title: Relationships and cardiovascular risk: perceived spousal ambivalence in specific relationship contexts and its links to inflammation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although perceiving one's social ties as sources of ambivalence has been linked to negative health outcomes, the more specific contexts by which such relationships influence health remain less studied. We thus examined if perceived spousal relationship quality in three theoretically important contexts (i.e., support, capitalization, everyday life) predicted inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-four married couples completed measures of perceived spousal positivity and negativity in support, capitalization, and everyday contexts. These scores were used to derive an index of relationship ambivalence whereby interactions were rated as containing both positive and negative aspects. Serum levels of IL-6, fibrinogen, and CRP were assessed from plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perceiving ambivalence toward one's spouse in a support context was linked to greater inflammation even when considering health behaviors, relationship-specific romantic attachment style, spouse negativity/positivity ratings, and overall marital satisfaction. Perceiving ambivalence toward a spouse during capitalization predicted higher fibrinogen levels only, whereas no links were found with perceived spousal ambivalence in everyday life contexts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceptions of ambivalence during support may be a particularly important relational context in which marital ties influence health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Utah.
authors.forename: Bert N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Uchino
authors.forename: Jos A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: Timothy W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: McKenzie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carlisle
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Birmingham
authors.forename: Kimberly S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Kathleen C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Light
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heaney
authors.forename: Briain
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Hartaigh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein