It’s the inquiry that many young pairs pose to those in lasting unions: What’s the key to a thriving marriage? 

For African American couples who have prospered together for years, steadfast spousal support is the essential element, as revealed by a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan. 

Participants in the research who reported being wed for 20 years or more were surveyed. Those who stated they maintained enduring and joyful partnerships described their marriages as sanctuaries of encouragement and resilience, where instances of conflict are seldom encountered.

Aspects including gender, education, income, and the duration of marriage subtly influence the type of support received and the occurrence of disputes, the study indicated.

The researchers noted that this work offers a vital aspect often neglected in similar investigations focusing on marriages within this group: a thorough examination of the positive relationships flourishing in long-term African American unions.

“We challenge the prevailing deficit-focused narratives and bring balance to a field that has frequently underestimated or oversimplified these connections,” remarked study co-author Robert Joseph Taylor, a University of Michigan professor of social work. “In doing so, we provide a more intricate and affirmative depiction of a community deserving of deeper and more complex understanding.”

To comprehend the associates of spousal support and adverse interactions among African Americans in long-lasting marriages—defined as lasting over 20 years—the study utilized data from 200 participants from the National Survey of American Life Adult Reinterviews. 

Among the key findings of the study: 

• Robust emotional and practical support from spouses led participants to feel valued, appreciated, and to receive assistance during illness or financial hardships.
• Consistent with findings from other research, men generally reap greater benefits from marriage. Husbands report receiving more support from their spouses compared to what wives receive from theirs.
• Adverse interactions, such as criticism or unmet expectations, do occur in marriages. However, in this study, such negative interactions were rare. Notably, women reported experiencing a higher frequency of adverse interactions with their partners than men did.
• Aspects such as gender, education level, income, and marriage duration correlate with marital experiences. For instance, higher educational attainment and income are associated with increased spousal support, while extended marriages correspond with fewer adverse interactions.

Interestingly, co-author Linda Chatters, U-M professor of public health and social work, noted that being in a first marriage or remarried did not correlate with spousal support and negative interactions.

“This stands in contrast to literature indicating that remarriages are more vulnerable and experience more challenges compared to first marriages,” she stated.

The researchers highlighted that the findings would be applicable across all races. 

The study, published in the Journal of Elder Policy, was additionally co-authored by Antonius Skipper, an assistant professor at Georgia State University, and Ann Nguyen, an associate professor at Case Western University.