The present study examined whether an individual’s own implicit theory of relationships predicts how s/he perceives his/her friend’s romantic relationship. Implicit theories of relationships are based on destiny beliefs (DB), the belief that a relationship is meant to be, and growth beliefs (GB), the belief that relationships require work. Each participant was randomly exposed to one of three relationship scenarios where the participant’s hypothetical friend discusses a partner displaying negative, mixed, or positive relationship behaviors. We found the participants high in DB were less approving of the relationship, and those high in GB were more approving. Those high in DB also made more relationship-damaging attributions when asked to select reasons why the partner engaged in said behaviors but surprisingly perceived the couple as more satisfied overall. Anticipated interactions between DB and GB were not found.

The objective of this dissertation study was to investigate the lived experiences of intimacy in married couples in India. The researcher specifically explored the couples' intimacy experiences in six dimensions: emotional closeness and self-disclosure, shared ideas and support, sexual intimacy, relationship skills, commitment and social intimacy. The Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET), an innovative method of data collection was used to collect pictures as metaphors from 11 couples (N=22) and the researcher conducted 45-90 minutes in-depth phone interviews. Phenomenological approach was used for data analysis and five themes (description, positive and negative experiences, barriers and strategies used, changes over time and perceived societal norms) provided information on the six dimensions of intimacy. The findings confirmed that intimacy is experienced in married Indian couples in each of the above mentioned dimensions. In addition, when intimacy is experienced they are viewed positively and lack of intimacy is viewed negatively in each dimensions. Couples also perceived barriers to their achievement of intimacy and developed strategies that helped them maintain intimacy in their marriage over time. Gender differences were present, for wives, emotional closeness and self-disclosure was more important, whereas for men, commitment was more important. The findings have implications for marriage education programs and clinicians working with married Indian couples. / Ph. D.

Il presente lavoro considera il perdono di sé come una strategia di coping che permette al soggetto di diminuire i sentimenti negativi (ad es. colpa) legati all’offesa commessa ed aumentare quelli positivi verso il sé (es. compassione di sé), laddove prerequisito del processo è l’assunzione di responsabilità per quanto commesso. In specifico si ritiene e si è mostrato come il perdono di sé sia un costrutto frutto dell’interdipendenza dei comportamenti tra vittima e offensore. Attraverso un set di studi sperimentali il presente studio ha, infatti, mostrato come i comportamenti conciliatori dell’offensore e il perdono concesso dalla vittima predicano un maggiore perdono di sé dell’offensore. Successivamente il costrutto è stato indagato all’interno di una closerelationship, dove i partner si sono confrontati su offese realmente commesse. I modelli di equazione strutturale hanno confermato come il perdono di sé dell’offensore è legato sia al perdono concesso dalla vittima che alle condotte riparatrici attuate dall’offensore.Grazie all’analisi dell’interdipendenza dei dati, modello APIM, si è inoltre evidenziato come il perdono di sé del partner offensore promuove sia la propria soddisfazione di coppia che quella del partner, vittima dell’offesa subita. / Recently psychosocial literature starts to study self-forgiveness: the psychological process by which an offender is able to forgive himself for an injury caused to himself or others. This paper considers self-forgiveness as a coping strategy that allows the person to decrease negative emotions (eg guilt) related to the offense committed and increase positive ones toward the self (eg self-compassion), where the offender starting point is taking responsibility for the wrongdoing. Self forgiveness is also considered as the result of offender and victim behaviours. Experimental studies revealed that offender conciliatory behaviours and victim forgiveness increase offender self forgiveness. Self forgiveness is also studied in a closerelationship about a real partner offence. Structural equation models have confirmed that self forgiveness is improved by offender conciliatory behaviours and victim forgiveness. Repairing ducts were found associated with feeling guilty which is linked to the offender perception of seriousness. Through analysis of the interdependence of data, APIM model, it was also revealed that the partner's self-forgiveness offender promotes both offender couple satisfaction and victim couple satisfaction.

Problema. Visuomenėje stebima šeimos instancijos destabilizacija ir iš to sekantys negatyvūs padariniai individų psichinei gerovei. Žinodami, kokie sutuoktinių asmenybės ypatumai lemia kokybiškesnius ir stabilesnius artimus santykius, šeimos psichoterapeutai ir kiti specialistai galėtų padėti ugdyti tas pozityvias savybės ar slopinti negatyvių bruožų įtaką. Tam būtina žinoti ir suprasti asmenybės ypatumų ir sutuoktinių artimų santykių dimensijų sąsajas. Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti sutuoktinių artimų santykių dimensijų (Pasitenkinimo, Neigiamų emocijų, Įnikimo į santykius, Santykių demonstravimo, Vidinio kontrolės lokuso, Išorinio kontrolės lokuso, Motyvacijos, Stabilumo) ir asmenybės ypatumų (Šizoidiškumo, Paranoidiškumo, Narcistiškumo, Asocialumo, Isteriškumo, Ribinės asmenybės, Anankastinės asmenybės, Priklausomos asmenybės, Vengiančios asmenybės) sąsajas. Metodai. Tyrime naudotas Asmenybės ypatumų klausimynas ir Multidimensinis santykių klausimynas. Tiriamasis kontingentas. Tyrime dalyvavo 76 tiriamieji, t.y. 38 sutuoktinių poros, kurie priklauso visuomeninės organizacijos ,,Tėvynės Sąjunga“ Kauno skyriui. Tiriamųjų amžius nuo 21 iki 65 metų. Rezultatai. Skirtingi vyrų ir žmonų asmenybės ypatumai susiję su skirtingomis tiek jų pačių, tiek ir sutuoktinio(-ės) artimų santykių dimensijomis. Didžiausią neigiamą įtaką artimiems santykiams turi vyrų ir žmonų polinkis į šizoidinę, anankastinę, ribinę ir vengiančią asmenybes. Asmenybės ypatumų ryšiai su artimų santykių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Background. It is noticeably that family institution is destabilizing in society and this negatively affects individuals‘psychical well-being. Getting known which personality traits determine more qualitive and stabile close relationship, family psychotherapists and other specialists can help to improve individuals those features or to reduce the influence of negative ones. For this purpose it is necessary to establish and understand correlations between spouses’ personality traits and close relationships dimensions. Objective. To establish linkage of spouses’ close relationships dimensions (Satisfaction, Negative emotions, Relationship involvement, Relationship Demonstration, Internal control, External control, Motivation, Stability) and personality traits (Schizoid, Paranoid, Narcissistic, Antisocial, Histrionic, Anancastic, Borderline, Dependent, Avoidant). Measures. Personality Traits Questionnaire and Multidimensional Relationship Questionnaire are used in this study. Participants. This study was composed of 38 married couples (76 adults between 21 and 65 years old), who belong to organization Tėvynės Sąjunga Kaunas section. Results. Different spouse‘s personality traits interrelate differently with their own and with spouse‘s close relationship dimensions. Schizoid, Anancastic, Borderline and Avoidant personality traits interrelate with close relationship most negatively. Correlations vary differently by gender.

Abstract The purpose of this qualitative study was to answer the questions by interviewing eight women about their experiences: How do women who have been subjected to psychological violence in close relation feel that they have been met by their social network? Why do women stay in relationships where they are subjected to psychological violence? The theoretical framework of the study includes Pierre Bourdieu's concept of social capital and Thomas Scheff's theory of social ties. A gender perspective has been used to map patriarchal structures. The results showed that the weak ties that arise in the relationship lead to the women experiencing shame and fear, which means that they remain in the relationships and that they do not tell the network about the violence. Women are treated to varying degrees but usually with understanding and empathy. It also emerged that the women tended to stay in the relationship if they lacked other people to identify with. How women's living conditions are degraded by destructive relationships is also affected by women's subordination in society. Keywords: Violence in close relationship, psychological violence, social networking, the normalization process, shame, separation

The purpose of this literature study is to examine intimate partner violence among olderindividuals, with a particular focus on how violence manifests when the older person issuffering from dementia. The study is based on a thematic content analysis of scholarlyarticles. A total of seventeen articles have been analyzed to address the research questions.The analysis of the findings is grounded in three theoretical starting points, namely ageism,Foucault's theory of power, and Simmel's theory of shame. The results highlight older adultsas a marginalized group in society, with violence being an issue that is not widely addressedor openly discussed.In this study, we explore how informal caregivers perceive their role in caring for a familymember with dementia. We describe different forms of violence and the underlying causesthat contribute to its occurrence. The study indicates that older adults with cognitiveimpairments are at a higher risk of experiencing violence and abuse of power. Informalcaregivers act as providers of care for older adults, and they often report a lack of knowledgeand inadequate support from local authorities. This power imbalance between caregivers andcare recipients can lead to caregiver strain, which may manifest in violent acts. Additionally,older adults may hesitate to report incidents of abuse due to feelings of shame.The findingsunderscore the importance of addressing the knowledge gaps and deficiencies in supportsystems. Measures need to be implemented to protect older adults, particularly those withdementia, who are subjected to mistreatment.

Bakgrund: Våld i nära relationer mot kvinnor är ett globalt folkhälsoproblem och skapar ett lidande hos de utsatta på flera plan och dessa kvinnor är i särskilt behov av stöd. Vårdpersonal har en viktig roll i att möta dessa kvinnor, där hela människan måste tas i beaktande. Kunskapsbrist och organisatoriska brister försvårar mötet med kvinnor som blivit utsatta för våld. Syfte: Beskriva hur kvinnor som blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer upplevde omvårdnaden från vårdpersonalen. Metod: Litteraturöversikt där elva kvalitativa artiklar analyserades. Resultat: I resultatet framkommer det fyra huvudteman och två subteman. (1) Vårdpersonalens attityder och bemötande; vikten av tid, utsatt patientgrupp. (2) Betydelsen av att vårdpersonal frågar om våld. (3) Fokus på symtom. (4) Upplevelser av stöd och hjälp. Konklusion: Vårdpersonal behöver mer utbildning, tydliga riktlinjer och stöd/handledning från arbetsplatsen. Relationen mellan vårdpersonal och den utsatta kvinnan behöver präglas av en trygg miljö, tillit och medmänsklighet. / Background: Violence against women is a major public health problem and creates a suffering on several levels and these women are in particular need of support. Healthcare professionals have an important role in meeting these women, where the whole person must be considered. Lack of knowledge and organizational shortcomings complicate the encounter with women who have been exposed to violence. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe women’s experiences of care whom been a victim of violence in close relationship. Method: Literature review where eleven qualitative articles were analyzed. Result: The result shows four main themes and two sub-themes. (1) Attitudes and treatment of healthcare professionals; the importance of time, exposed patient group. (2) The importance of healthcare professionals asking about violence. (3) Focus on symptoms. (4) Experiences of support and help. Conclusion: Healthcare professionals need more education, clear guidelines and support/supervision from the workplace. The relationship between healthcare professionals and the women needs to be characterized by a safe environment, trust and compassion.

Våld i nära relation förekommer i alla samhällsklasser. Syftet med studien var att få fördjupad kunskap kring olika samhällsinstansers arbete i närområdet kring våldsutövare och våldsutsatta i våld i nära relation, samt hur de arbetar med att minska våldet. Intervjuer genomfördes med åtta olika samhällsaktörer för att få reda mer och undersöka våld i nära relation. Genom att använda normkritiska glasögon vill studien undersöka om resultatet stöder antagandet att ett samhällsnormbrytande beteende härstammar från normer. Intervjuerna var semistrukturerade med en intervjuguide med öppna frågor. Det empiriska materialet analyserades med tematisk analys. Resultatet visar på att våldet i nära relation är fysiskt våld som ofta är kombinerat med andra olika former av som sexuellt och psykiskt våld. Våldet i våld i nära relation leder förutom fysiska skador och psykiska besvär, till långsiktiga konsekvenser för de enskilda individerna, samhället och familjen. Våld i nära relation anses som ett stort samhällsproblem både internationellt och i Sverige ochär en kränkning mot de mänskliga rättigheterna. Det svenska samhällets ansvar är arbeta förebyggande mot våld i nära relation och samtidigt stödja de medborgare som är och varit utsatta för våld i nära relation. Resultatet visat att Trollhättans stad samarbetar med flera olika samhällsinstanser för att motverka mäns våld i nära relation och de ligger i framkant i Sverige när det gäller att förebygga och samtidigt minska konsekvenserna som uppstår i våld i nära relation och samtidigt sänka samhällskostnaderna / Violence in close relationship occurs in all social classes. The purpose of the study was to gain in-depth knowledge of the work of various social institutions concerning violence and particularly violence in close relationships, as well as how they work to reduce violence. Interviews were conducted with eight different actors in society to find out more and to investigate violence in close relationships. Using a norm-critical perspective, the study investigated whether the results support the assumption that a society-breaking behavior stems from norms. The interviews were semi-structured with an open-ended interview guide. The empirical material was analyzed with thematic analysis. The result shows that the violence in close relationship is physical violence, often combined with other forms of sexual and psychological violence. The violence in close relationships leads in addition to physical injuries and mental disorders, to long-term consequences for the individual individuals, society and the family. Violence in close relationship is considered a major social problem both internationally and in Sweden and is an infringement of human rights. The responsibility of Swedish society is to work against violence in close relation while supporting the citizens who are and have been exposed to violence in a close relation. The result showed that Trollhättan's city collaborates with several different social institutions to counter men's violence in close relationships and that they are at the forefront in Sweden in preventing and at the same time reducing the consequences of violence in close relationships while reducing social costs.

Bakgrund: I Sverige är barnmisshandel olagligt, ändå förekommer det och skapar förödande konsekvenser för barnen. Sjuksköterskor har en skyldighet att anmäla vid misstanke om barnmisshandel. Trots detta är anmälningsbenägenheten låg. Syfte: Att belysa sjuksköterskans upplevelse av att bemöta och hantera situationer där ett barn misstänks bli utsatt för våld i nära relationer. Metod: En kvalitativ litteraturöversikt baserad på 10 vetenskapliga artiklar. Resultat: I studien framkommer det fyra huvudkategorier som besvarar syftet. Svårt att bemöta föräldrarna, Svårigheter i att anmäla, Osäkerhet i identifiering, bedömning och definition samt Behov av stöd. Huvudfynden som framförs är en upplevd känslomässig påfrestning vilket försvårar arbetet runt fallet och att vara professionell. Även en osäkerhet och okunskap kring hur patientfallen ska hanteras. Slutsats: Den gemensamma upplevelsen var osäkerhet som är ett återkommande begrepp i sjuksköterskans upplevelser. Osäkerheten fanns både i att definiera, identifiera, bedöma samt anmäla. Det framkommer ett behov av bättre stöd från kollegor och tydligare riktlinjer för att stärka sjuksköterskan i att hantera situationen. / Background: In Sweden, child abuse is illegal, yet it still occurs and creates devastating consequences for children. Despite nurse’s obligation to report suspected child abuse, there is a low tendency to report. Aim: To shed light on the nurses’experience of responding to and handling situations where a child is suspected of being exposed to violence in close relationships. Method: A qualitative literature review based on 10 scientific articles. Results: In the study, four main categories emerged. Difficult to meet the parents, Difficulties in reporting, Uncertainty in identification, assessment and definition and A need for support. The main findings that are presented are a perceived emotional strain which makes it more difficult to be professional in the situation. Also an uncertainty and ignorance about how patient cases should be handled. Conclusion: The common experience was uncertainty, which is a recurring concept in the nurses’ experiences. The uncertainty existed in defining, identifying, assessing and reporting. There is a need for a better support system including support from colleagues and clearer guidelines that focus on strengthening the nurse’s ability to handle situations of abuse

BACKGROUND: Playing computer games is a favourite way to have fun since the end of the 20th century. The age of users rises together with the development of games and many gamers are nowadays middle-aged. Despite the growing number of research dealing with the issue of playing computer games, this phenomenon lacks a comprehensive definition and method of diagnosis. In some diagnostic tools, the conflict between gamers and a close person is the main and key criterion. AIM: The main aim of the research is to describe the symptoms of conflict in the close relationships of computer games players. A partial goal is to compare conflicts in close relationships in addicted or threatened by addiction gamers and non-addicted gamers. METHODS: The concept of the research is based on a qualitative research methodology. Respondents were recruited using the snow ball selection method and selected by targeted selection based on predefined criteria. The research sample consisted of 36 respondents. 18 were computer games players and 18 were close persons. All respondents took part in a semi- structured interview. The obtained data was analyzed using the pattern capture and comparison method. RESULTS: Symptoms of conflict in the close relationships of computer game players have been described by individual...