The current study examined differences in intracultural and intercultural relationships. In this study, data were collected from 139 individuals currently in intracultural romantic relationships (same ethnicity and country of origin) and 120 individuals currently in intercultural romantic relationships (different ethnicity or country of origin) through MTurk. Participants completed measures for personality (20-item Mini-IPIP), individualism and collectivism (Horizontal and Vertical Individualism and Collectivism Scale), ethnic identity (Multi-group Ethnic Identity Measure), implicit relationship theory (Relationship Theory Questionnaire), relationship satisfaction (DAS: Dyadic Adjustment Scale and RAS: Relationship Assessment Scale), relationship commitment (Commitment Level Items of the Investment Model Scale), one question to address whether the individuals' partners are seen as one's soul mate, and demographics. Participants were compensated $0.85 for completing the survey. MANOVA analyses indicated that individuals in intracultural and intercultural relationships differ significantly in terms of RAS, DAS, and Commitment Level Item scores, with those in intercultural relationships scoring significantly lower on all three measures. Regression analyses indicated that the significant predictors for RAS, DAS, and Commitment Level items differ for individuals in intracultural and intercultural relationships. These findings suggest the type of relationship (intracultural versus intercultural) is an important factor to consider. Research on intracultural relationships may not translate to individuals in intercultural relationships.

Master of Science / School of Family Studies and Human Services / Jared Durtschi / Much of the literature in sexuality and aging focuses on the physical aspects of the sexual relationship such as dysfunction and decline in frequency. In doing so, aging is viewed in a negative light because of its implied connection to dull sexuality and poor sexual satisfaction. However, despite potential age related sexual changes, many couples remain happy later in life in their relationships. Using data from 3,005 adults over the age of 57 from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project data, we tested hypotheses using three different age groups: Newly Old (57-64), Young-Old (65-74), and Old (75-85). The results indicated that across each age group physical pleasure was linked with relationship happiness and emotional satisfaction. However, sexual frequency was not linked with relationship happiness or emotional satisfaction. In several cases, emotional accessibility moderated—served as a protective factor—in the associations between the nature of the sexual relationship and the nature of the quality of the romantic relationship. Clinical implications include identifying a clinically modifiable factor—emotional accessibility—that may mitigate the potential risk of changing sexuality to overall relationship happiness within older adult couples.

abstract: Romantic relationships are often viewed as an important, meaningful part of a person's life. Most romantic relationships do not last forever. Research regarding romantic relationship satisfaction and quality have thus grown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether individuals who train for endurance events such as running, cycling, or triathlons with their romantic partner have greater relationship satisfaction and quality than do individuals who do not train with their romantic partner. Participants, 54 males and 60 females whose mean age was 33.4, completed a demographic questionnaire, the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI), the Perceived Relationship Quality Component (PRQC), the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS), and the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS). Of these 114 participants, 52 trained with their romantic partner. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that individuals who trained with their romantic partner reported higher relationship satisfaction and quality compared to those that did not train for an endurance event with their romantic partner. There were no statistically significant differences in relationship satisfaction or relationship quality between men and women or between married individuals and dating individuals. These findings suggest that couples may benefit from engaging in shared activities. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Counseling 2014

abstract: Intercultural couples -partners from two different countries- may face increased levels of stress within their relationship (internal stress). Internal stress can negatively impact relationship satisfaction, whereas developing healthy ways to cope (dyadic coping; DC) can lower stress levels and improve relationship satisfaction (e.g., Bodenmann, 2005). Specifically, it may be important for partners to perceive that their partner as supporting them during times of stress through engaging in DC. This study examined whether intercultural couples experience internal stress and what effects, if any, perceived partner engagement in DC had on their reported relationship satisfaction. Cross-sectional data was gathered from 85 couples and was analyzed using Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIMs; Kenny & Cook, 1999). Separate APIMs were conducted to examine the association between the independent variables (perceived partner engagement in: positive DC, negative DC, delegated DC, and supportive DC) and the outcome variables of internal stress and relationship satisfaction, while controlling for years each partner lived in their country of birth, average and differences on identification with individualism-collectivism values and behaviors, and if partners did or did not identify as the same race and/or ethnicity. Additionally, APIMs of internal stress on relationship as moderated by perceived partner positive and negative DC were conducted. Results showed significant associations of all independent variables on internal stress and relationship satisfaction. There were no signification interactions between internal stress and DC on relationship satisfaction. Implications for relationship researchers and mental health professionals working with intercultural couples are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Counseling 2016

abstract: Proponents of cues-filtered-out approaches to communication suggest that the quality of person-to-person interaction is diminished when that interaction is mediated by technology. This postulation has implications for communication given the surging popularity of text messaging in the United States. It is important to examine the degree to which text messaging may inhibit successful communication due to the detriments of technologically mediated communication. The relation between text messaging and romantic relationship satisfaction in individuals ages 18-45 was investigated because successful communication is widely known by researchers and lay individuals to be an integral aspect of healthy intimate relationships. The Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS) (Hendricks, 1988) and an inventory of text messaging behavior was administered to graduate students (n = 22), undergraduate students (n = 24), and people not affiliated with universities (n = 104). Using responses on these inventories, whether or not (1) frequency of text messaging and (2) preference for a particular method of communication are related to romantic relationship satisfaction were evaluated. It was hypothesized that (1) a higher frequency of text messaging will be inversely related with romantic relationship satisfaction and (2) that a participant indicating a preference for verbal phone communication over text messaging communication will be positively correlated with romantic relationship satisfaction. The lack of statistically significant results prevented the drawing of conclusions about relationships between text messaging frequency or preference for voice communication over texting and romantic relationship satisfaction. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Counseling 2016

abstract: The demands and expectations of graduate school can be stressful for any student. Graduate students in a romantic relationship, in particular, contend with both individual and dyadic effects of graduate school stress, as stress has been found to be negatively associated with both individual and relational well-being. Asymmetrical graduate student couples, wherein one partner is in graduate school and the other is not, may be particularly vulnerable to relationship strain because of differences in their experience of graduate school. However, non-student partners can help the graduate student cope with stress through dyadic coping. This study sought to examine whether: a) there were associations between graduate school stress on individual (life satisfaction) and relational (relationship satisfaction) well-being, and b) whether these associations were moderated by positive and negative dyadic coping behaviors. Cross-sectional data from 62 asymmetrical graduate student couples were gathered using an online survey. Data were analyzed using Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (Kenny, Kashy, & Cook 2006). Separate models were conducted to examine overall associations between graduate stress and well-being, and additional analyses were conducted to examine potential moderation effects of perceptions of partner dyadic coping (actor effects) and partner self-reported dyadic coping (partner effects) on the overall associations between stress and life- and relationship satisfaction mentioned above. Results for the overall model suggested that graduate stress is associated with both individual- and relational well-being. Surprisingly, and against prior literature, positive dyadic coping did not buffer the negative association between graduate stress and well-being, and negative dyadic coping did not exacerbate the association. Implications of the findings for future research and for mental health counselors are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Counseling 2017

Early life experiences such as childhood maltreatment are important contributors to depression, one of the most significant mental health problems in Canada; approximately 11.2% of Canadian adults will experience major depression at some point in their life (Knoll & MacLennan, 2017). Although psychological maltreatment and neglect are the most common forms of child maltreatment, and it has been suggested that they are linked to later depression, the underlying mechanisms explaining this relation have yet to be determined. The current investigation examined the role of adult attachment and relationship satisfaction in the prediction of depressive symptomology in 676 university students (74% female). Both anxious and avoidant attachment were mediators of the relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment (CPM) and adult depressive symptoms. Only avoidant attachment was a mediator of the relationship between childhood psychological neglect (CPN) and depressive symptoms. Relationship status did not moderate the relationship between maltreatment and attachment. However, for those currently in romantic relationships, the effect of CPM on avoidant attachment was moderated by relationship satisfaction. Specifically, those with a history of CPM who were currently in a satisfying relationship experienced heightened attachment avoidance along with subsequent depressive symptoms. Implications and strategies for clinical intervention are discussed. / Graduate

Given the nature of couple conflict, couples are frequently tasked with mutually working towards a solution to a given problem. Effective conflict management is a key relationship resource that maintains closeness and cohesiveness (Epstein & Baucom, 2002; Overall & Simpson, 2013), whereas ineffective conflict management is generally associated with impaired relationship functioning (Gottman & Notarius, 2000; Overall & Fletcher, 2010). The overarching goal of the present thesis therefore consisted of further advancing the field’s understanding of conflict management as an interpersonal process in heterosexual couple relationships. This goal was addressed through two novel and complementary studies. The sample for both studies consisted of 179 community-based heterosexual adult couples involved in a long-term romantic relationship. During the testing session, participants completed a questionnaire package and discussed a topic of disagreement for 15 minutes. These interactions were then coded for both positive and negative conflict management behaviours. Both studies modeled these conflict management behaviours alongside crucial variables involved in couple conflict. The first study examined the ways in which partners’ adult romantic attachment orientations interact to predict their conflict management behaviours. As hypothesized, the results provide preliminary evidence that, in some cases, men’s and women’s conflict management depends on the interaction between their own and their partner’s adult romantic attachment orientation, more so than a sole individual’s attachment. The second study examined whether effective conflict management moderates the negative association between relationship satisfaction and men’s and women’s use of psychological partner aggression. Contrary to hypotheses, the results suggest that, in predicting these aggressive acts, relationship satisfaction and conflict management make fairly independent contributions. These findings are based on strong theoretical frameworks as well as a number of methodological strengths, including the observational coding of positive and negative conflict management behaviours and the implementation of sophisticated dyadic data analyses. Furthermore, by filling gaps in the existing literature, these findings offer several theoretical, empirical, and clinical implications for the field of couple conflict. As individual and collective bodies of work, the studies of the present thesis provide invaluable evidence in support of the complex and interdependent nature of couple relationships. Such findings are highly relevant to couple researchers and clinicians alike, both of whom endeavour to understand and improve couple relationship functioning.

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