Psychology Research Digest
Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice - Vol 14, Iss 1
Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice is a scholarly journal publishing peer-reviewed papers representing the science and practice of family psychology. The journal is the official publication of the Society for Couple and Family Psychology and is intended to be a forum for scholarly dialogue regarding the most important emerging issues in the field, a primary outlet for research particularly as it impacts practice and for papers regarding education, public policy and the identity of the profession of family psychology.
Longitudinal predictors of relationship dissolution in female same-gender and queer couples: A 7-year follow-up study.
Evidence suggests that female same-gender couples are at higher risk for relationship dissolution compared to male or mixed-gender couples; however, scarce research has evaluated longitudinal predictors of relationship dissolution within this population. The present study evaluated longitudinal predictors of relationship dissolution in a sample of female same-gender couples. We collected data from N = 93 female same-gender couples at baseline (2013–2014) to predict breakup 7 years later (2020–2021). Variables were distinguished by various levels of the ecological model (individual, dyadic, and contextual) and modifiability. We used bivariate correlations and logistic regressions to predict breakup. Results demonstrated significant bivariate associations between numerous factors at baseline (e.g., age, length of relationship, income level, legal recognition, alcohol use) and relationship dissolution. However, only age and relationship length remained significant when including all factors with significant bivariate associations predicting breakup in one model together. Findings provide novel information regarding long-term factors associated with relationship dissolution in female same-gender couples. Results will be clinically useful for identifying female same-gender and queer couples at risk for dissolution and targeting modifiable intervention processes. We also discuss the limitations and potential future directions to improve dyadic methods for predicting dyad-level outcomes in indistinguishable dyads. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication date: Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT Access the article >>Adult offspring of lesbian parents reflect on having been donor conceived: Feelings about their sperm donor and donor siblings.
The U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study is the longest prospective study of offspring conceived via donor insemination (DI), beginning in 1986 when DI became possible for lesbian women. The 75 offspring surveyed at Wave 7 were adults in their early thirties (M = 30.93, SD = 0.92; 49.33% female, 48.00% male and 2.66% gender nonbinary; 90.67% White, 9.33% people of color), well past the early stages of identity development in adolescence and emerging adulthood. This is the first qualitative study focusing on feelings about DI among established adult offspring of lesbian parents. Offspring generally felt positive about their donor conception, realizing that it enabled them to be born into a loving family that very much wanted them. They were grateful that the technology existed to allow lesbian parents to have children in the 1980s. Most agreed that their nontraditional conception had influenced their concept of family, and many indicated willingness to be a gamete donor themselves. Offspring also described childhood challenges with feeling different, challenges with the donor or lack of medical information about him. About half had discovered that they had donor siblings. Because the offspring knew of their DI from an early age, they did not perceive this information as a threat to their personal or family identity. As use of DI increases and donor offspring and their parents may seek therapy, clinicians should be trained to address donor anonymity issues, disclosure to children, parental/offspring concerns, and donor sibling concerns and recommend community resources as needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication date: Thu, 02 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT Access the article >>Partner empathy as a buffer to stress across the transition to parenthood in cross-sex couples.
The transition to parenthood is frequently accompanied by a drop in relationship satisfaction due to factors such as increased stress and relationship conflict. However, not all couples experience this decline, suggesting that adaptive processes help some parents navigate the transition more effectively. The present study examined partner empathy during conflict as an adaptive process that may buffer against the impact of stress on relationship satisfaction in early parenthood. Ninety-three cross-sex couples completed questionnaires, an interview, and conflict interactions in the laboratory during the third trimester of pregnancy with their first child. Questionnaires were repeated 1, 2, and 4 years postpartum. Multilevel modeling revealed that increases in stress predicted decreases in relationship satisfaction across the transition. One significant buffering effect appeared, such that men’s empathy during conflict conversations during pregnancy buffered the link between women’s stress and their own relationship satisfaction over time. These findings expand our knowledge of couple dynamics at the transition to parenthood by describing how adaptive processes support relationship health over time and support the use of acceptance-based couple interventions in early parenthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication date: Thu, 18 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT Access the article >>Associations between internalized heterosexism, verbal intimacy, and affectionate touch provision among sexual minority couples.
Internalized heterosexism has been linked to poor relationship outcomes among sexual minority individuals. However, there is a dearth of research examining how internalized heterosexism is associated with intimate behaviors, such as verbal intimacy and affectionate touch. Furthermore, there are no studies that utilize behavioral observation to examine these associations in contexts expected to pull for intimate behaviors, such as a positive relationship discussion. Using a multimethod approach, we investigated associations between self-reported internalized heterosexism and observed intimate behaviors during a positive relationship discussion using data of 72 sexual minority couples. We hypothesized that internalized heterosexism would be related to lower engagement in intimate behaviors. Bivariate intraclass correlations confirmed that internalized heterosexism was negatively associated with couple-level verbal intimacy and individual-level affectionate touch provision. Results of multiple linear regression indicated that internalized heterosexism accounted for a significant portion of variance in verbal intimacy displayed by couples. In addition, we found a statistically significant actor effect of internalized heterosexism on affectionate touch provision using an actor–partner interdependence model. Specifically, participants with higher internalized heterosexism provided their partner with less affectionate touch than those with lower internalized heterosexism. Our findings suggest that clinicians working with sexual minority couples presenting with intimacy-related problems should consider assessing internalized heterosexism to better inform case conceptualization and treatment planning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication date: Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT Access the article >>Sexual and gender minority individuals’ perspectives on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their couple relationships.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been proposed to have a negative effect on couple relationships, particularly for sexual and gender minorities assigned female at birth (SGM-AFAB), who report more COVID-19-related stress than cisgender/heterosexual people and already face stigma-related stressors. This mixed-method study aimed to describe perceived changes in SGM-AFAB relationship functioning during the pandemic, identify correlates of these changes, and use qualitative data to contextualize the findings. From June 2020 to July 2021, 227 SGM-AFAB in current romantic relationships completed measures of perceived changes in relationship functioning during the pandemic, negative life impacts of COVID-19, individual and relationship demographics, and relationship processes (relationship quality, destructive conflict, and partner support). Participants also provided open-ended responses regarding their positive relationship experiences during the pandemic. Findings indicated that most participants perceived improvements in relationship satisfaction, confidence, communication, and dyadic coping; very few perceived negative changes. Perceived changes in relationship functioning were not associated with negative COVID-19 impacts, duration of the pandemic, or with individual or relationship demographic factors. However, higher quality relationship processes were associated with more positive perceived changes in relationship functioning. Qualitative data indicated that participants valued the companionship, support, and stability of their relationships during the pandemic, and many felt that social distancing had provided time for them to engage in joint activities, communication, physical intimacy, and relationship improvement efforts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication date: Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT Access the article >>Did they stay or did they go? Following up on intimate relationship outcomes 2 years into the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major stressor in the lives of couples and families. In the face of the many stressors associated with the pandemic, many couples have struggled, but results from the early phase of the pandemic have shown mixed findings with regard to couple outcomes. The present study thus seeks to better understand relationship outcomes over the course of the pandemic, by examining trends in relationship satisfaction and commitment between April/May 2020 and March 2022 and evaluating specific pandemic stressors as covariates. The present study consists of 592 individual participants primarily from the United States who were living at home with another person at the beginning of the pandemic. Participants were sampled in April/May 2020, again about 1 month later, in March 2021, and finally in March 2022. About 85% identified as female, and about 90% were Caucasian, with 1% identifying as Black, 2% as Asian, 1.7% as Latino, and 3.5% as mixed race. Changes in relationship satisfaction and relationship commitment over time were modeled using separate linear mixed effects models. Results showed that satisfaction has dropped significantly and consistently over time, and that commitment has been relatively stable, but did drop significantly from the first time point to the last. Changes over time did not vary significantly by pandemic-specific stressors. These findings suggest that while relationships do not appear to have undergone extreme negative changes in most cases, that certainly attention to repair and renewal of close relationships is an essential component of our national pandemic recovery. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication date: Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT Access the article >>Relationship quality and minority stressors predict mental health symptoms among partnered adolescent sexual minority males.
Adolescent sexual minority males (ASMMs) are 3–4 times more likely to experience depression or anxiety than their heterosexual peers. ASMMs in romantic relationships may be at higher risk of developing anxiety and depression symptoms, yet studies examining relationship quality as a predictor of mental health ASMMs are limited. Partnered ASMMs (n = 50) were recruited using online advertisements posted on social media and geo-dating mobile applications. Linear regression models were calculated to test associations between relationship quality, minority stress, and mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety). Models were adjusted for age, race, and relationship length. Relationship quality and minority stressors predicted worse mental health outcomes. Specifically, relationship quality was positively associated with depression (β = .50, p < .001) and anxiety (β = .26, p = .038). Similarly, social marginalization was associated with depression (β = .55, p ≤ .001) and anxiety (β = .67, p < .001), while family rejection was only associated with depression (β = .27, p < .03). This study demonstrates the relevance of relationship quality and minority stress to the mental health of partnered ASMMs. Unlike the pattern seen in adults, relationship quality predicted worse depression. Future research is needed to understand the mechanism by which relationship characteristics influence mental health to inform future prevention and intervention efforts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication date: Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT Access the article >>How COVID-19 expanded the family dinner table: Greater frequency linked with improved quality and new ways of eating together.
While the predominance of previous family dinner research has focused on family dinner frequency, the quality of the mealtime atmosphere also accounts for impactful mental health and nutritional benefits to children and adults. COVID-19 lockdowns dramatically increased the frequency of meals eaten at home, providing a unique opportunity to examine whether the quality of family dinners also improved. Additionally, the pandemic boosted the number of meals shared remotely with family and friends, thus changing how families ate dinner. Using a newly validated measure encompassing previously established as well as pandemic-related family dinner qualities (positive emotional interactions, negative mealtime behaviors, family support during meal preparation, and incorporation of the outside world), this study assessed frequency and quality changes in family dinners in a diverse, representative sample of 517 U.S. parents. Multivariate regressions in a structural equation modeling framework found that greater increases in family dinner frequency were linked with improvements in family dinner qualities, including positive emotional interactions, family support, and incorporation of the outside world. Most parents who increased their use of technology anticipated continuing those changes after COVID-19 abates. Greater frequency of family dinners was also associated with a rise in negative mealtime behaviors, but there were more changes in positive qualities. Given that the quality of dinners has been changed by frequency and by technology, these findings have important implications for researchers and clinicians interested in maximizing the protective qualities of family dinner. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication date: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT Access the article >>If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life.
- Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being (1968)
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