The present study examines three non-marital, romantic relationship dissolution types: (1) normal dyadic dissolution, (2) fatal attraction dissolution, and (3) social allergen dissolution among a sample of 321 emerging adults, who are between ages eighteen and twenty-nine. Results of an online survey revealed that normal dyadic dissolution occurred in 62%, social allergen dissolution occurred in 27%, and fatal attraction dissolution occurred in 11% of the participants’ relational demises. Results also revealed that there is a surprising amount of overlap between the three dissolution types, and that age is not specifically correlated with a particular dissolution type. However, there are two predicators of dissolution type within an emerging adult population: perceived family support and whether or not the couple cohabitate.

Prostate cancer (PC) affects one in eight men in North America and continues to be the most common site of cancer in males, especially among older men in Europe and the United States, and the second most common cancer worldwide. Prostate cancer is, after lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among men with an estimated 27,540 deaths in 2015. The well-being of patients diagnosed with PC is a largely unexplored research area. Numerous factors likely impact men’s psychological well-being as they progress through the experience of managing PC. Among the various factors that may predict psychological well-being for these men, social support, marital adjustment, and emotional expressiveness seem to warrant investigation based on the research literature. “Psychological well-being” as described by Ryff offers a unique way of measuring psychological functioning of men diagnosed with PC and appears to be a multidimensional view of positive psychological functioning. Little research has been conducted to examine how various factors influence psychological well-being in men with PC. The purpose of the study was to examine correlates and predictors of overall psychological well-being in a sample of men diagnosed with PC. Independent variables included three psychological factors-social support, marital adjustment, and emotional expressiveness. The design of the study was descriptive and cross-sectional. Measures used included: a demographic questionnaire, Scales of Psychological Well-Being, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Expression of Emotion Scale, and a Visual Analog Scale of Social Support. Data analyses examined three predictors and the dependent variable–total psychological well-being. Findings show that marital adjustment significantly predicts total psychosocial well-being scores in men diagnosed with cancer in a positive direction. Implications for therapeutic practice and future research are discussed. Lack of support may place men diagnosed with prostate cancer at risk for poorer psychological well-being. Identification of at-risk men and referral to support services may improve overall psychological well-being

Introduction: Cancer survivors continue to experience psychological distress and challenges in their daily lives long after the completion of treatment. Caregivers play a pivotal role in the lives of cancer survivors by providing support in various domains of their lives. The cancer experience between support persons and cancer survivors is intertwined. The interdependence theory will serve as a theoretical framework to guide the purposes of this study. Objective:The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of unmet needs of caregivers supporting long-term cancer survivors and explore how fulfilling the needs of caregivers influenced the psychological well-being of cancer survivors. Specifically, an emphasis was placed on exploring the level of dependence present in marital relationships, and how this impacted the relationship between caregiver unmet needs and the psychological outcomes of cancer survivors. Method: Data was drawn from The Cancer Support Persons’ Unmet Needs Survey (SPUNS) (Campbell et al., 2009) and The Cancer Survivors’ Unmet Needs Survey (SUNS) (Campbell et al., 2009). Regression models tested for significant interactions between caregiver unmet needs and factors influencing survivor dependence with psychological distress in cancer survivors. Results: Findings revealed main effects between caregivers’ depression, anxiety, and stress with the respective psychological outcomes in cancer survivors. Caregivers’ concerns about the future predicted elevated depression in cancer survivors. Caregivers with needs pertaining to information or emotions predicted higher anxiety in cancer survivors. Information needs, future concerns, and health care access and continuity needs of caregivers predicted higher survivor stress. Conversely, work and financial needs of caregivers predicted lower depression, anxiety and stress in cancer survivors. Significant interactions were found for caregivers’ concerns about the future by recurrence of diagnosis with decreased survivor anxiety, health care needs of support persons by recurrence of illness with increased survivor anxiety, caregivers’ personal needs by severity of illness with higher survivor anxiety, support persons’ emotional needs by severity of illness with lower survivor anxiety, caregivers’ emotional needs by severity of illness and decreased survivor stress, and finally, support persons’ health care needs by severity of illness with higher survivor stress. Conclusion: Findings did not fully support the hypotheses of this present study. Nonetheless, the significant results revealed in the findings would be useful to generate alternative hypotheses in future studies regarding interdependence, unmet needs and psychological well-being. The findings for the present study will also provide direction towards improvement in treating caregivers and cancer patients as a conglomerate, and inform programs, services and policies in cancer care.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2005. / Supervisor: Louis A. Schmidt. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-190).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2005. / Supervisor: Louis A. Schmidt. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-190).

Thesis--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 64-77).

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.

xv, 83 p. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Peer influences on adolescence substance use have been widely demonstrated. In particular, social interactions that are centered around and reinforcing of antisocial values, known as deviant peer contagion, are predictive of a variety of antisocial outcomes, including substance use. However, much less is known about the interpersonal dynamics between friends that are associated with resilience to peer contagion. Recent work has associated self-regulation with resilience to the effects of associating with deviant and substance-using peers. Limited resource models of self-regulation have proposed that social interactions may tax regulatory resources to the point that self-regulation becomes impaired. Youth with more limited regulatory resources may demonstrate increased susceptibility to influence from peers. However, in friendship interactions, self-regulatory behaviors are highly dependent on the self-regulation of the partner. Therefore, the present study examined dyadic regulation in friendship interactions consistent with the idea of a dyadic process. In addition to investigating the construct validity of dyadic regulation, it was hypothesized that dyadic regulation would moderate the impact of peer contagion on problematic substance use. Furthermore, consistent with a limited resource model, it was predicted that adolescents with declining dyadic regulation over the course of an interaction would be more susceptible to peer contagion. Problematic substance use and interaction patterns within friendships were assessed in a sample of 711 (355 male, 356 female) ethnically diverse 16- and 17-year-old adolescents. Using videotaped observations of friendship interactions, dyadic regulation was assessed by rating responsiveness, self-focused intrusions, attention, and conversational turn-taking. Deviant peer contagion was assessed through the proportion of the interaction spent discussing deviant topics. Contrary to the hypothesized self-regulatory resilience model, those dyads that were more highly regulated while discussing deviant topics demonstrated the highest levels of problematic tobacco use. Consistent with a limited resource model of regulation, however, dyads with decreasing regulation over the course of an interaction appeared to be the most vulnerable to deviant peer contagion, demonstrating greater problematic marijuana use. These results are encouraging of further investigation in this area and may have implications for direct interventions targeting risk for substance use as well as reducing iatrogenic effects in group interventions. / Adviser: Thomas J. Dishion

abstract: The prevalence of chronic illness among children in the United States is on the rise (CDC, 2014). Having a child with a chronic illness can be a substantial source of stress for a couple, including physical, emotional, and financial demands of caregiving as well as difficult decision-making regarding the child’s health (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Coping with such stressors can have a negative effect on the couple’s well-being, and, if not managed within the relationship, can lead to increased negative outcomes for both partners. Partners can, however, learn to cope with stress by engaging in the coping process together with dyadic coping (DC). Couples can engage in positive (i.e., supportive emotion-focused, supportive problem-focused, and delegated) or negative forms of DC. DC has been shown to mitigate stress for couples, while increasing reports of individual well-being (IWB) and relational well-being (RWB), but it has not been examined in the context of couples with a child with a chronic illness. To bridge this gap, the present study examined how couples cope with general stress as well as stress associated with their child’s diagnosis of a chronic illness (CI-related stress) and whether positive DC and negative DC moderate association between stress (general stress and CI-related stress) and well-being (IWB and RWB). Consistent with hypotheses, there were significant main effects of both types of stress (general and CI-related stress) on both types of well-being (IWB and RWB). Contrary to the hypotheses that DC (positive DC and negative DC) would moderate the associations between both types of stress and both types of well-being, only one significant interaction was found between CI-related stress and negative DC on IWB. Implications of these findings are discussed. / 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