The purpose of this study was to examine the connection between relationship efficacy and other relationship-related attitudes. The sample consisted of 211 participants who were given measures of relationship efficacy, sociosexuality, and attitudes toward consensual non-monogamy. Results demonstrated a negative relationship between efficacy and views on non-monogamy, a negative relationship between efficacy and sociosexuality, and a difference in efficacy between those who were and were not in a relationship at the time of the study. Relationship efficacy is important to examine, as our beliefs about our capabilities are likely to influence our future success.

The current study assessed the burden associated with secret-keeping from confidants’ perspective. We proposed a cognition-affect-relationship model to explicate the interrelations between intra- and interpersonal consequences of confidants’ secret concealment. A total of 231 participants (Mage = 32.6 years) completed a survey on their experiences in keeping secrets for a close relational partner. A path model was conducted to test all hypotheses simultaneously. Results indicated that secret importance, valence, and negative face threat served as indicators of cognitive burden regarding secret-keeping. As predicted, cognitive burden was positively associated with negative affect. In addition, negative affect mediated the association between cognitive burden and relationship satisfaction, whereas secret characteristics were directly related to relational distancing. Overall, examining confidant burden provides insights on how secret-keeping might affect individuals and their relationships.

We propose a transactional model of romantic sensory interactions, according to which male and female intimates adapt to the specific context of their romantic relationships by adopting different sensory domains of interactions with their partners. To test this model, we measured romantic couples’ orientations toward using sensory modalities of romantic relating, and the importance of these modalities (N = 137 couples). Although not all hypotheses were supported, the findings suggest that men's relationship satisfaction, passionate love, and liking were driven by a stronger orientation toward touch, whereas women's relationship satisfaction, passionate love, liking, and commitment were predicted by a stronger preference for hearing. Higher differential valuing of touch and bodily sensations predicted higher passionate love for both men and women, suggesting that these sensory modalities have similar functions for both genders — to maintain sexual desire and passionate love for the partner. These findings underscore the importance of romantic couples’ differential sensory orientations in maintaining satisfying relationships.

Extradyadic involvement — emotional, romantic, or sexual involvement with another person outside of one's romantic relationship — may have serious personal and relational consequences. The current research examines extradyadic involvement in two samples of individuals in relationships and identifies subgroups of people based on their engagement in different types of extradyadic behaviour. To assess involvement in such behaviour, we created a new behavioural inventory intended to broaden the conceptualisation of types of extradyadic behaviours. Subgroups of individuals who engage in these behaviours were extracted using latent class analysis. Study 1 assessed undergraduate students in relationships (N = 339), and results revealed four classes of individuals: loyal, confiding, deceptive, and unfaithful. Follow-up tests demonstrated that these classes of individuals differed significantly in ways that are consistent with the investment model and attachment theory. Study 2 (N = 202) replicated the four-class solution, as well as the group differences in relationship functioning and attachment orientations. Results suggest theoretically consistent typologies of extradyadic behaviour that may be useful in differentiating deceptive behaviour in close relationships in a more precise way.

Recent modelling estimates up to two-thirds of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men occur within partnerships, indicating the importance of dyadic HIV prevention efforts. Although new interventions are available to promote dyadic health-enhancing behaviours, minimal research has examined what factors influence partners’ mutual engagement in these behaviours, a critical component of intervention success. Actor-partner interdependence modelling was used to examine associations between relationship characteristics and several dyadic outcomes theorised as antecedents to health-enhancing behaviours: planning and decision making, communication, and joint effort. Among 270 male-male partnerships, relationship satisfaction was significantly associated with all three outcomes for actors (p = .02, .02, .06 respectively). Latino men reported poorer planning and decision making (actor p = .032) and communication (partner p = .044). Alcohol use was significantly and negatively associated with all outcomes except actors’ planning and decision making (actors: p = .11, .038, .004 respectively; partners: p = .03, .056, .02 respectively). Having a sexual agreement was significantly associated with actors’ planning and decision making (p = .007) and communication (p = .008). Focusing on interactions between partners produces a more comprehensive understanding of male couples’ ability to engage in health-enhancing behaviours. This knowledge further identifies new and important foci for the tailoring of dyadic HIV prevention and care interventions.

This study examined the qualitative differences between the types of strengths identified by satisfied versus distressed couples seeking a Marriage Checkup. We hypothesised that distressed couples would nominate less intimate strengths, while satisfied couples would nominate more intimate strengths. We found that distressed partners were significantly more likely to nominate items from a Parallel Support category, whereas satisfied women, but not men, were significantly more likely to nominate items from an Intimate/Affectionate category. These findings suggest that an indicator of developing couple distress is the point where couples begin to focus their attention on less emotionally vulnerable relationship aspects.

There are several available questionnaires that measure negative problem orientation with one factor. Our aim was to create a multifactor questionnaire that enables a more detailed and reliable analysis of interpersonal problems and one's negative orientation toward their solutions in adolescence. We carried out two data collections during the development of the questionnaire (N2016 = 952, N2017 = 835) among 12-, 15- and 18-year-olds. The tested statements were chosen based on the category system of an earlier pilot research, as well as students’ and professionals’ statements, which were then organised into a factor structure. To analyse convergent and discriminative validity, the Social Problem-Solving Inventory — Revised (SPSI-R; D'Zurilla et al., 2002) was used. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) greatly support the theoretical factor structure, and the structural equation model (SEM) also confirmed what had been thought about the system of connections of the latent dimensions. The result of the questionnaire development is the 21-item, six-factor NEGORI (Negative Orientation Questionnaire), which bears good reliability indexes in all age groups and can measure the following aspects within negative orientation: negative self-efficacy; negative consequences; positive consequences; habits, pattern; waiting; fending off the problem. We gained different and more detailed information as compared to previous data related to age and gender.

Drawing from and extending rejection sensitivity (RS) theory, we tested a serial mediation pathway model, whereby perceived parenting practices were expected to be indirectly related to participants’ depressive and trait-anxious symptoms through RS, as well as emotional and behavioural responses to rejection. Participants were 628 adolescents and young adults (M = 19.8 years, SD = 2.6, 65.3% female) completing self-report measures assessing current perceived parenting practices, RS, emotion dysregulation, emotion suppression, social withdrawal, and depressive and trait-anxious symptoms. In latent-variable structural equation modelling, a latent construct of more positive (and fewer negative) perceived parenting practices was directly associated with offsprings’ lower level of depression and trait-anxiety symptoms. Also, there were indirect associations of parenting via RS, emotion dysregulation, suppression, and social withdrawal, regardless of whether the model focused on depressive or trait-anxious symptoms. The findings provide further support of the importance for adolescents and young adults to perceive that they experience warm and autonomy-supportive relationships with their parents (instead of rejecting, coercive, or psychologically controlling relationships); along with providing an extended model whereby anxious expectations of rejection associates with greater emotional difficulties through negative responses to difficult emotions and the tendency to withdraw from such experiences. Together, perceived parenting practices and rejection-related beliefs and responses seem to activate a pathway to elevated depressive and trait-anxiety symptoms.

We used a mixed-methods, sequential, exploratory design. In the qualitative phase, an in-depth interview approach was used to identify the properties and dimensions to be included in the Opposite-Sex Relationship Questionnaire for Male Adolescents (OSRQMA). In the quantitative phase, the psychometric properties of the OSRQMA were evaluated according to the concepts of face, content, and construct validity. Reliability and stability were assessed with Cronbach's alpha (α) and McDonald's coefficient omega (ω), and with test–retest analysis respectively. A preliminary questionnaire was developed, including 61 items that emerged from the qualitative phase of the study. Based on the impact scores for face validity, and the cutoff points for the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI), the preliminary questionnaire was reduced to 53 items. The Kaiser criteria (eigenvalues >1) and scree plot tests demonstrated that 22 items forming four factors, which were labelled ‘innate predilection’, ‘abstinence’, ‘family attitudes’, and ‘peer pressure’, were optimum, accounting for an estimated 53.449% of the variance. These scales had acceptable levels of internal consistency (α = .854, ω = 0.977) and stability (r = .892, p < .001).

Mate poaching occurs when a person attracts another, whom he or she knows is already in an exclusive relationship, into a sexual or romantic relationship. Mate poaching is involved in the evolution of many relationships. Yet, little is known about the quality of these relationships. We examined relationship quality between individuals whose relationships were formed via mate poaching versus not (i.e., a relationship formed serially without overlap with another relationship). We compared ratings of quality from the perspectives of poachers, poached, and co-poached individuals. Adult participants (n = 660) in a romantic relationship responded to questions assessing relationship quality. Those in relationships formed from poaching rated their relationships as lower in relationship satisfaction, commitment and trust, and higher in jealousy, and had higher rates of romantic and sexuality infidelity in their current relationship compared to individuals in non-poached relationships. Those who were poached from an existing relationship rated their current relationship as lower in commitment than did those who poached their current partner into a relationship. The study also provides first insights regarding relationship quality for those who identify as co-poached. We discuss these findings in terms of implications for understanding how relationships are formed and the qualities of those that endure.

The present study examined the relationship between dyadic interaction patterns and implicit theories of relationships (ITRs; deeply held beliefs about the nature of relationships) using a sample of N = 104 couples. We hypothesised that destiny beliefs would predict greater avoidance in conflict interactions, while growth beliefs would predict more constructive communication. Surprisingly, the results of the current study challenge the existing literature by indicating that neither destiny nor growth beliefs predict constructive communication or mutual avoidance for the couple. Further, while destiny beliefs were related to increased withdrawal in a demand-withdraw pattern, growth beliefs related to both demand and withdraw in a demand-withdraw pattern. These findings suggest that assessing the relationship between ITRs and communication patterns at the couple level introduces complexity that is underexplored in the current literature on implicit theories of relationships.

Little is known about the role of affectionate behaviours — factors traditionally understood within the context of romantic relationships — in uncommitted ‘casual sex’ encounters. In a sample of U.S. undergraduate emerging adults aged 18–25 years (N = 639) we conducted a preliminary internet-based questionnaire investigation into the role of affectionate behaviours — operationalised here as cuddling, spending the night and cuddling, foreplay, and eye gazing — across two sexual relationship contexts: (committed) traditional romantic relationships and (uncommitted) casual sex encounters. While affectionate behaviours were desired more often in romantic relationships than in casual sexual encounters, many respondents (both men and women) engaged in these affectionate behaviours during casual sexual encounters as well. This was especially pronounced in those who expressed a preference for casual sex encounters over romantic relationships: in a casual sex context these participants were about 1.5 times as likely to cuddle, 1.5 times as likely to spend the night and cuddle, and nearly 5 times as likely to engage in foreplay with a partner. The current study emphasises the importance of considering relationship context in sexuality and relationship research, and the need for further theoretical and empirical research on dimensions of intimacy, including affection, in people's diverse romantic and sexual lives.

Two studies investigated how the development and maintenance of old and new relationships predict spontaneous and reactive self-concept change. For Study 1 (n = 143), freshmen in their first 8 weeks of college completed a Twenty Statements Test (TST), and indicated how close they felt in their established and new relationships. Eight weeks later, they indicated which aspects on the TST had changed. The results showed that closeness to old relationships at Time 1 predicted fewer deletions to their Time 2 TST, whereas closeness to new relationships at Time 1 predicted more additions to their Time 2 TST. For Study 2 (n = 195), participants completed a Big Five personality measure and closeness measure at two time points. The results showed that decreased closeness in old relationships at Time 2 predicted overall change to personality profiles. Implications for the link between relationships and self-concept change are discussed.

This study examined attachment styles, online behaviours, offline relationships, and sexuality of individuals engaged in a popular massive multiplayer online (MMO) game (Game of War: Fire Age). 178 players currently involved in romantic relationships completed surveys for in-game currency. Time spent gaming predicted less time with others, less relationship satisfaction, more relationship uncertainty, more sexual anxiety, and more external sexual control. However, attachment avoidance partially mediated the relationship between time spent online gaming and time spent with immediate family and friends; relationship satisfaction; self-partner, and relationship uncertainty; sexual anxiety; and external sexual control.

Positive associations between attachment insecurity and indicators of poorer patient-physician relationship quality have been found in samples of patients consulting with physicians for a variety of specific medical conditions or needs. The current study was the first to investigate associations between adult attachment characteristics and relationship quality with family physicians. University students (N = 239) completed measures assessing attachment and their relationships with their family physician. Attachment avoidance was associated with poor affective relationship quality and with greater communication difficulties. Attachment anxiety was associated with greater communication difficulties, but was unrelated to affective relationship quality. Those with insecure attachment, particularly those with high levels of avoidance, have poorer relationships with their family physicians than those with more secure attachment.

We validated the Japanese version of the Multidimensional Stress Questionnaire for Couples (MSQ) and examined construct validity and reliability. We conducted an online longitudinal survey of 300 husbands and 300 wives. The Japanese version of the MSQ (MSQ-J) had a two-factor structure centred on internal and external stressors. The internal-stressor factor showed sufficient validity and reliability, indicating its suitability for measuring marital stressors. The external-stressors factor also showed acceptable validity for both husbands and wives. The findings indicate that the MSQ-J is suitable for both research and clinical practice.

Expression of emotions may arbitrate the connections between communal orientation and psychological flourishing of married individuals that may lead to optimal functioning within a marital relationship. By using cross-sectional research design, the present study measures multiple dimensions of psychological flourishing (relationship and individual) in conjunction with communal orientation and emotion expressivity. Among married individuals from Pakistan aged 20–80 years, the authors examined the mediating effect of each spouse's emotional expression (positive, negative, and impulse strength) on the association between communal orientation and psychological flourishing. Findings highlight that communal orientation significantly predicts psychological flourishing. Positive Communal Orientation positively predicts relationship dimension as well as the Individual dimension of psychological flourishing. On the other hand, Negative Communal Orientation negatively predicts the Relationship dimension of psychological flourishing. However, Negative Communal Orientation positively predicts the Individual dimension of psychological flourishing. Furthermore, positive expressivity, negative expressivity and impulse strength significantly mediate the relationship between communal orientation and psychological flourishing. Moreover, gender differences were also found in the exercise of communal orientation and level of flourishing among husbands and wives. The evidence from the present study can be utilised to design relationship measure that can capture all the ingredients of optimal functioning of marital relationship.

This scoping review used social mentality theory (SMT) as a framework to identify and integrate relevant eating disorder systematic reviews and meta-analyses. A systematic search of the PsycINFO database was conducted, using terms from SMT and eating disorder literature. Eighteen systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria. Findings suggest that those with eating disorders also experience a number of relationship difficulties, in childhood and/or adulthood, related to attachment style, caregiver experiences, family functioning, social rank, social cognition, and self-compassion. The identification of these social difficulties is established in the eating disorder literature. SMT can provide a theoretical framework to understand how evolved motives to relate to others may contribute to these difficulties.

School engagement has been shown to be a strong predictor for school achievement. Previous studies have focused on the role of individual and contextual factors to explain school achievement, with few examining the role of siblings. This study used data of 451 adolescent sibling pairs from the Iowa Youth and Families Project to investigate the associations between school engagement and achievement in siblings by considering gender composition and birth order. Data were collected in families’ home and obtained for a target child in the 7th grade and for a sibling within 4 years of age. Average age of younger siblings (55% female) was 11.56 (SD = 1.27), while older siblings (49% female) had an average age of 13.92 (SD = 1.47). Using the two-member, four-group actor-partner interdependence model (APIM), results showed that older siblings’ engagement was positively related with younger siblings’ achievement in same-gender sibling pairs, but not in sibling pairs of opposite gender. Younger siblings’ engagement was independent of older siblings’ achievement regardless of siblings’ gender. Implications for parents and professionals suggest that support for older siblings could also benefit younger siblings in same gender pairs.

This article examines concurrence of self-reported love, trust, and dyadic quality experiences between partners in 293 male couples. Significant yet poor concurrence was observed for all three self-reported relationship measures, but varied by relationship characteristics. Using an actor-partner interdependence model (APIM), actor and partner characteristics were shown to be associated with self-reported relationship concerns, such as satisfaction and intimate partner violence. This knowledge is important in the development and delivery of couples-based health interventions, such as couples HIV testing and counselling, for interventions that respect the unique relationship dynamics of each couple are needed to effectively address dyadic health.