Why Does Expressive Suppression Predict Poorer Personal and Relationship Wellbeing? The Role of Perceived Support

Abstract

Suppressing emotions during social interactions can lead to poorer personal and relationship wellbeing, yet the specific reasons underlying these associations are unclear. The current studies tested (1) whether greater expressive suppression during interactions with close others predicts reductions in perceived support across time, and (2) whether expressive suppression and lower perceived support, in turn, predict short-term and long-term declines in personal and relationship wellbeing. In Study 1, participants (N = 635) completed a 10-day web-based diary reporting on the degree to which they engaged in expressive suppression during interactions with romantic or close others, perceived they had available support, and felt depressed mood and closeness with others that day. Participants also completed assessments of depressive symptoms and relationship satisfaction prior to and 3 months after the daily sampling procedure. In Study 2, participants in a romantic relationship (N = 85 heterosexual couples) had a video-recorded discussion with their romantic partner about their most significant personal challenge. Participants reviewed their discussion, and for every 30-second segment of the discussion, reported on the degree to which they engaged in expressive suppression, perceived support from their partner, and felt depressed mood and closeness with their partner. Participants also completed assessments of depressive symptoms and relationship satisfaction prior to and 6 months after the discussion. Greater expressive suppression predicted lower perceived support across days (Study 1) and during a specific social interaction (Study 2). Lower perceived support was, in turn, associated with greater depressed mood and lower closeness during daily (Study 1) and laboratory-based (Study 2) interactions. In Study 1, greater expressive suppression across daily life predicted greater depressive symptoms and lower relationship satisfaction across time, but these direct longitudinal associations were not significant in Study 2. Nonetheless, in both studies, greater expressive suppression was indirectly associated with lower relationship satisfaction across time via lower perceived support. Taken together, the effects across both studies indicate that expressive suppression is negatively associated with perceived support, which in turn has significant implications for short-term personal and relationship wellbeing, and undermines relationship satisfaction across time.