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Taheri A, Saeieh SE, Qorbani M, Mohamadi F, Mahmoodi D, Mahmoodi Z. Causal association between family health, perceived relationship quality components, and attitudes toward childbearing in Iranian women: A WHO model analysis. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3625. [PMID: 38988124 PMCID: PMC11237175 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the unprecedented global decline in fertility as a major demographic development in recent years, the present study was conducted to determine Causal association Between Family Health, Perceived Relationship Quality Components, and Attitudes toward Childbearing in Iranian Women: A WHO Model Analysis METHODS: In 2023, this descriptive study recruited 400 married women presenting to selected comprehensive health centers affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran. The data were collected through multistage stratified cluster sampling and using a socioeconomic status questionnaire (Ghodratnama), the Perceived Relationship Quality Components (PRQC) scale, the family-of-origin scale (FOS), the attitudes toward fertility and childbearing scale (AFCS) and a demographic checklist were analyzed in SPSS 25 and LISREL 8.8. RESULTS According to the path analysis, family health exerted the most significant and positive causal effect on attitudes to childbearing directly through one path (B = 0.334) and relationship quality (B = 0.698) and duration of married life (B = 0.387) both directly and indirectly. The number of children (B = -0.057), however, exerted the most significant and negative causal effect on attitudes to childbearing through both paths. CONCLUSIONS The present findings suggested the significant effects of family health and relationship quality on attitudes toward childbearing. It is therefore recommended that these variables be screened in comprehensive health centers, the associated limitations and problems be identified and appropriate training and counseling solutions be provided by health specialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atefeh Taheri
- Student Research Committee, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Sara Esmaelzadeh Saeieh
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Mostafa Qorbani
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences: Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Farima Mohamadi
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Danial Mahmoodi
- Student, Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, California, USA
| | - Zohreh Mahmoodi
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
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Torales J, Barrios I, Melgarejo O, Ruiz Díaz N, O'Higgins M, Navarro R, Amarilla D, Almirón-Santacruz J, González-Urbieta I, Caycho-Rodríguez T, Castaldelli-Maia JM, Ventriglio A. Hope, resilience and subjective happiness among general population of Paraguay in the post COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2024; 70:489-497. [PMID: 38059364 DOI: 10.1177/00207640231216342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Positive mental health includes not only the absence of mental disorders but also the presence of subjective well-being, good coping strategies for life stress, and strategies for adapting to community life. It is well known that the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged mental health in general population worldwide. However, research has not measured protective factors for mental health in the general population after the declared end of pandemic by the World Health Organization. METHODS This observational, cross-sectional study surveyed 591 Paraguayan participants aged ⩾18 years, who were recruited through an online survey. Demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status were collected as well as mental health and validated tools for hope, resilience, subjective happiness were administered. RESULTS Of the participants, 81.6% were women, 54% were married or in a relationship and 90.7% reported an university education. The main source of stress was economic issues (30.3%). A total of 22.7% had been previously diagnosed with a mental disorder, 22.2% had consulted a mental health professional and 10.8% had consumed prescription drugs. 42.6% reported flourishing, 36.2% reported moderate and 21.2% reported languishing mental health. CONCLUSIONS This large survey has shown that most of participants reported a flourishing mental health with high ratings at hope, resilience, and subjective happiness scales. Also, the main sources of stress were economic issues, not consequently related to the pandemic. This may add evidences to the international debate on the long term effects of the global pandemic and probably suggests that recovery processes have been collectively adopted in Paraguay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Torales
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | - Iván Barrios
- Department of Statistics, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, Santa Rosa del Aguaray Campus, Santa Rosa del Aguaray, Paraguay
| | - Osvaldo Melgarejo
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | - Noelia Ruiz Díaz
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | - Marcelo O'Higgins
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | - Rodrigo Navarro
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | - Diego Amarilla
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | - José Almirón-Santacruz
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | | | | | - João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia
- Department of Neuroscience, Fundação do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
- Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio Ventriglio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
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Kurihara Y, Takahashi T, Osu R. The topology of interpersonal neural network in weak social ties. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4961. [PMID: 38418895 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55495-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The strategies for social interaction between strangers differ from those between acquaintances, whereas the differences in neural basis of social interaction have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we examined the geometrical properties of interpersonal neural networks in pairs of strangers and acquaintances during antiphase joint tapping. Dual electroencephalogram (EEG) of 29 channels per participant was measured from 14 strangers and 13 acquaintance pairs.Intra-brain synchronizations were calculated using the weighted phase lag index (wPLI) for intra-brain electrode combinations, and inter-brain synchronizations were calculated using the phase locking value (PLV) for inter-brain electrode combinations in the theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands. For each participant pair, electrode combinations with larger wPLI/PLV than their surrogates were defined as the edges of the neural networks. We calculated global efficiency, local efficiency, and modularity derived from graph theory for the combined intra- and inter-brain networks of each pair. In the theta band networks, stranger pairs showed larger local efficiency than acquaintance pairs, indicating that the two brains of stranger pairs were more densely connected. Hence, weak social ties require extensive social interactions and result in high efficiency of information transfer between neighbors in neural network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Kurihara
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Toru Takahashi
- Advanced Research Center for Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Rieko Osu
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.
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Aguilar-Raab C, Winter F, Warth M, Stoffel M, Moessner M, Hernández C, Pace TWW, Harrison T, Negi LT, Jarczok MN, Ditzen B. A compassion-based treatment for couples with the female partner suffering from current depressive disorder: A randomized-controlled trial. J Affect Disord 2023; 342:127-138. [PMID: 37661057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.08.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have shown that depression and interpersonal relationships are interdependently connected and that including the intimate partner in treatment for depression has beneficial effects. Given evidence that compassion is both an interpersonal quality and a promising treatment target, the goal of this study was to examine the effects of a compassion-based, contemplative treatment for couples employing a multi-method approach for evaluation. METHODS In a pre-post-follow-up design, n = 53 different-sex couples including women with current depression were randomly assigned to a 10-week-long CBCT®-fC (Cognitively-Based Compassion Training/intervention for couples) or treatment-as-usual (TAU) condition. Multi-level linear regression models and post-hoc contrasts were calculated to determine changes in depressive symptoms, mindfulness and self-compassion, interpersonal functioning and neuroendocrine markers collected during a partnership appreciation task (PAT) in the laboratory before and after CBCT-fC treatment. RESULTS While CBCT-fC led to a comparable decrease of depressive symptoms as TAU, the training specifically increased self-compassion and mindfulness versus TAU. Interestingly, interpersonal functioning did not improve, which was also reflected in participants' preferred self-focus in-between-session practices, instead of practices with interpersonal focus. There were no group-specific changes in psychobiological stress-marker reactivity. CONCLUSIONS CBCT-fC was effective in decreasing current depressive symptomatology and increasing mindfulness, and self-compassion. Especially the motivation to participate, such as improving interpersonal functioning, should be addressed and intrinsic motives of the partners to be involved. In highly burdened individuals, self-regulation may need to be improved before co-regulation can be addressed, which would requiring longer treatments. Facilitating factors for engaging in the practice between-sessions seem meaningful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Aguilar-Raab
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Friederike Winter
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marco Warth
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; School of Therapeutic Sciences, SRH University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Stoffel
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Moessner
- Institute of Psychosocial Prevention, Center for Psychotherapy Research, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cristóbal Hernández
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Escuela de Psicología - Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Chile
| | | | - Timothy Harrison
- Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lobsang Tenzin Negi
- Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Marc N Jarczok
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Beate Ditzen
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Nurhayati SR, Setiawati FA, Amelia RN, Fridani L. Psychometric properties of dyadic data from the Marital Quality Scale of Indonesian Javanese couples. PSICOLOGIA-REFLEXAO E CRITICA 2023; 36:36. [PMID: 38010592 PMCID: PMC10682336 DOI: 10.1186/s41155-023-00279-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Researchers have demonstrated that various measurement concepts and dimensions depend on context and timing. OBJECTIVES The current study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Javanese couples' marital quality scale based on validity and reliability METHODS: In total 840 participants or 420 marital dyad from Java, Indonesia, were involved in this study. The psychometrics properties scale was analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, convergent and discriminant analysis, and composite reliability. RESULTS The exploratory factor analysis found relationship quality to consist of support, physical proximity, warmth, communication, acceptance and respect, role sharing, and responsibility factors. Well-being quality consists of happiness, harmony, and problem-solving. The fit of the measurement model was obtained using confirmatory factor analysis. The fit model was also found in the husband's and wife's groups, with no differences between them. The high correlations between wife-husband factors also proved the validity based on convergent and discriminant evidence. The reliability coefficient was high for each dimension and construct. DISCUSSION This analysis shows that the marital quality scale developed has information on psychometric properties that can be useful for researchers and the practicians using the marital quality instrument of Javanese couples in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Rohmah Nurhayati
- Department of Psychology, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Jl. Colombo No.1 Karangmalang, Sleman, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
| | - Farida Agus Setiawati
- Department of Psychology, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Jl. Colombo No. 1 Karangmalang, Sleman, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia.
| | - Rizki Nor Amelia
- Department of Integrated Sciences, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Sekaran Kec Gunung Pati, Semarang, 50229, Indonesia
| | - Lara Fridani
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Jl. Rawamangun Muka Raya No. 11, RT 11/Rw 14, Jakarta, Timur, Indonesia
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Xie Y, Lemay EP, Feeney BC. Cyclical Links Between Daily Partner Interactions and Sleep Quality in Older Adult Couples: The Mediating Role of Perceived Partner Responsiveness and Negative Affect. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2023:1461672231193800. [PMID: 37667615 DOI: 10.1177/01461672231193800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Researchers have found significant associations between romantic relationship experiences and sleep quality. However, most existing studies are cross-sectional, few have focused on the aging population, and few have considered mechanisms underlying such associations. To address these gaps, 238 older adult couples completed 7-day daily diaries, reporting on their daily relationship, emotional, and sleep experiences. Multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that husbands' higher negative partner interactions and lower positive partner interactions were indirectly associated with their own and their wives' decreased sleep quality that night via lower perceived partner responsiveness and increased negative affect. Moreover, decreased sleep quality was associated with participants' and their partners' increased negative partner interactions and participants' decreased positive partner interactions the next day, with no significant gender differences. This research provides a foundation for future research on cyclical associations between romantic relationship experiences and sleep quality, with implications for relationship-based interventions to improve sleep quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Xie
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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7
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Pham J, Rhee B, Malpass R, Ozcan EE, Shaaya E, Doberstein C, Toms S, Sullivan P. Marital Status Independently Predicts Mortality in Adult Patients with Craniopharyngioma: A SEER-Based Study. World Neurosurg 2023; 175:e367-e379. [PMID: 37003530 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.03.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relationship between marital status and overall survival (OS) in adult patients with craniopharyngioma has not been explored in depth. We aimed to elucidate the impact of marital status on the prognosis of craniopharyngioma patients excluding bias from baseline demographics and treatment. METHODS We extracted 1539 patients diagnosed with craniopharyngioma between 2000 and 2019 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and divided patients into 4 marital subgroups: married, single, divorced/separated, and widowed. Kaplan-Meier curves with a log-rank test were used to discern differences in OS between marital subgroups. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to identify independent prognostic factors of mortality. RESULTS There were 1539 eligible patients: 863 (56.1%) were married, 466 (30.3%) were single, 135 (8.8%) were divorced/separated, and 75 (4.9%) were widowed. Widowed patients had the worst mean OS, 5-year OS and 10-year OS at 84.2 months, 58.0% and 26.9%, respectively. After stratifying patients by age, our multivariate analysis showed that marital status was an independent predictor of mortality in middle-aged craniopharyngioma patients (40-60 years, P < 0.001), but not in young adults (18-39 years, P = 0.646) or elderly patients (>60 years, P = 0.076). Among middle-aged patients, single (hazard ratio 1.72, confidence interval 1.19-2.47, P = 0.004) and divorced/separated patients (hazard ratio = 2.29, confidence interval = 1.49-3.54, P < 0.001) showed a higher risk of mortality compared to married patients (reference). CONCLUSIONS Marital status is an independent prognostic factor predicting OS for middle-aged patients with craniopharyngioma. Providing additional social and psychological support for single and divorced/separated patients may improve outcomes for this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Pham
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ben Rhee
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ryan Malpass
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Evrim E Ozcan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Elias Shaaya
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Curtis Doberstein
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Steven Toms
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Patricia Sullivan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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Woods SB, Hiefner A, Roberson PNE, Zahra N, Arnold EM, Udezi V. Depressed mood and environmental mastery as potential pathways linking family relationship quality and disease self-management for African Americans with hypertension. FAMILY PROCESS 2023; 62:230-253. [PMID: 35634971 DOI: 10.1111/famp.12789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
African Americans are at significantly greater risk of hypertension and worse cardiovascular outcomes than other racialized groups, yet hypertension intervention effects remain limited. Thus, it is necessary to understand the potential mechanisms whereby interventions may be more effectively targeted to improve health. Supported by prior research evidence and guided by the Biobehavioral Family Model, this study examined associations between family relationship quality, psychological wellbeing, and self-management behaviors for African Americans with hypertension. Data were pooled from three Midlife Development in the U.S. projects, resulting in a sample of 317 African Americans (63.4% female, Mage = 53.32) with self-reported high blood pressure in the past 12 months. We tested four cross-sectional multiple mediator models, with depressed mood and environmental mastery mediating associations between family strain and exercise, smoking, problematic alcohol use, and stress-eating. Environmental mastery mediated the association between greater family strain and decreased odds of achieving recommended exercise levels; greater odds of reporting problematic alcohol use; and greater stress-eating. Though family strain was associated with depressed mood in each model, this variable did not serve as an indirect pathway to self-management behaviors. Family strain, and the potential pathway identified via environmental mastery, may be a meaningful predictor of disease self-management for African Americans with hypertension. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine directionality and to support intervention trials for improving self-management and hypertension outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah B Woods
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Angela Hiefner
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | | | - Nida Zahra
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Elizabeth Mayfield Arnold
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Victoria Udezi
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas, USA
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9
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Leth‐Nissen AB, Fentz HN, Trillingsgaard TL, Stadler G. Randomized controlled trial of the Marriage Checkup: Stress outcomes. JOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY 2023; 49:242-259. [PMID: 36525504 PMCID: PMC10108012 DOI: 10.1111/jmft.12620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Several couple interventions targeting relationship distress also show beneficial effects on individual mental health. Yet, strikingly few studies report effects on perceived stress. This study examined the effects of a brief couple intervention, the Marriage Checkup (MC), on perceived stress. We randomly assigned 231 couples to receive two MCs (Weeks 7 and 51) or to a waitlist control. Survey data were collected at seven time points over 2 years and analyzed using multilevel models. We found no significant between-group treatment effects on average stress at any time point. However, women, but not men, in the intervention group experienced decreased stress after the second MC (d = -0.23) and more women in the intervention group (26.5%) compared with the control group (14.9%) experienced reliable improvements in stress after the second MC. Overall, the MC did not result in main effects on stress but caused temporary reliable change in terms of stress relief for women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid B. Leth‐Nissen
- The Department of Psychology and Behavioral SciencesAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
| | - Hanne N. Fentz
- The Department of Psychology and Behavioral SciencesAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
| | - Tea L. Trillingsgaard
- The Department of Psychology and Behavioral SciencesAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
| | - Gertraud Stadler
- Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CC1 Health & Human SciencesGender in MedicineBerlinGermany
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10
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Jaurequi ME, Kimmes JG, Ledermann T, Seibert G, Pocchio K, Tawfiq D. Relationship satisfaction and sleep problems among college students: Serial indirect effects via relationship mindfulness and negative emotional symptoms. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2022; 70:2143-2151. [PMID: 33258741 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2020.1845183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
ObjectiveThis study examined relationship mindfulness and negative emotional symptoms as serial mediators between relationship satisfaction and sleep problems. Participants: Participants were 242 college students currently in a romantic relationship recruited from a large southeastern university. Methods: Participants completed self-report measures of relationship satisfaction, relationship mindfulness, negative emotional symptoms and sleep disturbances. Serial mediation analyses were conducted, covarying age and attachment orientations. Results: Students who reported higher relationship satisfaction experienced lower sleep problems. Helping explain this association a significant serial mediation model was supported by which relationship mindfulness and subsequent negative emotional symptoms mediated relationship satisfaction and sleep problems. Conclusions: The degree to which a person is more mindful during interactions with a romantic partner appears to play a key role in how relationship satisfaction and negative emotional symptoms are linked to sleep problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Jaurequi
- Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, California, USA
| | - Jonathan G Kimmes
- Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Thomas Ledermann
- Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Gregory Seibert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Kinsey Pocchio
- Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Dania Tawfiq
- Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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Margolin G, Daspe MÈ, Timmons AC, Corner GW, Pettit C, Rasmussen HF, Chaspari T, Han SC, Arbel R, Spies Shapiro L, Kazmierski KFM, Del Piero LB, Schacter HL. What happens when romantic couples discuss personal loss? Relational, emotional, and physiological impacts. JOURNAL OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY : JFP : JOURNAL OF THE DIVISION OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (DIVISION 43) 2022; 36:863-873. [PMID: 35298187 PMCID: PMC9710234 DOI: 10.1037/fam0000979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Does talking about loss with a romantic partner have salutary personal and relationship effects? Prior evidence reveals the benefits of emotional disclosure in couple relationships, yet disclosure about loss has been overlooked in research on couple communication. Using a novel communication paradigm with young-adult heterosexual romantic partners (N = 114 couples), we investigated emotions, physiological arousal (skin conductance responses [SCR]), and relationship closeness when narrating a personal loss and listening to the partner's loss, and compared these loss discussions to discussions about desired relationship changes. Based on partners' self-reports, narrating loss elicited more vulnerable and, unexpectedly, more antagonistic emotions. Both narrating and listening to loss produced higher self-reported partner closeness, compared to discussing change. In support of the physiological benefits of disclosure, women's SCRs decreased over the discussion when they narrated their own loss. However, both women and men as listeners show a general trend of increasing SCRs over the discussion, suggesting the challenges of being a responsive partner. Moreover, in line with the putative protective effects of partners' biological interdependencies, partner closeness also was higher when both partners showed synchronous decreasing SCR as women narrated their loss. Although limited to young couples in relatively short relationships, these findings reveal some potential benefits of talking about loss in the context of romantic relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayla Margolin
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California
| | | | | | | | - Corey Pettit
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia
| | | | | | - Sohyun C. Han
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California
| | - Reout Arbel
- Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Haifa
| | | | | | - Larissa B. Del Piero
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine
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12
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Bar‐Shachar Y, Lopata S, Bar‐Kalifa E. Relationship satisfaction during COVID-19: The role of partners' perceived support and attachment. FAMILY RELATIONS 2022; 72:FARE12767. [PMID: 36246206 PMCID: PMC9539370 DOI: 10.1111/fare.12767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Objective The main goal of this study was to examine the interplay between individuals' attachment insecurity and their perceptions of their partners' COVID-related behaviors (supportive and negative behaviors) in predicting their relationship satisfaction. Background Stress is a well-documented risk factor for relationship satisfaction. COVID-19 related stressors thus pose a challenge to maintaining relationship satisfaction. Although partners' supportive behaviors can play a central role in mitigating these stressors, enduring individual vulnerabilities, such as attachment insecurity, are likely to moderate the effectiveness of supportive (or negative) behaviors. Method In this two-wave study, conducted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, 239 participants in cohabiting Israeli couples reported their current relationship satisfaction and perceived partners' supportive and negative behaviors in response to COVID-related stress. Participants' pre-COVID reports of relationship satisfaction and attachment orientations were used to assess the extent to which partners' supportive/negative behaviors interacted with attachment orientations to predict relationship satisfaction maintenance during the first lockdown in Israel. Results Higher levels of support and lower levels of negative behaviors were associated with greater relationship satisfaction maintenance. Anxiously attached individuals showed greater sensitivity to their partners' support, whereas avoidantly attached individuals manifested lower reactivity to their partners' negative behaviors. Conclusions Perceived partners' supportive and negative behaviors can predict relationship satisfaction during stressful times. However, high attachment anxiety and low attachment avoidance may render individuals more sensitive to such behaviors. Implications The results suggest that during times of stress, it is essential to target partners with attachment insecurity to strengthen their supportive skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Bar‐Shachar
- The Department of PsychologyBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Sagi Lopata
- The Department of PsychologyBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Eran Bar‐Kalifa
- The Department of PsychologyBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
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Balzarini RN, Muise A, Zoppolat G, Di Bartolomeo A, Rodrigues DL, Alonso-Ferres M, Urganci B, Debrot A, Bock Pichayayothin N, Dharma C, Chi P, Karremans JC, Schoebi D, Slatcher RB. Love in the Time of COVID: Perceived Partner Responsiveness Buffers People From Lower Relationship Quality Associated With COVID-Related Stressors. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/19485506221094437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
External stressors can erode relationship quality, though little is known about what can mitigate these effects. We examined whether COVID-related stressors were associated with lower relationship quality, and whether perceived partner responsiveness—the extent to which people believe their partner understands, validates, and cares for them—buffers these effects. When people in relationships reported more COVID-related stressors they reported poorer relationship quality at the onset of the pandemic ( N = 3,593 from 57 countries) and over the subsequent 3 months ( N = 1,125). At the onset of the pandemic, most associations were buffered by perceived partner responsiveness, such that people who perceived their partners to be low in responsiveness reported poorer relationship quality when they experienced COVID-related stressors, but these associations were reduced among people who perceived their partners to be highly responsive. In some cases, these associations were buffered over the ensuing weeks of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhonda N. Balzarini
- Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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14
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Lopata S, Randall AK, Bar-Kalifa E. Emotional Linkage as a Moderator of Emotional Reactivity Effect on Partners' Depressive Symptoms. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1521/jscp.2021.40.6.562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Romantic partners’ emotions show a degree of interdependence, a process that is often described as emotional linkage. The current study sought to test the effects of emotional linkage in emotionally reactive individuals (i.e., those who easily become emotionally aroused and find it hard to regulate their emotions) and their partners. Specifically, we examined the interplay between emotional linkage and reactivity in predicting partners’ depressive symptoms over time. Method: To assess emotional linkage and reactivity, we collected daily diary data from two samples of cohabiting couples (Ncouples=76 and 84 in samples 1 and 2, respectively). Partners’ depressive symptoms were assessed before and after the diary. Results: In dyads with low emotional linkage men's emotional reactivity predicted their greater depressive symptoms in Sample 1, and women's greater depressive symptoms in Sample 2. Discussion: The study's results suggest that dyads’ emotional linkage can moderate the negative effects of men's emotional reactivity on their and their partners’ psychological distress.
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15
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Shrout MR. The health consequences of stress in couples: A review and new integrated Dyadic Biobehavioral Stress Model. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 16:100328. [PMID: 34589814 PMCID: PMC8474672 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite marriage's health benefits, all couples experience stress that can increase morbidity and mortality risks. Marital stress can alter endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune function-key pathways from troubled relationships to poor health. This review discusses how partners "get under each other's skin" to influence psychological, behavioral, and biological health. Then, I offer a comprehensive Dyadic Biobehavioral Stress Model to build on this foundational work and inspire transdisciplinary research integrating psychoneuroimmunological and relational lenses. This conceptual and empirically driven model provides promising new directions to investigate mechanisms linking individuals' relationships behaviors to their own and their partners' health, with particular emphasis on biological pathways. These mechanisms may impact each partner's physical health outcomes, such as disease development, illness severity, and accelerated biological aging. Risk and protective factors across developmental stages and diverse contexts are also discussed to help explain how, and under what conditions, partners influence each other's health. Research applying this model can push the boundaries of our current understanding on dyadic stress its far-reaching health effects on self-report and biological markers across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Rosie Shrout
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
- Center on Aging and the Life Course, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
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16
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Coutinho J, Pereira A, Oliveira-Silva P, Meier D, Lourenço V, Tschacher W. When our hearts beat together: Cardiac synchrony as an entry point to understand dyadic co-regulation in couples. Psychophysiology 2020; 58:e13739. [PMID: 33355941 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The degree to which romantic partners' autonomic responses are coordinated, represented by their pattern of physiological synchrony, seems to capture important aspects of the reciprocal influence and co-regulation between spouses. In this study, we analyzed couple's cardiac synchrony as measured by heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). A sample of 27 couples (N = 54) performed a structured interaction task in the lab where they discussed positive and negative aspects of the relationship. During the interaction, their cardiac measures (HR and HRV) were recorded using the BIOPAC System. Additional assessment, prior to the lab interaction task, included self-report measures of empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index and Interpersonal Reactivity Index for Couples) and relationship satisfaction (Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale). Synchrony computation was based on the windowed cross-correlation of both partner's HR and HRV time series. In order to control for random synchrony, surrogate controls were created using segment-wise shuffling. Our results confirmed the presence of cardiac synchrony during the couple's interaction when compared to surrogate testing. Specifically, we found evidence for negative (antiphase) synchrony of couple's HRV and positive (in-phase) synchrony of HR. Further, both HRV and HR synchronies were associated with several dimensions of self-report data. This study suggests that cardiac synchrony, particularly, the direction of the covariation in the partners' physiological time series, may have an important relational meaning in the context of marital interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Coutinho
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, CIPSI, Psychology School, University of Minho University, Braga, Portugal
| | - Alfredo Pereira
- CIPSI, Psychology School, University of Minho University, Braga, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Oliveira-Silva
- Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory, CEDH-Research Centre for Human Development, Faculdade de Educação e Psicologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal
| | - Deborah Meier
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Vladimiro Lourenço
- CIPSI, Psychology School, University of Minho University, Braga, Portugal
| | - Wolfgang Tschacher
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Lucier-Greer M, Quichocho D, Frye-Cox N, Sherman H, Burke B, Duncan JM. Coping and Mental Health Differences among Active Duty Service Members and Their Spouses with High and Low Levels of Marital Warmth. MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 32:425-431. [PMID: 38536387 PMCID: PMC10187028 DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2020.1803724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between marital warmth (e.g., openly expressing affection, supportive behaviors) and assessments of coping (i.e., challenges coping with military life and self-efficacy in the context of stress) and mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms) in a sample of active duty men and their spouses/romantic partners (N = 234 military couples). Results from a series of multivariate analysis of variance tests indicate that service members and spouses who reported higher levels of marital warmth also reported better coping skills and mental health compared to individuals in couple relationships that demonstrated lower levels of marital warmth. Intervention and prevention implications targeting social support and marital warmth are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Davina Quichocho
- Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
| | - Nicky Frye-Cox
- Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
| | - Haley Sherman
- Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
| | - Benjamin Burke
- Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
| | - James M. Duncan
- Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas
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18
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The potential role of cortisol as a biomarker of physiological interdependence in romantic couples: A systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 121:104834. [PMID: 32919209 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Significant evidence supports the link between relationships and health including the potential for interpartner regulation of intrapersonal physical and mental homeostasis. Physiological interdependence is proposed as a term to summarize the adaptive process in which partners demonstrate physiological contagion that evolves with repetition to create a new homeostatic state regulating individual physiological functioning. Through a systematic review consistent with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P), the present study reviewed the literature examining the interdependent role of diurnal cortisol with romantic couples. The literature search yielded thirteen articles that included statistical modeling testing interdependence between partners in a couple and at the individual level. Five themes emerged from the literature including cortisol synchrony, cortisol and health, cortisol and emotions, cortisol and internal relationship factors, and cortisol and factors external to the romantic relationship. Findings suggest a potential for romantic partners to regulate one another's emotional and physiological states, but this process may not be present in both partners. More research is needed to substantiate a regulatory role as the current literature supports correlations.
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19
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Tissera H, Auger E, Séguin L, Kramer MS, Lydon JE. Happy prenatal relationships, healthy postpartum mothers: a prospective study of relationship satisfaction, postpartum stress, and health. Psychol Health 2020; 36:461-477. [PMID: 32449394 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2020.1766040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Major life transitions, such as the arrival of a new baby, can be stressful, and therefore, costly to one's health. Being in a satisfying romantic relationship has been previously linked with better health, perhaps because it provides access to a bank of psychosocial resources. The objective of the present research was two-fold. First, we examined whether prenatal relationship satisfaction benefitted mothers' postpartum health. Second, we examined whether this association was mediated by reduced postpartum stress. Design: Pregnant women (N = 431) were drawn from a larger prospective pregnancy and birth cohort study. Main Outcome Measures: Participants reported on their relationship satisfaction, perceived stress, and perceived health at two time points: 24-26 weeks of gestation and 6 months postpartum. Results: Greater prenatal romantic satisfaction predicted enhanced perceived postpartum health, and reduced perceived postpartum stress appeared to mediate this link. Conclusion: This research demonstrates that greater prenatal relationship satisfaction is associated with better postpartum health and provides evidence for one potential mechanism for this link: the reduction of perceived postpartum stress. Thus, assessments of women's prenatal relationship satisfaction may help identify those who are at higher risk of experiencing poor postpartum health. Implications for interventions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emilie Auger
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Louise Séguin
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michael S Kramer
- Departments of Pediatrics and of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - John E Lydon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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20
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Emotion, Social Relationships, and Physical Health: Concepts, Methods, and Evidence for an Integrative Perspective. Psychosom Med 2019; 81:681-693. [PMID: 31415000 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Emotional characteristics and processes are robust predictors of the development and course of major medical illnesses and premature mortality, as are a variety of indicators of the presence and quality of personal relationships. Despite clear evidence of close interconnection between these two domains of risk and protection, affective characteristics and relationships have largely been studied separately as influences on health. After a recent conference on integrative perspectives on emotions, relationships and health co-sponsored by the American Psychosomatic Society and the Society for Affective Science, the present review builds on prior calls for integration, related theory, and current research to outline what is known about the interconnection of these domains as it specifically relates to their overlapping influences on health. Areas of interest include the following: their interconnected roles over the course of development, which may inform current efforts to understand the influence of early life events on adult health; the parallel positive and negative factors in both domains that could have distinct influences on health; the role of emotion regulation in relationship contexts; and measurement, design, and analysis approaches to capture the dyadic and dynamic aspects of these interconnected influences on health. We conclude with a discussion of an emerging research agenda that includes the following: common biological foundations of affective and relationship processes, the cultural embeddedness of affective and relationship processes, the potential contribution of affective-relational processes to health disparities, and implications for intervention research.
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21
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Salimi H, Javdan M, Zarei E, Najarpourian S. The Health of Marital Relationship in the Light of Factors Affecting the Stability and Satisfaction of the Relationship: A Review Study. JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY HEALTH 2019. [DOI: 10.29252/jech.6.3.183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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22
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Sbarra DA, Briskin JL, Slatcher RB. Smartphones and Close Relationships: The Case for an Evolutionary Mismatch. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2019; 14:596-618. [DOI: 10.1177/1745691619826535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
This article introduces and outlines the case for an evolutionary mismatch between smartphones and the social behaviors that help form and maintain close social relationships. As psychological adaptations that enhance human survival and inclusive fitness, self-disclosure and responsiveness evolved in the context of small kin networks to facilitate social bonds, promote trust, and enhance cooperation. These adaptations are central to the development of attachment bonds, and attachment theory is a middle-level evolutionary theory that provides a robust account of the ways human bonding provides for reproductive and inclusive fitness. Evolutionary mismatches operate when modern contexts cue ancestral adaptations in a manner that does not provide for their adaptive benefits. We argue that smartphones and their affordances, although highly beneficial in many circumstances, cue humans’ evolved needs for self-disclosure and responsiveness across broad virtual networks and, in turn, have the potential to undermine immediate interpersonal interactions. We review emerging evidence on the topic of technoference, which is defined as the ways in which smartphone use may interfere with or intrude into everyday social interactions. The article concludes with an empirical agenda for advancing the integrative study of smartphones, intimacy processes, and close relationships.
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23
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Rentscher KE. Communal Coping in Couples With Health Problems. Front Psychol 2019; 10:398. [PMID: 30894824 PMCID: PMC6414458 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior to the 1990s, the predominant view of stress and coping defined stress as occurring when an individual perceives a situation as a challenge, threat, or loss and evaluates her capacity to respond based on her available resources. As an expansion of this intrapersonal perspective, the last 20 years have seen the emergence of two prominent interpersonal perspectives on stress and coping that account for the importance of social relationships in the coping process: the Systemic Transactional Model (STM) of dyadic coping and communal coping. In this article, I outline these two perspectives and highlight their points of convergence and divergence. I propose that one difference between the models is that communal coping involves an explicit focus on a communal or shared appraisal process, in which relationship partners view a problem or stressor as “ours” rather than “yours” or “mine.” I review existing methods for assessing communal coping (e.g., self-report, language use, behavioral observation) across laboratory, intervention, and real-world settings and summarize empirical evidence for the prognostic significance of communal coping for relationship and health functioning. I propose the utility of incorporating measurement of shared appraisal into future research on dyadic coping with stress, because of its potential to impact health through its influence on primary and secondary stress appraisal processes and physiological stress response systems. Finally, I outline biological and behavioral pathways through which communal coping may influence health as directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E Rentscher
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Stanton SCE, Selcuk E, Farrell AK, Slatcher RB, Ong AD. Perceived Partner Responsiveness, Daily Negative Affect Reactivity, and All-Cause Mortality: A 20-Year Longitudinal Study. Psychosom Med 2019; 81:7-15. [PMID: 29916964 PMCID: PMC6298854 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study tested longitudinal associations between absolute levels of perceived partner responsiveness (PPR; how much people perceive that their romantic partners understand, care for, and appreciate them), daily negative affect reactivity and positive affect reactivity, and all-cause mortality in a sample of 1,208 adults for three waves of data collection spanning 20 years. We also tested whether longitudinal changes in PPR predicted mortality via affect reactivity. METHODS Data were taken from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States. PPR was assessed at waves 1 and 2, affect reactivity to stressors was assessed by daily diary reports at wave 2, and mortality status was obtained at wave 3. RESULTS Mediation analyses revealed absolute levels of PPR at wave 1 predicted wave 3 mortality via wave 2 affective reactivity in the predicted direction, but this did not remain robust when statistically accounting for covariates (e.g., marital risk, neuroticism), β = .004, 95% confidence interval = -.03 to .04. However, wave 1-2 PPR change predicted negative affect (but not positive affect) reactivity to daily stressors at wave 2, which then predicted mortality risk a decade later (wave 3); these results held when adjusting for relevant demographic, health, and psychosocial covariates, β = -.04, 95% confidence interval = -.09 to -.002. CONCLUSIONS These findings are among the first to provide direct evidence of psychological mechanisms underlying the links between intimate relationships and mortality and have implications for research aiming to develop interventions that increase or maintain responsiveness in relationships over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C E Stanton
- From the Department of Psychology (Stanton), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology (Selcuk), Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Psychology (Farrell, Slatcher) and Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics (Farrell), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan; Department of Human Development (Ong), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; and Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine (Ong), Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research in psychosomatic medicine includes a long history of studying how responses to anger-provoking situations are associated with health. In the context of a marriage, spouses may differ in their anger-coping response style. Where one person may express anger in response to unfair, aggressive interpersonal interactions, his/her partner may instead suppress anger. Discordant response styles within couples may lead to increased relational conflict, which, in turn, may undermine long-term health. The current study sought to examine the association between spouses' anger-coping response styles and mortality status 32 years later. METHODS The present study used data from a subsample of married couples (N = 192) drawn from the Life Change Event Study to create an actor-partner interdependence model. RESULTS Neither husbands' nor wives' response styles predicted their own or their partners' mortality. Wives' anger-coping response style, however, significantly moderated the association of husbands' response style on mortality risk 32 years later, β = -0.18, -0.35 to -0.01, p = .039. Similarly, husbands' response style significantly moderated the association of wives' response style and their later mortality, β = -0.24, -0.38 to -0.10, p < .001. These effects were such that the greater the mismatch between spouses' anger-coping response style, the greater the risk of early death. CONCLUSIONS For a three-decade follow-up, husbands and wives were at greater risk of early death when their anger-coping response styles differed. Degree of mismatch between spouses' response styles may be an important long-term predictor of spouses' early mortality risk.
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Farrell AK, Imami L, Stanton SC, Slatcher RB. Affective processes as mediators of links between close relationships and physical health. SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY COMPASS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/spc3.12408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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27
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Communal motivation in couples coping with vulvodynia: Sexual distress mediates associations with pain, depression, and anxiety. J Psychosom Res 2018; 106:34-40. [PMID: 29455897 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the role of a novel motivational perspective-sexual communal motivation-in women's pain during intercourse and both partners' distress in couples coping with vulvodynia, a prevalent gynecological pain condition. Our goal was to test whether sexual communal strength (i.e., motivation to meet a partner's sexual needs) and unmitigated sexual communion (i.e., prioritization of a partner's sexual needs in neglect of one's own needs) were indirectly associated with pain, depression, and anxiety via sexual distress. METHODS Couples (N=101) completed daily surveys about their sexual communal motivation, sexual distress, anxiety, depression, and women reported on their pain during intercourse. Using multilevel modeling, we examined how daily fluctuations in sexual communal motivation were directly and indirectly (via sexual distress) associated with pain and psychological distress. RESULTS On days when women with vulvodynia reported higher sexual communal strength, they reported less pain and anxiety, and on days when they reported higher unmitigated sexual communion, they reported more pain, more anxiety, and both partners reported more depressive symptoms. Daily associations between women's unmitigated sexual communion and greater pain, depression and anxiety were mediated by sexual distress. CONCLUSIONS Being motivated to meet a partner's sexual needs was associated with less pain and anxiety for women with vulvodynia, but when this motivation excluded a focus on one's own needs, there were detrimental consequences for women's pain and both partners' depressive symptoms. Interventions for improving women's pain and the psychological well-being of affected couples should target motivational factors and sexual distress.
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Abstract
High-quality social relationships predict a range of positive health outcomes, but no broadly accepted theory can explain the mechanisms of action in this area. The central argument of this article is that affective science can provide keys for integrating the diverse array of theoretical models concerning relationships and health. From nine prominent theories, we cull four components of relational affect that link social resources to health-related outcomes. This component model holds promise for integrating research from the different theoretical perspectives and for generating new, mechanistic questions about the connection between relationships and health. The article closes by outlining three empirical study ideas that illustrate ways in which the different components can be studied together in the context of mechanism-focused research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James A. Coan
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, USA
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29
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Easazadeh A. The Predictive Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies in Marital Satisfaction and Job Burnout among Nurses. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.29252/ijn.29.102.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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