OBJECTIVE: To study associations of stressful experience in close social relationships with depressive symptoms a measure of nonreciprocal social exchange in marital, parental and less specific civic roles was developed. This measure aims at extending the model of effort-reward imbalance beyond work. METHODS: Data from two national surveys in Germany (n=682) and the United States (n=608) were collected, using probability samples of persons 60 years or older. Reported nonreciprocity was measured by a Likert scale. Psychometric properties are described. Depressive symptoms were measured by the CES-D Scale and relevant covariates were assessed. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis indicates that the risk of depressive symptoms was about twice as high in elderly men and women reporting nonreciprocity of social exchange compared to nonstressed subjects. CONCLUSION: Findings provide preliminary evidence of usefulness of a measure that extends the notion of nonreciprocal social exchange beyond working life.
