This study examines the longitudinal effects of older adults’ subjective life expectancy (SLE) on spousal support and strain toward their spouse. Data of 2080 older couples (N = 4160) from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, 2006–2014) were assessed. Using dyadic growth curve modeling, the effects of older adults’ chronological age and SLE on spousal support exchanges were examined. Spousal support that wives received decreased over time. Spousal strain from husbands and wives also decreased over time. Older adults with shorter SLE provided less support for their spouse. They also showed a slower decrease in the strain they presented toward their spouse. A spouse may remain as an important social network for an older adult as suggested by the socioemotional selectivity theory and the social convoy model. However, an older adult’s efforts toward exchanging positive emotions with the spouse may decrease as the older adult’s perceived future time gets shorter.

本研究考察了老年人主观预期寿命 (SLE) 对其配偶支持和压力的纵向影响。2080对老年夫妇数据（N = 4160）来自健康和退休研究（HRS，2006-2014）进行了评估。使用二元生长曲线模型，研究了老年人的实际年龄和 SLE 对配偶支持交换的影响。妻子获得的配偶赡养费随着时间的推移而减少。丈夫和妻子的配偶压力也随着时间的推移而减少。患有 SLE 较短的老年人为其配偶提供的支持较少。他们对配偶的压力也显示出较慢的下降。正如社会情感选择性理论和社会护航模型所建议的那样，配偶可能仍然是老年人的重要社交网络。然而，随着老年人感知未来时间的缩短，老年人与配偶交流积极情绪的努力可能会减少。