[Social network and social support for married women and their spouses]

This study investigated various psychological aspects of social networks of married women and their spouses A survey data for 259 women and 185 men were analyzed, and main findings were as follows: 1. With marriage, support agents of women and men change extensively in their social networks. Wives have more variety in support agents within their social network, through children to their friends' parents. On the other hand, husbands' agents are likely to be confined to their wives and children. 2. Wives and husbands are similar in that their first choice for seeking advice is their spouse. A friend is the second choice for both of them. While parents, brothers and sisters serve as wives' third choice, there is no third for husbands. 3. Enrichment of wives' social network, based on a well-functioning relationship with husbands, leads to a lower degree of social isolation experienced by them.