Caring in intimate relationships

This article is about the practice of support giving within intimate relationships. For information on individuals who care for someone requiring support as a result of disability, health problems, or old age, see Caregiver and Personal Care Assistant.

Caring in intimate relationships is the practice of providing care and support to an intimate relationship partner. Caregiving behaviours are aimed at reducing the partner's distress and supporting their coping efforts in situations of either threat or challenge. Caregiving may include emotional support (expressions of care, affection, sympathy, and encouragement) and/or instrumental support (provision of information, advice, and tangible resources).[1] Effective caregiving behaviour enhances the care-recipient's psychological well-being, as well as the quality of the relationship between the caregiver and the care-recipient.[2] However, certain suboptimal caregiving strategies may be either ineffective or even detrimental to coping.[3]

  1. ^ Collins, N. L.; Guichard, A.C.; Ford, M.B.; Feeney, B.C. (2006). "An attachment-theoretical approach to caregiving in romantic relationships". In Mikulincer, M.; Goodman, G. S. (eds.). Dynamics of romantic love: Attachment, caregiving, and sex. New York: Guilford Press. pp. 149–189.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference CollinsFeeney2000 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Coyne1988 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).