The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of emotional support discrepancy (ESD) both immediately after a supportive interaction and in the days following the interaction. One hundred thirteen dating couples came to the communication research laboratory to discuss a topic that was stressful for one of the partners. They also completed measures of their perceptions of themselves, their partners, and their relationship. After completing the laboratory interaction, support recipients reported on their mood and relationship satisfaction, among other variables, once a day for 7 days.

Immediately following the laboratory interaction, ESD was indirectly related to positive affect, negative affect, and relationship satisfaction through cognitive reappraisal. In the days following the laboratory interaction, ESD was not associated with future conversations about either the laboratory stressor or stressors that emerged during the week, but ESD was marginally associated with brooding rumination about the laboratory stressor and significantly associated with brooding rumination about the partner's support in general. In addition, multilevel modeling was used to examine the relationship between brooding rumination about the stressor and brooding rumination about the partner's support in general and positive affect, negative affect, and relationship satisfaction. The results revealed that both types of rumination were associated with less positive affect, greater negative affect, and less relationship satisfaction over the course of the week. Likewise, perceived partner responsiveness to emerging stressors (i.e., stressors that emerged during the week following the laboratory interaction) was also associated with greater positive affect and greater relationship satisfaction. The ways in which this study contributes to the literature on social support and avenues for future research are discussed.