triandis, 1998), and relational harmony (Kwan, Bond, & Singelis, 1997), are highly predictive of happiness and wellbeing among Asians. In addition, in East Asian contexts, the significance of self-esteem is questionable.…”

“…Previous research has suggested that seeking goals that are consistent with mainstream cultural values increases wellbeing (e.g., Oishi & Diener, 2001;Uchida et al, 2008). For example, seeking relationship harmony within East Asian cultures and seeking individual achievement within European-American cultures increases happiness, respectively.…”

Influences of Optimism and Positive Orientation on Students’ Subjective Well-Being

“…(2) Subjective well-being: We used a total of eleven items: five items from the SWLS (Diener, et al, 1985), as adapted in Japanese (Uchida, Kitayama, Mesquita, Reyes, & Morling, 2008), with six additional items designed by the authors to express "maintained subjective well-being. "…”

The Mediation of Interpersonal Competence in the Relationship between Parent and Peer Attachment and Subjective Well-Being in Adolescence

“…Doyum sağlayıcı ilişkiler kurabilmek için bireylerin nerede, nasıl davranacağını bilmesi etkili, uygun ve içinde bulunduğu bağlamı dikkate alan kişilerarası becerilere sahip olması önem kazanmaktadır. Birçok araştırmada, sosyal yetkinlik ile öznel iyi oluş (Eken, 2010), arkadaşlık niteliği, sosyal beceri ve mutluluk (Demir, Jaafar, Bilyk ve Ariff, 2012) sosyal beceri ve psikolojik öznel iyi oluş (Segrin ve Taylor, 2007), öznel iyi oluş ile kendini açma (Şahin, 2011), öz duyarlılık, çatışma çözme ve öznel iyi oluş (Yarnell ve Neff, 2013), çatışma çözme ve psikolojik uyum (Tucker, McHale ve Crouter, 2003), duygusal destek ve öznel iyi oluş (Uchida, Kitayama, Mesquita, Reyes ve Morling, 2008) anlamlı olarak ilişkili görülmektedir.…”