Exploring the Connection Between Functional Social Support, Marital Status and Memory from the Perspective of Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

Background and Objectives: Evidence suggests that functional social support (FSS) may promote memory, although the role of marital status in shaping this association remains underexplored. FSS from a spouse, apart from FSS from other providers, may foster more effective coping efforts and reduce stress during physical and mental hardships, thereby providing added protection against memory decline. However, a recent quantitative study by the authors found that marital status did not modify the association between FSS and memory. To better understand and contextualize this finding, we undertook a qualitative descriptive study to explore the perspectives of middle-aged and older adults on the extent to which marital status influences the FSS-memory relationship. Research Design and Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 purposively-sampled community-dwelling adults representing various marital status categories. Each interview was audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed. Results Three major themes emerged to explain why marital status may not impact the FSS-memory relationship: “learning to cope” – participants used alternatives besides a spouse to deal with memory challenges; “context matters” – contextual factors such as marital satisfaction must be considered to provide a deeper understanding of this relationship; and “doing more harm than good” – some spouses may provide excessive support, reducing participants’ autonomy to stimulate their cognitive processes. Discussion and Implications: These themes highlight that marital relationships are complex, and contextual factors such as marital quality and support adequacy should be considered to provide a comprehensive understanding of how social and marital dynamics impact cognitive trajectories in aging populations.