Relationship status moderates sexual prejudice directed toward lesbian women but not gay men

To determine whether relationship status moderates sexual prejudice, we compared heterosexual men and women's self-reported social distancing toward gay and lesbian targets who varied in relationship status (coupled, single, no information). Relationship status of gay male targets did not affect responses (Study 1): heterosexual men reported increased social distancing toward gay compared to heterosexual male targets, whereas women did not. Similarly, in Study 2, heterosexual men reported increased social distancing toward lesbian compared to heterosexual female targets, but women did not, and men reported decreased social distancing toward single lesbian women. Working from an affordance management approach, Study 3 replicated Studies 1 and 2, testing potential mediators of effects. In particular, heterosexual men reported increased social distancing toward gay male targets, compared to responses from heterosexual women. Moreover, heterosexual women reported increased social distancing toward single, compared to coupled, lesbian targets, mediated through perceptions of undesired sexual interest from the target. This work demonstrates the nuanced nature of sexual prejudice and provides further evidence of the role of perceptions of undesired sexual interest in prejudiced responses toward lesbian and gay individuals.

Reflective Functioning and Financial Exploitation Vulnerability in Older Adults: The Importance of Significant Others

OBJECTIVES

Financial exploitation of older adults results in devastating economic, social, and psychological losses to older adults, their families, and society at large. This study examined the relationship between reflective functioning and financial exploitation vulnerability (FEV) and whether relationship status moderated the association.

METHODS

A community-based sample of 156 Israeli older adults age 60 and over responded to demographic questions and questionnaires assessing reflective functioning and FEV.

RESULTS

A hierarchical linear regression analysis covarying for age, sex, education, income, and sum of illnesses, revealed that higher reflective functioning was associated with lower FEV (p = .011). A main effect of relationship status was not found, but a significant interaction of reflective functioning × relationship status was discovered (p = .008), adding 4.2% to the total variance of the model. Probing the interaction revealed that the reflective functioning-FEV association was significant only for older adults not in a relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that low reflective functioning may be associated with increased risk of financial exploitation, specifically in certain populations of older adults.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Care providers of older adults may consider assessing for, and identifying older adults with low reflective functioning, in order to prevent or intervene in the event of a potentially exploitative situation.

The impact of relationship status on IVF patients' quality of life

Infertility treatments are emotionally taxing and include invasive and time-consuming procedures over extended periods of time. In light of the growing numbers of single mothers by choice, the objective of this study was to apply the Conservation of Resources Theory in the context of infertility care and examine whether relationship status constitutes a psychological resource that buffers the decline in quality of life during IVF treatments. We used the FertiQol questionnaire to compare the quality of life of IVF patients between 422 patients who are involved in a couple relationship ("attached") and 117 patients who are not ("unattached"). Results show that the total FertiQol was significantly higher among the attached participants; the Core FertiQol and the Treatment FertiQol were rated higher by the "attached." No significant differences were found between the attached and unattached for the Emotional and Social subscales. "unattached" participants report significantly lower levels of quality of life in the "mind-body" and "treatment tolerability" subscales than the "attached" participants. It is concluded that being involved in a long-term couple relationship is to be seen as a resource that buffers the decline in quality of life of infertile women undergoing IVF treatments.

Impact of relationship status on psychological parameters in adults with congenital heart disease

Objective

Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is a growing disease entity, posing questions concerning psychosocial outcomes across the lifespan. Spousal relationships were shown to benefit cardiovascular and mental health in the general population. We assessed the association of relationship status with anxiety and depression in ACHD patients and determined whether patients considered disease-related concerns potential mediators of relationship problems.

Methods

N = 390 ACHD patients were included. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess relationship status, ACHD-related relationship problems, socio-demographic variables, and depression and anxiety scores. Further, clinical parameters concerning the heart condition were determined.

Results

N = 278 (71%) patients were currently in a relationship, while N = 112 (29%) were not in a relationship. Groups did not significantly differ regarding age, sex, and cardiovascular parameters. Two-way MANCOVA with relationship status and sex as independent variables, controlling for age, NYHA class, and NT-proBNP, showed an association of relationship status with depression, while sex was associated with anxiety. N = 97 (25%) patients reported disease-related adverse effects on a current or prior relationship. In detail, worries about body image (N = 57, 61%), own fears (N = 51, 54%), problems arising from wish to have children (N = 33, 35%), fears regarding a joint future (N = 29, 31%), partner's fears or lack of understanding (N = 28, 30%), and sexual problems (N = 21, 22%) were cited.

Conclusion

Relationships status was associated with depression, while sex was associated with anxiety in ACHD patients. Relationship status as well as potential relationship problems, and the importance of social support for mental and physical well-being, should be considered when treating ACHD patients.

Pet ownership and mental health in United States adults during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with declines in mental health and increased interest in pet ownership. We aimed to extend past theories and research linking pet ownership and mental health by investigating whether pet ownership was associated with mental health during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of American adults. We also tested whether the association of pet ownership and mental health was moderated by relationship status. Participants were 2,906 American adults who were recruited for an online survey study between May 2020 and May 2021. Pet ownership was assessed via dichotomous self-report (yes/no) and mental health was assessed using a 13-item questionnaire. The sample was 69.2% female with an average age of 46.0 years. 36.1% of the sample owned a pet and 68.5% of the sample was currently partnered. There was no overall association of pet ownership and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic (estimated mean difference (EMD) = 0.35, 95CI = -0.10, 0.80, p = 0.12). However, we found evidence for an association that was moderated by relationship status. Pet ownership was associated with better mental health among partnered individuals (EMD = 0.76, 95CI = 0.21, 1.30, p = 0.006). There was no association of pet ownership and mental health among unpartnered individuals (EMD = -0.41, 95CI = -1.20, 0.37, p = 0.30). Our findings suggest that relationship status may represent a critical moderator of the link between pet ownership and mental health. Future studies are needed to identify specific mechanisms of pet ownership that could explain its varied impact on the mental health of partnered and unpartnered individuals.

Touch Avoidance with Close People and Strangers: Effects of Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Relationship Status

Human contact through physical touch is a core element in social bonding, which facilitates psychosocial well-being. Touch avoidance is an individual disposition that may prevent individuals from engaging in or benefiting from physical touch. The present study recruited 450 Italian participants (51.1% female) with a mean age of 32.2 ± 13.5 to complete a battery of demographic questionnaires and the Touch Avoidance Questionnaire (TAQ). Individuals who were single and reporting same-sex attraction avoided touch with family more often than their coupled counterparts or those reporting opposite-sex attraction. Moreover, males reporting same-sex attraction avoided touch with a potential partner more frequently. When comparing sex differences, women reported greater touch avoidance with opposite-sex friends more frequently, while males avoided touch with same-sex friends more frequently. Individuals reporting opposite-sex attraction reported greater touch amongst same-sex friends. Single males avoided touch with same-sex friends more frequently than those in a relationship. Overall, this contribution reflects the individual differences related to social touch avoidance with respect to sex, relationship status, and sexual orientation in an Italian sample.

The Sexual Self as a Function of Relationship Status in an Emerging Adult Sample

A sample of emerging adult university students completed a survey with the goal of investigating components of "the sexual self" and how these constructs were influenced by romantic relationship status. Three general aspects of the sexual self were considered: sexual self-concept, comfort with sexuality, and past sexual behavior. Sexual self-concept was defined as composed of constructs such as sexual self-schema, self-efficacy, consciousness, optimism, problem self-blame, power/other control, and motivation to avoid risky sex. Sexual comfort, conceptualized as a personality disposition of erotophobia-erotophilia, was assessed using three instruments. This included the Sexual Opinion Survey, the original individual difference measure of erotophobia-erotophilia. Past sexual behavior was assessed with the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory. Findings suggested that individuals in a relationship had more positive sexual self-concepts and were more erotophilic and comfortable with sexuality generally. These differences were modest, based on effect size statistics. Past sexual experience also differed, contingent on relationship status. Some sexual self-concept scales were predictive of sexual satisfaction, while comfort with sexuality was predictive of relational satisfaction. Romantic relationships may have important implications for sexual selfhood, but this is a tentative suggestion, as this was a correlational study and the relationships are likely bidirectional.

Relationship Status-Based Health Disparities during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Previous research finds that marriage is a privileged family form with health benefits. These health advantages may have shifted during the pandemic, as more time was spent at home and resources strained. This study compares differences in three health outcomes across relationship statuses between April and December 2020 using a nationally-representative US survey, the Household Pulse Survey (N = 1,422,733). As the pandemic progressed, larger differences emerged when comparing married and never married respondents' probabilities of fair or poor health, depression, and anxiety as never married people had the steepest decline in health, even adjusting for pandemic-related stressors (e.g., food insufficiency). Yet, widowed and divorced/separated respondents' greater probabilities of these three health outcomes compared to married respondents' narrowed over this same period. During the pandemic, relationship status and self-rated health patterns were similar for men and women, but for mental health there was evidence that the growing advantage of marriage relative to never being married was more pronounced for men, whereas the shrinking advantage of marriage relative to being previously married was more pronounced for women. This study identifies the unique health needs for never married adults during the pandemic, demonstrating that social conditions around the pandemic likely exacerbated health disparities by relationship status.

Validation of the Alcohol-Related Sexual Consequences Scale in Swedish University Students

BACKGROUND

Alcohol-related sexual consequences are common in college students. A newly developed 41-item Alcohol-Related Sexual Consequences Scale has recently been evaluated in at-risk young adults in the U.S. The current study aims to validate the Scale in Swedish college students.

METHODS

The occurrence of alcohol-related sexual consequences was assessed by birth gender, relationship status, gender identity/sexual orientation, and age. Negative binomial regression was used to assess convergent and divergent validity.

RESULTS

On average, 5.4 (SD 5.1) alcohol-related sexual consequences were experienced past three months. Greater scores were reported in singles, LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning), and younger students. All sex-related covariates showed robust associations with alcohol-related sexual consequences while most alcohol-related covariates were not associated (e.g., convergent validity). All alcohol-related covariates showed robust associations with alcohol consequences while most sex-related covariates were not associated (e.g., divergent validity). In the full model predicting alcohol-related sexual consequences, being a woman, single, and younger were identified as independent predictors.

CONCLUSIONS

This newly developed scale assessing alcohol-related sexual consequences could be used in both epidemiological studies and intervention studies targeting at-risk students.

Do married and/or cohabiting individuals fare better during the COVID-19 pandemic? Satisfaction with life and depression among adult twins in the United States

Due to social distancing measures implemented to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals are spending more time isolated at home with limited physical social interactions. The current study investigated whether marriage and/or cohabitation is associated with satisfaction with life and depression among 732 adult same-sex twin pairs (monozygotic and dizygotic) in the US using online survey data. Twin analysis showed that married and/or cohabiting individuals were more satisfied with life and less depressed than those not married and/or cohabiting. The association between marriage and/or cohabiting and satisfaction with life was not confounded by between-family factors, whereas that between depression was mediated by familial factors. These findings suggest that being in a close relationship may mitigate some of the adverse consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Close relationships may be an essential source of support as individuals rely on their intimate partners when faced with the uncertainty and stress of the pandemic.

Coping profiles of family caregivers of people with schizophrenia: differentiations between parent and sibling caregivers

BACKGROUND

Prior research on informal caregivers of people with schizophrenia (PWS) has primarily focused on parental caregivers. However, siblings also play an important role in the recovery process of PWS.

AIMS

The aim of this study is to compare the coping profiles of family caregivers according to whether they are siblings or parents of the PWS.

METHOD

Parent and sibling caregivers (N = 181) completed the Family Coping Questionnaire (FCQ), which assessed their coping strategies.

RESULTS

The results reveal that parents and siblings do not use the same coping strategies and styles. Three coping profiles were identified depending on the caregiver's relationship with the PWS. Most parents displayed an undifferentiated profile (96.7%), while siblings were more heterogeneously distributed among the undifferentiated profile (58.3%), problem-focused profile (37.5%), and emotion and social support-focused profile (4.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the coping capacities of family caregivers to deal with the illness of their sibling or child with schizophrenia are diverse and that it is important to differentiate among them. This would enable these caregivers to benefit from support that could be tailored to their specific needs.

Correlated Change in Sense of Purpose and Romantic Relationship Quality

Sense of purpose, or feeling that that one has personally meaningful goals and directions guiding them through life, consistently predicts a variety of desirable well-being, health, and social outcomes. However, work has been limited with respect to evaluating it as a predictor and promoter of romantic relationships, or how purpose may develop in these contexts. For instance, healthy romantic relationships could also help individuals develop and maintain a higher sense of purpose. With cross-sectional evidence finding positive associations between sense of purpose and romantic relationship commitment and satisfaction, the current study expanded on past work by using longitudinal data with three months between two measurement occasions (Time 1: N = 2243; Time 2: N = 1284) to evaluate whether sense of purpose predicted relationship status over time and how changes in relationship quality and sense of purpose were associated. Results showed that greater sense of purpose predicted maintaining a romantic relationship, but did not predict later romantic relationship quality, while higher romantic relationship quality predicted an increase in sense of purpose. Findings are discussed regarding why people with a higher sense of purpose may be more likely to stay in relationships as well as the role that positive romantic relationships may play in helping maintain a higher sense of purpose.

Associations of Work-Family Conflict with Family-Specific, Work-Specific, and Well-Being-Related Variables in a Sample of Polish and Ukrainian Adults during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

The conflict between work and family demands increased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to changes in lifestyle related to the lockdown. This study examines the associations between work-family conflict (WFC) and family-work conflict (FWC) with work-specific, family-specific, and well-being-related variables during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results may be used in practice to improve the well-being of employees by adjusting home-based work and family areas of life to dynamic changes during the pandemic. The sample of 736 adults from Poland (53.26%) and Ukraine (46.74%), aged between 19 and 72 (M = 39.40; SD = 10.80), participated in the study. The cross-sectional study was performed using an online survey, including sociodemographic variables, measures of WFC, time pressure, remote work assessment (RWAS), physical health (GSRH), life satisfaction (SWLS), perceived stress (PSS-10), anxiety (GAD-7), and depression (PHQ-9). This study showed numerous inter-group differences in all variables across the country, gender, relationship status, parenthood, caring for children under 12, and remote working status. A high WFC is more likely among Polish workers (than Ukrainian workers), people with a low level of self-perceived time pressure, and high symptoms of stress. Caring for children under 12, low self-perceived time pressure, and high stress can predict FWC. Various paths lead from perceived stress via WFC and FWC, physical health, anxiety, and depression to life satisfaction, as suggested by the structural equation modeling analysis. Parents of children under 12 and women are the most vulnerable groups for increased WFC, FWC, and worse mental health and well-being. Prevention programs should focus on reducing stress, anxiety, and work demands in these adult populations. A unique contribution to the existing knowledge revealed patterns of associations between WFC and FWC in relation to well-being dimensions in a cross-cultural context during the pandemic.

The Impact of Marital Status and Race in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

OBJECTIVES

To examine the difference in survival of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on marital status and race.

METHODS

A single academic institution with data collection from 2005 to 2015. Patients with a diagnosis of OSA based on polysomnogram were abstracted from electronic medical records. Patients were classified as "married" or "unmarried." Race was self-reported as White, Black, Asian American, Hispanic/Latinx, Middle Eastern descent, or unrecorded and gathered from the electronic medical record.

RESULTS

There were 6200 adults included. Of these, married patients composed 62.7% (n = 3890) of the patients. Patients were 51.3% White (n = 3182), 39.8% (n = 2467) were Black, and 8.9% (n = 551) were other/unrecorded. Married patients had better survival probabilities (p < .0001). Unmarried patients had 2.72 times the risk of death than those who were married (95% CI 1.78-4.20) when examining OSA survival. When examining survival of those on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) between married and unmarried patients, those who were unmarried had 2.00 (95% CI 1.58-2.54) times the risk of death than those who were married. Married Black patients demonstrated the best survival probabilities, followed by married White patients (p < .0001). Married patients had lower mean sleep efficiency than those that were unmarried (76.2% and 77.2%, respectively; p = .019).

CONCLUSION

Married patients with OSA had increased survival compared to their single counterparts. Married Black patients had the highest survival.

A Path Model for Subjective Well-Being during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study among Polish and Ukrainian University Students

Background: Previous studies showed several associations between physical and mental health dimensions and well-being. This study aims to examine a complex path model explaining the life satisfaction of university students from Poland and Ukraine during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The cross-sectional web-based study was performed in November 2020 using Google Forms. The conventional sample of 3230 university students from Poland (n = 1581) and Ukraine (n = 1649), aged 18–59 (M = 21.40, SD = 3.46), with 59% women, participated in the study. We used standardized questionnaires to measure life satisfaction (SWLS), self-reported physical health (GSRH), perceived stress (PSS-10), coronavirus-related PTSD (PCL-S), anxiety (GAD-7), and depression (PHQ-9). We also developed some questions to assess the exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic, positive effects of the pandemic, religiosity, and physical activity (PA). Results: We found a high prevalence of stress, coronavirus-related PTSD, anxiety, and depression and a low level of life satisfaction and physical health. Polish students, women, and those with insufficient PA levels reported worse physical and mental health than Ukrainians, men, and those who exercised sufficiently during the pandemic. Low perceived stress can directly predict life satisfaction, anxiety, and depression. Low stress also leads to better physical health, sufficient PA levels, high religiosity, and more perceived positive effects of the pandemic. Several indirect effects between particular variables and life satisfaction were also found in the path model. Conclusions: The target group for campus prevention programs is Polish university students, women, and people with insufficient PA levels. Intervention and prevention programs should focus on coping strategies and techniques for improving mental and physical health.

Social constraints and cancer-related quality of life in single and partnered young adult testicular cancer survivors: a contextual approach

To examine the context of relationship status on the link between friends/family social constraints (SC_ff) and cancer-related quality-of-life (QOL) among young adult testicular cancer survivors.

Participants completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (general version), the Social Constraints Scale (friends/family), and demographic questions.

The sample included 162 young adult testicular cancer survivors.

SC_ff, but not relationship status, significantly predicted QOL when controlling for age, time since diagnosis, education, and income. The SC_ff X relationship status interaction was significant such that SC_ff were more strongly related to lower QOL for single survivors than for partnered survivors.

Focusing on friends and family support of young adult survivors, findings highlight the vulnerability of single survivors to social constraints within their diffuse social network. Interventions that target supportive exchanges in friends and family networks may be useful in improving QOL in single young adult cancer survivors.

COVID-19-Related Mental Health Burdens: Impact of Educational Level and Relationship Status Among Low-Income Earners of Western Uganda

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health with the level of education, relationship status, and awareness on mental health among low-income earners in Western Uganda.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out among 253 participants. Anxiety, anger, and depression were assessed using a modified generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), Spielberger's State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2, and Beck Depression Inventory item tools, respectively.

Results: The majority of our respondents were male (n = 150/253, 59.3), had a secondary level of education (104/253, 41.1), and were single (137/253, 54.2). No formal education and primary education (r² = 47.4% and 6.4%, respectively) had a negative correlation with awareness of mental health care. In addition, no formal education had a positive correlation with anger and depression (r² = 1.9% and 0.3%, respectively). Singleness in this study had a negative correlation with awareness of mental health care, anger, and depression (r² = 1.9, 0.8, and 0.3%, respectively), and a positive correlation with anxiety (r² = 3.9%).

Conclusion: It is evident that education and relationship status influenced awareness on mental health care and mental health state among low-income earners in Western Uganda during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Therefore, policymakers should strengthen social transformation through the proper engagement of low-income earners in this COVID-19 era.

Alcohol Use and Risk Factors for Sexual Aggression: Differences According to Relationship Status

The present study examined the ways alcohol use and risk factors for sexual assault perpetration vary by relationship status. Participants included 242 college men (age = 18-22 years) from a northeastern university who identified as being single or in a casual or committed dating relationship with a female partner. ANCOVAs and paired t tests compared individuals who were single, casually dating, and in committed relationships on self-reported alcohol use during sexual situations, beliefs about sexual communication, behavior associated with sexual aggression, and peer approval of sexual aggression. Differences in alcohol use during sexual situations and behavior associated with sexual aggression according to relationship status emerged. Post hoc analyses examining whether alcohol use during sexual situations moderated significant associations between relationship status and behavior associated with sexual aggression suggested that men in committed relationships who endorsed more frequent alcohol use during sexual situations also endorsed more behavior associated with sexual aggression. Findings suggest that individuals in committed relationships who often use alcohol during sexual situations may be at increased risk of sexually aggressive behavior.

Differentiating Characteristics of Intimate Partner Violence: Do Relationship Status, State, and Duration Matter?

A growing body of literature has been devoted to analyzing the relationship status and state between victim and perpetrator to understand the dynamics of intimate partner violence (IPV). Prior research revealed that IPV was more frequent and severe in cohabiting and estranged relationships relative to marital/dating and intact relationships, respectively. Violence in cohabiting unions, however, has declined in recent years potentially due to the increasing popularity of such unions and their growing similarity to legal marriages. The use of relationship duration as a focal variable in analyzing the characteristics of IPV incidents, however, has received inadequate attention within the field. This study addresses this gap and builds upon existing research by exploring whether characteristics of IPV differ depending on the status, state, and duration of relationship by examining IPV cases documented in Crown Attorney files in one Ontario jurisdiction between 2003 and 2009. Through bivariate and multivariate analyses, current findings reveal that IPV involving marital, compared with dating, unions is more severe because of weapon use. Contradictory to previous research, IPV occurring among estranged intimate partners, compared with those in intact unions, is less likely to involve physical injury or weapon use. Finally, situational, in comparison with demographic, characteristics are affected less by the relationship duration between the perpetrator and victim. Several explanations for these findings are discussed along with study limitations and practical implications in terms of preventive measures, and it concludes with areas for future research.

Physical Activity, Loneliness, and Meaning of Friendship in Young Individuals - A Mixed-Methods Investigation Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Three Cross-Sectional Studies

Meaningful social interactions and regular physical activity are inversely associated with loneliness. Using a mixed-methods research design employing quantitative and qualitative research approaches, this research aimed to explore loneliness, physical activity, friendship, and experiences relating to the COVID-19 pandemic both prior to and during the pandemic. Quantitative data of (1) n = 363 first-year university students assessed in 2018/2019 and of (2) n = 175 individuals aged 18-29 years assessed in 2020 were gathered using independent self-administered online surveys. In addition, (3) n = 4 students were recruited for semi-structured, qualitative interviews in 2020 during the onset phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Correlation and regression analyses as well as analyses of variance were conducted. Thematic analysis as a qualitative method was used to explore the role physical activity, friendship, and social interactions played in loneliness, particularly in times of social isolation and social distancing. Results revealed associations of varying strength between physical activity and loneliness in 2018/2019 (r = -0.09, p ≤ 0.05) and 2020 (r = -0.20, p < 0.01). In 2020, n = 73 (41.7%) participants felt that their loneliness had increased since the COVID-19 social and physical distancing guidelines were introduced, but this was not associated with a perceived change in physical activity (r = -0.05, p > 0.05). Analyses of qualitative data revealed three main themes: (1) the lack of deep friendships at university, (2) the positive perceived impact of team sports on feelings of loneliness, and (3) the need for real connection in times of crisis. Thus, with regard to feelings of loneliness during the pandemic, being physically active seems to be a small but potentially relevant factor among young individuals. The qualitative study suggests that first-year university students might buffer the lack of deep friendships and meaningful interactions by building social bonds in team sports. In times of physical distancing, young individuals vulnerable to loneliness may therefore require special support such as doing sports with physical distance and perceiving connected with their team for instance by digital devices and emotional coping.

"Growing up and growing old with HIV": HIV+ adolescents' experiences of disclosing statuses to romantic partners in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

This article explores the experiences of HIV-positive adolescents disclosing their status to romantic partners in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Disclosure of HIV status continues to be one of the most pressing issues facing adolescents, especially those in relationships, yet health care workers have minimal tailored guidance on how to approach this except to encourage full disclosure. Motives for disclosure were: guilty conscience; legal and ethical obligations; preventing partners being infected; and supportive people, honesty and trust. Disclosure was done on a one-on-one basis in public spaces such as roadsides where the adolescents usually met, or in health care facilities through the help of health care workers, and through mobile phones using WhatsApp. Results revealed that disclosure was associated with negative and positive outcomes ranging from disruption of relationships, depression, breaches of confidential information and, in some instances, relationship and marriage assurance. However, results clearly showed that adolescents living with HIV struggle with disclosure because the process is complex and loaded with emotions and the outcomes can be unpredictable and difficult to handle. Optimism towards treatment, social support, rationalisation, and social comparison through attributing new meanings to the disease were employed to deal with negative outcomes of disclosure. Therefore, the development and implementation of evidence-based initiatives to raise awareness and train the youth to disclose is recommended. Through their experiences, we can learn what works well and what needs to be strengthened.

COVID-19 pandemic: influence of relationship status on stress, anxiety, and depression in Canada

Objective:

To examine the impact of relationship status on levels of stress, anxiety, and depression during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to identify relationship status groups who are at greater risk of mental health difficulties.

Methods:

The sample was drawn from individuals who subscribed to the Text4Hope program, a cognitive behavioral therapy inspired text messaging service developed to support Albertans during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey link was sent to the subscribers to ascertain their relationship status and assess psychopathology using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data analysis was carried out using SPSS-26 for descriptive statistics.

Results:

Within the first 6 weeks of the pandemic, 8267 of 44·992 subscribers responded to the online survey giving a response rate of 19.4%. Mean scores on the PSS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 were highest among those who were single and lowest among those who were widowed. Overall, mean scores on the PHQ-9 were higher in groups who self-identified as separated or divorced when compared with groups who identified as having partners, including the categories of married or cohabiting.

Conclusions:

Relationship status during the COVID-19 pandemic has an influence on the mental health of individuals. Our findings highlight relationship groups at risk of mental health problems during the pandemic and for whom treatments and mitigation should be targeted.

Monogamy as a Barrier to Human Papillomavirus Catch-Up Vaccination

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. Although a vaccine to prevent HPV infection exists, only 53.7% of females 13-17 years of age were up-to-date on the HPV vaccination series in 2018. There is a catch-up period of vaccination for females 18-26 years of age that shows consistent underparticipation. A potential barrier to vaccination is relationship status, as long-term relationships may negatively impact HPV risk perception. This study examined monogamy as a risk factor for nonvaccination and explored how risk perception may influence this association. Materials and Methods: An electronic survey was distributed to females 18-26 years of age who attended a large public university in the mid-Atlantic region (n = 629). Multivariable and descriptive statistics were estimated using SAS 9.4 to explore the likelihood of vaccination during the catch-up period by relationship status. Results: Most participants had received the HPV vaccine, a small proportion of whom received it during the catch-up period. After adjusting for confounders, women who were in monogamous relationships were significantly less likely to have participated in HPV catch-up vaccination compared to women who were single and dating (adjusted odds ratio: 0.36, 95% confidence interval: 0.15, 0.87). Women in monogamous relationships had a lower average sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk perception compared to women who were single and dating (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: A decreased risk perception may present a barrier to participating in catch-up vaccination for monogamous women. Practitioners and the public health community should focus on communicating HPV risk to women in monogamous relationships, especially given the recently expanded age range for HPV vaccination.

A Population-Based Study of Coupling and Physical Activity by Sexual Orientation for Men

Research has suggested that men in relationships are more physically active than men who are single. This study provides a weighted analysis of physical activity by coupling status for men of different sexual orientations. Aggregated data from the United States 2013-2014 National Health Interview Survey were used to conduct multivariate logistic regression analyses. Compared to straight men (n = 29,926), gay men (n = 623) were less likely to be in a relationship (AOR 0.32, CI: 0.25-0.41). Coupled gay men did more physical activity than coupled straight men and were 1.62 (CI: 1.05-2.50) times more likely to be active, 1.67 (CI: 1.10-2.51) times more likely to be high active, 1.89 (CI: 1.24-2.89) times more likely to engage in muscle-strengthening activities, and 2.00 (CI: 1.28-3.11) times more likely to meet aerobic and muscle-strengthening recommendations. Coupling facilitates physical activity for men. However, more research is needed to help explore underlying mechanisms for differences by sexuality.

Singles and Faces: High Recognition for Female Faces in Single Males

A substantial body of research has assessed the effect of gender on face recognition; however, little is known about the effect of relationship status on face recognition. In this study, we assessed for the first time how relationship status impacts face recognition by asking 62 male and female participants to decide whether they had previously encountered faces of males and females. Participants were also asked to fill a socio-demographic variables questionnaire which included, among other information, question about their relationship status (i.e., single vs. in a relationship). A significant effect of relationship status on face recognition was observed only in males; namely, single males demonstrated higher face recognition than males in relationships, whereas similar face recognition was observed in single and in-relationship females. More specifically, single males demonstrated higher recognition for female than for male faces, whereas no differences were observed in single females, males in relationships, or in females in relationship. Single males seem to be motivated by mating opportunity and, thus, unlike single females or males and females in relationships, devote high attentional resources to processing faces of the opposite gender.  

Women's Body Odor during Ovulation Improves Social Perception in Single Men

Previous research has shown that men's mating motivation may increase following exposure to women's body odor during ovulation. In the current study, we examined whether exposure to women's fertility odor cues influences social perception among men, while focusing on the role of men's relationship status in moderating this reaction. We collected body odor samples from 43 women during ovulation and during the luteal phase and exposed 85 men to these odor samples while they performed an emotion recognition task and an interpersonal perception task. Single men were better at recognizing emotional facial expressions following exposure to odor cues of high fertility as compared with odor cues of low fertility. No such effect was identified in pair-bonded men. In support of this finding, single men became more accurate on the interpersonal perception task following exposure to odor cues of high fertility, while pair-bonded men became less accurate after such exposure. Collectively, the results suggest that exposure to women's fertility odor cues improves social perception among single men, while it impairs such perception among pair-bonded men. We suggest that these effects may result from increased mating motivation following exposure to odor cues of fertility, which in turn encourages accurate social perception among single men while promoting an avoidant attitude toward social stimuli among pair-bonded men.

Immediate Motivators to Seeking Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Among HIV-Negative Adult Men in an Urban Setting in Botswana

Randomized trials have shown that voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) significantly reduces HIV acquisition risk in men. We sought to identify subpopulations of Botswanan men with high levels of VMMC uptake by comparing an observational cohort of men presenting for circumcision services at two high-volume clinics in Botswana's capital city, Gabo-rone, with a matched, population-based random sample of uncircumcised men. Among these high uptake VMMC subpopulations, we then examined the immediate factors that play a role in men's decision to seek VMMC services. As compared to their population-based controls, men choosing to undergo circumcision were more likely to be ages 24-34, more highly educated, to have a religious affiliation, and in a serious relationship. Our results suggest that married men and highly educated men were more likely to pursue circumcision for personal hygiene reasons. These findings have direct implications for targeted demand creation and mobilization activities to increase VMMC uptake in Botswana.

Associations Between Social Connectedness, Emotional Well-Being, and Self-Rated Health Among Older Adults: Difference by Relationship Status

The present study investigates the association between social connectedness (i.e., social network characteristics, family and friend support, and social ties with neighbors), emotional well-being, and self-rated health and whether these associations differ based on respondents' relationship status among adults aged 62 and older. A series of multigroup generalized structural equation models (GSEMs) were conducted using data from the National Social, Health, and Aging Project. Social connectedness items were mostly positively associated with emotional well-being and self-rated health, and several of these associations are stronger for older adults who are unpartnered versus those who are cohabiting or married. Cohabiting and married individuals do not appear to have the same associations between social network size, friend support, and emotional well-being compared to unpartnered older adults. The present study lends support for how a variety of social supports are vital for older adults and their well-being.

Life History, Fertility, and Short-Term Mating Motivation

The current research examines the impact of women's early-life socioeconomic status (SES; used as a proxy measure of life history strategy), relationship status, and ovulatory cycle phase on their desire for short-term mating. Results revealed that during the periovulatory phase (i.e., the high-fertility phase of the monthly ovulatory cycle), single women from low SES environments expressed an increased desire for short-term mating, whereas the opposite was found for single women from high SES environments. No such pattern was found for partnered women. These results suggest that one's early-life environment and relationship status may play a key role in how women respond to internal fertility cues, providing important new insights into factors that may moderate ovulatory shifts in mating behavior. Results provide some of the first evidence that one's developmental history may alter the expression of ovulatory cycle adaptations.

Contraceptive method use among women and its association with age, relationship status and duration: findings from the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3)

BACKGROUND

One in six pregnancies in Britain are unplanned. An understanding of influences on contraceptive method choice is essential to provision compatible with users' lifestyles. This study describes contraceptive method use by age, and relationship status and duration, among women in Britain.

METHODS

Data from women participating in the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles were used to describe contraceptive use grouped as: unreliable method or none; barrier methods; oral/injectable hormonal methods; and long-acting reversible contraception. A total of 4456 women at risk of pregnancy were used to examine associations between contraception use, age, relationship type and duration. Age-stratified odds ratios for contraceptive use by relationship type and duration were estimated using binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

Some 26.0% of 16-49-year-olds used hormonal contraception as their usual method. Use of hormonal and barrier methods was highest in the youngest age group and decreased with age; the reverse was true for use of unreliable methods or none. Barrier method use was higher in short-term relationships among younger participants; this was not seen among older respondents. Duration was more strongly associated with usual contraceptive method than relationship type; this pattern was more marked among younger participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Asking about relationship status and duration may help providers support women's contraceptive use by considering their priorities and preferences at different life stages. Interactions between relationship characteristics, age and contraception are complex, and bear closer scrutiny both in research and in policy and practice.

Salivary Afternoon Cortisol and Relationship Status in Healthy Women with Regular Menstrual Cycles

Although ovarian hormones and social relationships are known to interact with HPA axis regulation, evidence for systematic covariation with basal salivary cortisol levels remains mixed. As part of a larger study, in this analysis we pursued two questions. First, do baseline cortisol concentrations consistently vary across the menstrual cycle? Second, do cortisol levels differ by relationship status? We collected afternoon saliva samples at four points across the menstrual cycle from 14 single and 18 monogamously partnered women, ages 18 to 48, who were not taking hormonal medications. Samples taken in the lab yielded significantly higher cortisol concentrations than samples provided at home; the two were thus considered separately. No significant differences were observed across lab-session (menses vs. ovulation) or at-home (follicular vs. luteal) levels. This finding converges with studies of awakening salivary, urinary, and plasma cortisol, which suggest that, in healthy women, menstrual schedules do not affect systematic shifts in basal cortisol. Contrary to expectations, single and partnered women did not differ in overall cortisol levels. Future research would benefit from examining potential links between cortisol, relationship status, and sexual activity.

Two-Part Predictors in Regression Models

Researchers often build regression models to relate a response to a set of predictor variables. In some cases, there are predictors that apply to some participants, or to some measurement occasions, but not others. For example, a romantic partner's substance use may be a key predictor of one's own substance use. However, not all participants have a partner, and in a longitudinal study, participants may have a partner during only some occasions. This could be viewed as missing data, but of a very distinctive type: the values are not just unknown but also undefined. In this paper, we present a simple method to accommodate this situation, along with a motivating example, the algebraic justification, a simulation study, and examples on how to carry out the technique.

Gender and Relationship Status Interaction and Likelihood of Return to Work Post-Retirement

Population aging is an issue of mounting importance throughout the industrialized world. Concerns over labour force shortages have led to policies that prolong working life. Accordingly, present-day workforce participation patterns of older individuals are extensively varied. This study utilized the 2007 General Social Survey to examine factors associated with post-retirement paid work, focusing on the interaction between gender and relationship status, among Canadians aged 50 to 74 who had retired at least once. We find that although being in a relationship is associated with a higher likelihood of post-retirement work for men, the opposite is true for women. Our findings suggest that the gendered association between relationship status and post-retirement work results partly from the gendered associations between relationship status and one's motivation for learning and community involvement, career orientation, and sense of independence. Gendered meanings of relationship status are thus revealed through analysis of post-retirement work.

Effect of Partnership Status on Preferences for Facial Self-Resemblance

Self-resemblance has been found to have a context-dependent effect when expressing preferences for faces. Whereas dissimilarity preference during mate choice in animals is often explained as an evolutionary adaptation to increase heterozygosity of offspring, self-resemblance can be also favored in humans, reflecting, e.g., preference for kinship cues. We performed two studies, using transformations of facial photographs to manipulate levels of resemblance with the rater, to examine the influence of self-resemblance in single vs. coupled individuals. Raters assessed facial attractiveness of other-sex and same-sex photographs according to both short-term and long-term relationship contexts. We found a preference for dissimilarity of other-sex and same-sex faces in single individuals, but no effect of self-resemblance in coupled raters. No effect of sex of participant or short-term vs. long-term attractiveness rating was observed. The results support the evolutionary interpretation that dissimilarity of other-sex faces is preferred by uncoupled individuals as an adaptive mechanism to avoid inbreeding. In contrast, lower dissimilarity preference of other-sex faces in coupled individuals may reflect suppressed attention to attractiveness cues in potential alternative partners as a relationship maintenance mechanism, and its substitution by attention to cues of kinship and psychological similarity connected with greater likelihood of prosocial behavior acquisition from such persons.

Elevated romantic love and jealousy if relationship status is declared on Facebook

Declared relationship status on Facebook can serve as a public commitment and as an extra layer of a couple’s security. However, the question arises: do those who report the relationship status feel stronger romantic love and jealousy toward their partners than those who do not share such information publicly? To test this assumption, profile information and questionnaire data of romantic love and jealousy were gathered from 292, 230 females) respondents that were in a relationship. Our results suggest that announcing the relationship status is associated with elevated romantic love and jealousy. Therefore, being “Facebook official” can be interpreted as a tie-sign indicating that the couple is “out of the market,” and can promote their unity as a “digital wedding ring.”

Mate-choice copying in single and coupled women: the influence of mate acceptance and mate rejection decisions of other women

Studies of humans and non-human animals indicate that females tend to change the likelihood of choosing a potential mate based on the decisions of other females; this is known as mate-choice copying. In a sample of both single and coupled women, we examined the influence of other women's (model) mate-choice decisions, including mate acceptance and mate rejection, on participants' attractiveness ratings of men (target) and willingness of mate selection. We also examined whether different types of relationships between the target men and the model women affected mate-choice copying. We found that both the single and coupled women showed mate-choice copying, but their response patterns differed. The significant effects for single women were dependent on a decrease in attractiveness ratings when they perceived the models' mate rejection. However, the significant findings for coupled women relied on an increase in attractiveness ratings when they observed the models' mate acceptance. Furthermore, the relationship status between the target men and the model women affected the magnitude of mate-choice copying effects for the single women. Specifically, they showed less mate-choice copying when the targets and models were in a committed romantic relationship than when in a temporary relationship.

A dyadic analysis of relationships and health: does couple-level context condition partner effects?

Adding to the growing literature explicating the links between romantic relationships and health, this study examined how both couple-level characteristics, particularly union type (e.g., dating, cohabiting, or marriage) and interracial pairing, and interpersonal characteristics (e.g., partner strain and support), predicted young adults' physical and mental health. Using dyadic data from a sample of 249 young, primarily Black couples, we hypothesized and found support for the importance of couple-level context, partner behavior, and their interaction in predicting health. Interracial couples (all Black/non-Black pairings) reported worse health than monoracial Black couples. Union type, however, did not directly predict health but was a significant moderator of partner strain. That is, the negative association between partner strain and self-reported health was stronger for cohabiting and married couples versus their dating counterparts, suggesting that coresidence, more so than marital status, may be important for understanding partner effects on physical health. For psychological distress, however, partner support proved equally beneficial across union types.

Do incest, depression, parental drinking, serious romantic relationships, and living with parents influence patterns of substance use during emerging adulthood?

This study examined how incest, depression, parental drinking, relationship status, and living with parents affect patterns of substance use among emerging adults, 18 to 25 years old. The study sample included (n = 11,546) individuals who participated in Waves I, II, and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The study used separate latent class analysis for males and females to determine how patterns of substance use clustered together. The study identified the following three classes of substance use: heavy, moderate, and normative substance use patterns. Multinomial logistic regression indicated that, for females only, incest histories also nearly doubled the risk of heavy-use class membership. In addition, experiencing depression, being single, and not living with parents serve as risk factors for males and females in the heavy-use group. Conversely, being Black, Hispanic, or living with parents lowered the likelihood of being in the group with the most substance use behaviors (i.e., heavy use). Findings highlight the need for interventions that target depression and female survivors of incest among emerging adults.

Social support and cardiovascular risk factors among black adults

OBJECTIVE

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are prevalent among Black adults. Studies have demonstrated that functional social support buffers CVD risk. The objective of our study is to assess whether specific types of functional social support or their cumulative total buffers CVD risk factors among a convenience sample of Black adults, and whether these associations differ by sex or partner status.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study using self-reported survey data.

SETTING

Large church in Houston, TX.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1,381 Black adults reported their perceived social support using appraisal, belonging, and tangible subscales of the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12. A cumulative score was created based on the three subscales. Participants also reported on a number of sociodemographic characteristics.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Three self-reported CVD risk factors: diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol (yes vs no).

RESULTS

A series of multivariate logistic regressions controlling for sociodemographic characteristics were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for CVD risk factors. Cumulative social support, rather than any specific type of social support, was significantly related to diabetes and high blood pressure. Higher cumulative social support was associated with lower odds of experiencing diabetes (aOR = .97, 95% CI = .94, .99) and high blood pressure (aOR = .98, 95% CI = .95, .99). Neither sex nor partner status moderated associations.

CONCLUSION

In a high risk population for CVD, increasing all types of social support--appraisal, belonging, and tangible--might be useful in preventing or delaying the onset of CVD.

Intimate relationship status variations in violence against women: urban, suburban, and rural differences

Woman abuse varies across intimate relationship categories (e.g., marriage, divorce, separation). However, it is unclear whether relationship status variations in violence against women differ across urban, suburban, and rural areas. We test the hypothesis that rural females, regardless of their intimate partner relationship status, are at higher risk of intimate violence than their urban and suburban counterparts. Results indicate that marital status is an important aspect of the relationship between intimate victimization and geographic area and that rural divorced and separated females are victimized at rates exceeding their urban counterparts.

Intimate Partner Violence in Interracial and Monoracial Couples

This study investigated intimate partner violence in interracial and monoracial relationships. Using a nationally representative sample, regression analyses indicated that interracial couples demonstrated a higher level of mutual IPV than monoracial white couples but a level similar to monoracial black couples. There were significant gender differences in IPV, with women reporting lower levels of victimization than men. Regarding relationship status, cohabiting couples demonstrated the highest levels of IPV and dating couples reported the lowest levels. Regarding interactions among couple racial composition, relationship status, and respondents' gender, an interaction between racial composition and relationship status was found. Implications for practitioners and directions for future research are discussed.

Sex drugs, peer connections, and HIV: Use and risk among African American, Latino, and Multiracial young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in Los Angeles and New York

African American and Latino young men who have sex with men are at high risk for HIV infection. We administered brief intercept surveys (N=416) at 18 Black and Latino gay pride events in Los Angeles and New York in 2006 and 2007. Ordinal logistic regressions were used to model the effects of substance use during sex, peer connectedness, relationship status, and homelessness on condom use. Alcohol use, crystal use, homelessness, and having a primary relationship partner were negatively associated with condom use, while peer connectedness and marijuana use during sex were positively associated with condom use. Implications for service providers and future research are discussed.

Basal and dynamic relationships between implicit power motivation and estradiol in women

This study investigated basal and reciprocal relationships between implicit power motivation (n Power), a preference for having impact and dominance over others, and both salivary estradiol and testosterone in women. 49 participants completed the Picture Story Exercise, a measure of n Power. During a laboratory contest, participants competed in pairs on a cognitive task and contest outcome (win vs. loss) was experimentally varied. Estradiol and testosterone levels were determined in saliva samples collected at baseline and several times post-contest, including 1 day post-contest. n Power was positively associated with basal estradiol concentrations. The positive correlation between n Power and basal estradiol was stronger in single women, women not taking oral contraceptives, or in women with low-CV estradiol samples than in the overall sample of women. Women's estradiol responses to a dominance contest were influenced by the interaction of n Power and contest outcome: estradiol increased in power-motivated winners but decreased in power-motivated losers. For power-motivated winners, elevated levels of estradiol were still present the day after the contest. Lastly, n Power and estradiol did not correlate with self-reported dominance and correlated negatively with self-reported aggression. Self-reported dominance and aggression did not predict estradiol changes as a function of contest outcome. Overall, n Power did not predict basal testosterone levels or testosterone changes as a function of dominance contest outcome.