This investigation examined the hypothesis that the presence of relationship threat leads to decreased working memory capacity, and also changes partner perceptions based on adult attachment style. To test this hypothesis, participants were exposed to a threat or no-threat manipulation and then completed measures examining partner perceptions and individual differences. Results suggest that the threat manipulation might have been strong enough for only highly anxious people. These individuals showed higher levels of working memory capacity following a relationship threat, compared to more securely attached persons, and later described their partners in more global, less desirable terms, regardless of threat condition. Highly avoidant individuals also described romantic partners in less desirable terms compared to more securely attached persons, regardless of threat condition. Individual difference measures suggest that rejection sensitivity and neuroticism may contribute to how romantic partners are perceived. Implications for future research on relationship threat and partner perceptions are discussed.

No description available.

<p>  </p> <p>Personality pathology has been consistently linked with negative relationship outcomes, though little work has focused on interpersonal dynamics that might explain the association between the two. In the current study, we used Actor Partner Interdependence Modeling (APIM) with self-reported personality features from the Personality Inventory for the DSM-4+ for individuals in committed romantic relationships. Scores on the personality disorder scales were used to predict self-reported change in positive and negative affect across a conflict resolution task as well as variability in affective valance and arousal during the conflict resolution task as coded by third-party raters. In general, both positive and negative affect increased after the conflict resolution task as compared to before. Variability in emotional arousal appeared largely unrelated to PD features. The most consistent finding across models was that change in internal affect and variability in expressed affect was most related to men’s PD features but not women’s, with some exceptions. Taken together, results suggest that couples are likely to exhibit greater variability in affect during conflict in couples in which a male partner is high in PD features. </p>

Extradyadic romantic behavior in committed relationships, referred to here as "cheating," is a common occurrence. For the purposes of this study, we define cheating as romantic or sexual behaviors that occur outside of a committed romantic relationship and that violate the expectations of the relationship. This definition can be broken down into two parts: the behavior that occurred and the judgment of whether that behavior constitutes cheating. Using a large sample (N = 1,020), we tested a measure that conceptualized cheating as composing explicit behaviors, categorical judgment of behaviors, and dimensional judgment of behaviors. Fit statistics were mixed and we included suggested modifications. Biological sex was a significant modifier for each factor, with men endorsing significantly more explicit behaviors and women rating more behaviors as cheating and more serious. We found no significant differences in explicit behaviors or categorical judgments based on age, but older generations rated behaviors as more serious. Having experienced cheating in a relationship (as transgressor and/or victim) resulted in rating more behaviors as cheating than those who had no experience with cheating. With modifications, our measure is promising in assisting with the understanding of cheating and expectations in relationships.

Little is known about how fat talk - a verbal expression of body image concerns - functions within romantic relationships. This study used vignettes about a fictional couple to examine how varied levels of a woman's fat talk were perceived by participants as affecting a fictional couple's relationship and sexual satisfaction. Participants were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and included 239 heterosexual people (127 men, 112 women) with long-term relationship experience. Using a 3 (Level of Body Talk: Excessive vs. Minimal Fat Talk vs. Self-Accepting Talk) × 2 (Participant Gender: Male vs. Female) × 2 (Perspective: Husband vs. Wife) between-subjects design, participants read a vignette where the target woman used varying levels of body talk when speaking with her partner. Afterwards, participants completed a series of questionnaires to report on their perceptions of the couple's relationship and sexual satisfaction. Supporting hypotheses, results indicated that participants in the Excessive Fat Talk condition perceived lower relationship and sexual satisfaction levels than the Minimal Fat Talk and Self-Accepting Body Talk conditions. No differences emerged between those exposed to the Self-Accepting and Minimal Fat Talk vignette dialog. Male participants reported lower perceived relationship quality and sexual satisfaction than women participants. Research in this area is in its infancy, and more is needed (especially with actual couples) to better understand how fat talk, as a behavioral function of poor body image, impacts relationship functioning.

Romantic relationship research has yet to identify the relationship between conflict, an interpersonal variable, and equity, an intrapersonal variable. The current study represents the first attempt to understand these variables’ contribution, separately and interactionally, on individual partner’s feelings of relationship satisfaction. A total of 106 undergraduate and graduate participants completed questionnaires gauging their frequency of conflict and perceptions of equity across each of five relational domains: Love, Status/Power, Money, Services, and Sex, in addition to reporting general levels of relationship satisfaction. Data were interpreted in three separate relationships: conflict and satisfaction, equity and satisfaction, and the interaction of conflict and equity (conflict x equity) and satisfaction. Results indicate a significant negative relationship between conflict and satisfaction. Secondly, perceptions of inequity relate to low levels of satisfaction in the Love and Status/Power domains. Finally, the combination of conflict and inequity demonstrate significant differences in satisfaction scores in the Status/Power domain only.

<p>  </p> <p>Romantic breakups are a relatively common life event for college students, with as many as 98% of young adults reporting having experienced a breakup at any point in their past (Mirsu-Paun & Oliver, 2017). Although the events are common, breakups have been associated with several adverse outcomes, including loneliness and social isolation (Field et al., 2009; Larson & Sbarra, 2015), onset of major depressive disorder (Monroe et al., 1999), increased anxious and depressive symptoms (Samios et al., 2014), and suicidal ideation (Mirsu-Paun & Oliver, 2017). A common source of support for students experiencing adverse outcomes from a breakup has historically been university counseling centers, which have reported continued increases in the demand for counseling services (Xiao et al., 2017). Indeed, a clear need exists for interventions to support students experiencing a breakup, especially interventions that are low-resource and easy to implement in a variety of ways.</p> <p>One such low-resource intervention is the use of expressive writing interventions, such as the kind frequently used by Pennebaker (2017). An extensive body of literature exists supporting the use of expressive writing interventions as an effective means to reduce an array of possible adverse outcomes, including physical health problems and anxious and depressive symptoms (see Collison, 2016; or Reinhold et al., 2018 for a review). However, researchers have also found inconsistent support for the use of expressive writing interventions, including meta-analytic findings showing no long-term benefits from engaging in expressive writing (Collison, 2016; Reinhold et al., 2018).</p> <p>One area of the expressive writing literature that may explain the inconsistent findings is the use of targeted writing prompts, or writing instructions that target specific components of an individual’s experience, or encourage them to interpret a stressful event in a new way (Lichtenthal & Cruess, 2010; Ullrich & Lutgendorf, 2003). An example of this is Facchin et al. (2014), who found a benefit finding writing prompt led to a greater decrease in distress than a more “standard” expressive writing prompt in a study of adolescents’ adjustment to a new school.</p> <p>In the present study, I examined the extent to which expressive writing conditions impacted college students’ reports of breakup distress, suicidal ideation, intrusive thoughts, and perceived gains compared to a control writing condition. Additionally, I examined the extent to which targeted expressive writing conditions reduced breakup distress differentially compared to a standard emotional expression writing condition.</p> <p>Using an experimental design, I randomly assigned 73 college students to one of 4 expressive writing conditions. Participants in each condition completed pretest measures and completed 15-minute expressive writing tasks on 3 consecutive days, followed by completing posttest measures. I analyzed the data using a series of ANCOVAs, and I conducted four paired-samples t-tests to assess any differences that existed regardless of expressive writing condition.</p> <p>No significant differences emerged among the four expressive writing conditions, and the two targeted expressive writing conditions were not statistically different from the standard expressive writing condition. Paired-samples t-tests revealed significant decreases in breakup distress and intrusive thoughts, as well as a significant increase in perceived gains. The results may support the use of expressive writing interventions in attempting to reduce breakup distress in college students experiencing romantic breakups. The results did not support the differential impact of writing condition, suggesting that the act of writing itself may be more important than the specific writing prompt individuals respond to. The findings could possibly aid clinicians in college counseling centers in treating individuals presenting for services following a breakup, as well as providing outreach programs to students, or providing expressive writing activities as self-guided, self-help resources. </p>

This study explores the relationships among parent, peer, and romantic attachment, identity processing style, and emotion regulation. Previous studies have revealed potential associations among each of the aforementioned factors (e.g., between identity and attachment as well as between attachment and emotion regulation), but this is the first study to examine the three factors together, putting emphasis on romantic attachment. It was predicted that attachment will vary depending on the interaction between identity processing style and emotion regulation. College students (N= 390) in psychology courses participated in an anonymous online survey for course credit. Parent attachment was significantly predicted by age, gender, cognitive reappraisal, the diffuse-avoidant identity style, and the normative identity style; peer attachment was significantly predicted by expressive suppression, the diffuse-avoidant identity style, and the informational identity style. Regarding romantic attachment, attachment-anxiety was significantly predicted by the diffuse-avoidant identity style and attachment-avoidance was significantly predicted by age and expressive suppression. Additional analyses and their theoretical implications are further discussed.

No description available.

A paucity of psychological research exists on the topic of fatphobia, a type of pervasive oppression that occurs for people with plus-size, large, and/or fat bodies. Much of the research that exists about fatphobia focuses on medical ideals, the associated weight stigma, and how these are related to fat people’s physical health. Medical researchers have determined that weight stigma is actually more harmful to fat people's health than being fat. Fatphobia impacts women at disproportionate rates. Plus-sized, queer, lesbian, bisexual, and pansexual (LGBTQ+) women may be at a heightened risk for experiencing marinization as a result of their intersecting identities compounding the effects of fatphobia. The purpose of this study was to use a qualitative, grounded theory approach to explore LGBTQ+ women’s experiences of fatphobia, and how these experiences impact their romantic relationships. Four themes emerged from the data: (a) fatphobic is chronic and pervasive in the lives of fat, queer women, (b) fatphobic experiences begin in childhood and continue into adulthood, and are perpetrated by close family and friends, as well as strangers, (c) chronic experiences of fatphobia create negative mental and physical health outcomes for fat, queer women, and (d) intentional body work is used to help fat, queer women cope with and respond to chronic oppression. Suggestions for how healthcare workers and therapists can support fat, queer women engage in intentional body work are provided.