Adult Relationships Research Articles

Daily Rumination-Affect Associations in Dyads During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Negative and repetitive self-oriented thinking (rumination) is associated with lower well-being and health. The social context of rumination remains underexplored and mostly centers on marital relationships. To embrace the diversity of older adult relationships, this study includes a range of different relationships (e.g., spouses, siblings, friends, etc.) and examines the role of rumination by close others on individual well-being during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Using daily diary data from 140 Canadian older adults (M = 72.21 years, standard deviation [SD] = 5.39, range: 63-87 years, 47% women, 71% university educated) and a close other of their choice (M = 59.95 years, SD = 16.54, range: 18-83 years, 78% women, 81% university educated), this project builds on past research examining daily life rumination dynamics from a dyadic perspective. For 10 days, both dyad members reported their daily rumination and affect quality in the evening. Multilevel models replicate past work showing that individual rumination was associated with higher negative affect (within-person: b = 0.27, p < .001, between-person: b = 0.57, p < .001) and lower positive affect (within-person: b = -0.18, p < .001, between-person: b = -0.29, p < .001). Importantly, we additionally observed that partner rumination was associated with higher negative affect (b = 0.03, p = .038) and lower positive affect (b = -0.04, p = .023), highlighting the social context of rumination. Findings illustrate the significance of rumination for the self and others and underline the merit of taking a dyadic perspective on what is typically viewed as an individual-level phenomenon.

DIFFERENT ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN HEART RATE VARIABILITY AND EMOTION REGULATION IN OLDER AND YOUNGER ADULTS

Abstract Heart rate variability (HRV), the beat-to-beat variation in heart rate, is proposed to index aspects of self-regulatory processes such as emotion regulation. This is due to overlapping neural regions and networks that contribute to the central autonomic and emotion regulation systems. Paradoxically, increasing age is associated with both improvement in emotion regulation and decline in HRV, and it is unclear whether and how the association between HRV and emotion regulation is influenced by aging. The earliest stages of neurodegenerative processes, such as Alzheimer’s disease-related reduction of locus coeruleus (LC) integrity, may also influence the HRV-emotion regulation relationship in older adults, as LC modulates arousal and autonomic activity in response to stress. We pre-registered a study to investigate the cross-sectional relationship between measures of emotion regulation, HRV and LC MRI integrity in a lifespan sample of cognitively normal healthy adults using the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN) dataset, a large population-based cohort aged between 18-88 years (N=678). We hypothesized that any age-related differences in the association between HRV and emotion regulation would be related to reduced LC integrity in older versus younger adults. We found an inverse correlation between resting HRV and measures of emotional reappraisal in older adults, which differed significantly to younger adults, but no evidence of LC influence on this association. Our findings highlight age-related differences in the HRV-emotion regulation relationship which warrant further investigation in future studies.

EXPLORING MULTIDIMENSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS OF OLDER ADULTS LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN

Abstract Older adults who experience chronic pain (CP) face many challenges from their illness, which can affect their personal and healthcare relationships. Research indicates the importance of relationships on health and quality of life outcomes in older adults with CP. However, minimal research has explored their perspectives on the relationships they have with their healthcare providers, healthcare system, their CP, and family/friends/community. Objective: To understand how older adults’ CP impacts their relationship with the healthcare system; and how older adults’ CP impacts their personal relationships (i.e. self, family, community). Methods: Adults &amp;gt;50 years of age with pain were eligible to enroll in virtual focus groups and/or interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed, coded, and analyzed via a mixed inductive-deductive framework approach using ATLAS.ti. Microsoft. Descriptive statistics were performed using Stata 16. Results: Sixteen participants participated in a focus group (n=3) or an interview (n=13). Participants identified as White (n=12,75%), female (n=12,75%), and were between the ages of 55-64 years old (n=8,50%). Most participants held an associate’s degree or higher (n=15,93%) and reported private medical insurance coverage (n=11,70%). Sessions lasted between 30-90 minutes. Participants described complex relationships that could have positive or negative impacts on their ability to manage their CP and their overall quality of life. Relationships explored included the healthcare system, clinician(s), family, other patients, and CP. Discussion: The relationships of older adults living with CP are multidimensional and can support or adversely affect pain management, mental health, and quality of life.

SOCIAL ISOLATION AND HOSPITALIZATION IN A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS BY DEMENTIA STATUS

Abstract Social isolation poses risks for poor health, yet its impact on hospitalization for persons with dementia is unknown. Dementia may result in reduced social contact that increases the risk of hospitalization. This observational cohort study examined longitudinal associations between social isolation and hospitalization among a nationally-representative sample of community-dwelling older adults with and without dementia. Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study, we conducted multivariable analyses for 5,533 Medicare beneficiaries. Social isolation was measured using a multi-domain 4-item typology. Logistic regression tested associations between social isolation in 2015 and self-reported hospitalization over the next twelve months, stratifying by dementia status. Covariates included sociodemographics and health characteristics. About 21.5% of older adults were socially isolated, with a much higher proportion of social isolation among those with dementia (38.0%) versus without (20.7%) (p &amp;lt; .001). Overall, the odds of hospitalization were not significantly associated with social isolation (OR 1.13; p = .184). While there was no association between social isolation and hospitalization among those without dementia (OR 1.09; p = .394), social isolation was significantly associated with hospitalization among older adults with dementia (OR 2.07; p = .001). Among older adults with dementia, social isolation increased the predicted probability of hospitalization by about 14.1% over one year (p = 0.030). In this population-based study, social isolation was common among community-dwelling older adults with dementia and significantly associated with increased odds of hospitalization over twelve months. Efforts to reduce hospitalization should explore ways to bolster social relationships for older adults with dementia.

CHANGES IN ADULT SIBLING CONFLICT AND OLDER PARENTS’ COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: THE MODERATING ROLE OF CARE PROVISION

Abstract The life course concept of “linked lives” emphasizes that the life events of one family member have implications for other family members. Health events have been shown to be particularly salient in later-life families. We considered the consequences of older parents’ cognitive impairment on adult sibling relationship quality. Using mixed methods data from 327 adult children (nested within 96 families) collected as part of the Within-Family Differences Study (WFDS) T3, we examined the role of adult children’s care provision in the association between parents’ cognitive impairment and adult sibling tension. At T3 of the WFDS, the adult children were on average 60 years old and their parents were on average 90 years old. We conducted lagged multilevel linear regression modeling to account for nonindependence and to control for sibling tension seven years earlier before parents were experiencing cognitive impairment. The results of the quantitative analyses revealed that reports of sibling tension were higher in families in which parents experienced cognitive impairment. Moderation analyses indicated that the association between parents’ cognitive impairment and sibling tension was stronger for caregivers than noncaregivers. Qualitative analyses revealed that discrepancies in perceptions of the caregiving situation between caregivers and noncaregivers fueled sibling tension. Noncaregivers often seemed unaware of the caregiving situation or actively disengaged to avoid conflict. Taken together, these findings indicate that sibling tension is particularly high in the context of caring for older parents with cognitive impairment. In particular, adult children who are providing care are at increased risk of sibling tension.

Sign here: Coresidence contracts for parents and young adults who live together

AbstractObjectiveTo describe the content of parent and young adult coresidence contracts, attending to understandings of development and adulthood, processes of socialization, and conflict prevention and resolution.BackgroundLittle is known about overcoming the challenges of parent and young adult coresidence. Popular media encourages families to adopt written contracts to clarify expectations, prevent conflict, and cultivate positive experiences. However, their content, use, and effectiveness have not been empirically investigated.MethodThis work is a qualitative content analysis of a sample of young adult and parent coresidence contracts obtained from popular self‐help and parenting resources.ResultsContract content emphasized the following: parent and young adult rights and responsibilities, timelines around the termination of coresidence and other responsibilities and developmental milestones, legal motifs, punishments and rewards, rationalizing commentary, and room for personalization. Overall, contracts focused on role‐specific rights and responsibilities and positioned young adults as subjects of socialization in hierarchical family systems.ConclusionCoresidence contracts scaffold young adult development according to traditional Western understandings of adulthood. Depending on family circumstances, they have the potential to benefit and harm parent–child relationships.ImplicationsThe asymmetrical nature of coresidence contacts raises questions about their ability to support mutual aims, intergenerational understanding, young adult independence, interpersonal trust, and healthy parent–young adult relationships.

Can speech perception deficits cause phonological impairments? Evidence from short-term memory for ambiguous speech.

Poor performance on phonological tasks is characteristic of neurodevelopmental language disorders (dyslexia and/or developmental language disorder). Perceptual deficit accounts attribute phonological dysfunction to lower-level deficits in speech-sound processing. However, a causal pathway from speech perception to phonological performance has not been established. We assessed this relationship in typical adults by experimentally disrupting speech-sound discrimination in a phonological short-term memory (pSTM) task. We used an automated audio-morphing method (Rogers & Davis, 2017) to create ambiguous intermediate syllables between 16 letter name-letter name ("B"-"P") and letter name-word ("B"-"we") pairs. High- and low-ambiguity syllables were used in a pSTM task in which participants (N = 36) recalled six- and eight-letter name sequences. Low-ambiguity sequences were better recalled than high-ambiguity sequences, for letter name-letter name but not letter name-word morphed syllables. A further experiment replicated this ambiguity cost (N = 26), but failed to show retroactive or prospective effects for mixed high- and low-ambiguity sequences, in contrast to pSTM findings for speech-in-noise (SiN; Guang et al., 2020; Rabbitt, 1968). These experiments show that ambiguous speech sounds impair pSTM, via a different mechanism to SiN recall. We further show that the effect of ambiguous speech on recall is context-specific, limited, and does not transfer to recall of nonconfusable items. This indicates that speech perception deficits are not a plausible cause of pSTM difficulties in language disorders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Perfectionism, mattering and loneliness in young adulthood of Generation-Z

IntroductionYoung adulthood is a transitional period where adults are faced with new social and psychological roles. So, in order to matter and to form relationship with others, they become vulnerable to set exaggerated high standards for themselves and others, which can eventually lead them to experience loneliness. ObjectivesThe present study aimed to determine the relationship of perfectionism, mattering with loneliness in young adults of Gen-Z after controlling for covariates. It was also aimed to find out gender differences on perfectionism, mattering and loneliness in young adults. MethodCorrelational research design was used. A sample of 320 students with age ranging from 18 to 24 years, was collected from seven different government and private universities of Lahore through purposive sampling. The sample comprised of 160 male students and 160 female students. Multidimensional perfectionism scale, Mattering scale and UCLA loneliness scale-3 were administered to measure perfectionism, mattering and loneliness respectively. ResultsPearson product moment correlation showed that closer relationship of young adults with father (p < .01), mother (p < .01) and friends (p < .05) had a significant negative relationship with loneliness. Results of hierarchical regression analysis showed that age was significant negative predictor of loneliness. Self-oriented, other-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism were significant positive predictors of loneliness. Mattering was significant negative predictor of loneliness. Independent sample t-test showed no significant differences between male and female students on perfectionism, mattering and loneliness. ConclusionPerfectionist individuals tend to set stringent standards for themselves and others as well. The more they engage in perfectionism, the more they tend to feel that they do not matter to others. Feeling of not mattering to others can possibly lead the person to experience loneliness.

Protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a healthy relationship tool for men who use intimate partner violence (BETTER MAN)

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) is common globally, but there is a lack of research on how to intervene early with men who might be using IPV. Building on evidence supporting the benefits of online interventions for women victim/survivors, this study aims to test whether a healthy relationship website (BETTER MAN) is effective at improving men’s help seeking, their recognition of behaviours as IPV and their readiness to change their behaviours.Methods/designIn this two-group, pragmatic randomised controlled trial, men aged 18–50 years residing in Australia who have been in an adult intimate relationship (female, male or non-binary partner) in the past 12 months are eligible. Men who report being worried about their behaviour or have had others express concerns about their behaviour towards a partner in the past 12 months will be randomised with a 1:1 allocation ratio to receive the BETTER MAN website or a comparator website (basic healthy relationships information). The BETTER MAN intervention includes self-directed, interactive reflection activities spread across three modules: Better Relationships, Better Values and Better Communication, with a final “action plan” of strategies and resources. Using an intention to treat approach, the primary analysis will estimate between-group difference in the proportion of men who report undertaking help-seeking behaviours for relationship issues in the last 6 months, at 6 months post-baseline. Analysis of secondary outcomes will estimate between-group differences in: (i) mean score of awareness of behaviours in relationships as abusive immediately post-use of website; (ii) mean score on readiness to change immediately post-use of website and 3 months after baseline; and (iii) cost-effectiveness.DiscussionThis trial will evaluate the effectiveness of an online healthy relationship tool for men who may use IPV. BETTER MAN could be incorporated into practice in community and health settings, providing an evidence-informed website to assist men to seek help to promote healthy relationships and reduce use of IPV.Trial registrationACTRN12622000786796 with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: 2 June 2022.Version: 1 (28 September 2023).

The relationship between sleep duration and cortical sulcal width in midlife and older adults

AbstractBackgroundEmerging evidence suggests that poor sleep is associated with worse cognitive and structural brain health, and an increased risk of developing dementia (Bubu et al., 2016; Fjell et al., 2022; Tai et al., 2022). The present study investigated the influence of sleep duration on the cognition‐brain relationship in older adults using sulcal width (SW), a reliable measure of changes in the ageing brain (Bertoux et al., 2019). The influence of napping, depression likelihood, and genetic risk for dementia (APOE ε4 status) was also explored.MethodParticipants were 137 cognitively normal adults, aged 46‐72 from the Prospective Imaging Study of Ageing (PISA). Demographic information, sleep duration, and depressive symptoms were collected via online questionnaires. Cognition was assessed using the Cambridge Brain Systems battery. APOE genotype was determined from blood‐extracted DNA. Imaging data was acquired using a 3T Siemens PRISMA scanner. SW was extracted using the Morphologist pipeline (Borne et al., 2020).Canonical Partial Least Squares (PLS) were used to obtain latent variables of cognition and SW. ANCOVAs measured the effect of sleep duration categories (7‐7.5 hours versus {&lt;7 or ≥8 hours}) on the cognitive and SW components, with sex and age as covariates. Status of depression likelihood was added as a covariate of interest. The effect of napping, and APOE ɛ4 allele on these same components were measured by ANCOVAs, with sex and age as covariates.ResultWe observed a significant effect of sleep duration on SW (F(1, 133) = 4.17, p = 0.043, Fig. 1). This effect remained significant (F(1,132) = 4.89, p = 0.029) after including depression likelihood as a covariate, which was also significant in the model (F(1,132) = 4.62, p = 0.034). A significant interaction between APOE ε4 status and age (p = 0.050) on SW was also observed.ConclusionResults add weight to studies suggesting that not too much or too little sleep is needed to maintain brain health in later life (Li et al., 2022; Liang et al., 2019). Depression, a risk factor for dementia (Livingston et al., 2020), was also associated with poorer brain health. Results suggest that at approximately 60 years of age, the influence of a positive APOE ε4 status is associated with increasing age‐related brain atrophy.

Adverse experiences in early intimate relationships and next‐generation infant–mother attachment: findings from the ATP Generation 3 Study

AbstractChronic insecurities that emerge from adverse experiences in early intimate partner relationships in adolescence and emerging adulthood can have profound impacts on mental health and well‐being. Less clear is the extent to which these experiences for parents impact subsequent relationships within and across generations. We examine the extent to which secure, dismissing, pre‐occupied, and fearful intimate partner relationships in adolescence and emerging adulthood, well before becoming a parent, are associated with next‐generation patterns of attachment between mothers and infant offspring. Data were drawn from a nested study of infant–mother attachment (n = 220) within the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study (N = 1167, est. 1983). Intimate partner relationships in adolescence and young adulthood were assessed by self‐report at 23–24 years of age. Over a decade later, infant–mother attachment security was assessed at 12 months post‐partum. Young adult intimate partner relationships defined by high levels of fearful, pre‐occupied, and dismissing attachment styles were reported in 11%, 17%, and 38% of young mothers, respectively. Increases in fear of intimacy in relationships were associated with an increase in the odds, by around 50%, of infant–mother insecure attachments (vs secure; OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.07, 2.28) and disorganised attachments (vs organised; OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.00, 2.22). A mother's self‐reported history of fear of intimacy within young adult relationships predicts later insecure and disorganised mother–infant attachments. Guidance and greater support for young people navigating their earliest intimate relationships may not only prevent adverse relational experiences at the time but also on becoming a parent. Findings have relevance for family and infant mental health therapies. Translating these findings into supported conversations may help prevent infant–mother attachment difficulties, or later repair them, through validation of the lingering effects of early fear of intimacy and empowerment of parents to prevent next‐generation infant experiences of distrust.

Families With Early History of Parental Abuse and Neglect: Midlife Adult Children’s Relationships With Their Parents During COVID-19

For families with an early history of parental abuse and neglect (EHPAN), personal and situational stressors can increase relational vulnerabilities. We examined relationship dynamics between midlife adults with EHPAN and their parents during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis of semi-structured qualitative interviews with 31 participants (aged 44–50), examined patterns of contact and support to provide insights into relationship dynamics and relational changes experienced during the pandemic. Three relational themes characterized midlife adult child-parent relationships during COVID-19: tightening ties with parents while taking few COVID-19 precautions; keeping customary ties to maintain the status quo centered around instrumental support; loosening ties in which the relationship drifted. We found areas of resilience and vulnerabilities within each type of relationship. Recognizing that past adversity continues to shape relationship dynamics throughout the life course underscores the need for further research to identify factors that contribute to long-term family resilience and challenges.

“Don’t tell me how to tell my story”: Exploring young people’s perceptions around what it means to ‘feel (mis)understood’ by adults in supporting roles

The subjective and emotional experience of feeling (mis)understood by another person is distinct from being literally (mis)understood. While there is literature exploring young people’s experiences of feeling (mis)understood in therapeutic or clinical settings by adults and the impacts thereof, there is limited exploration of young people’s conceptualisations and perspectives of feeling (mis)understood within a range of young person-supporting adult relationships. This paper reports on the first stage of a project that was co-designed and co-produced by young people, exploring how young people experience and conceptualise ‘feeling (mis)understood’ in the context of receiving support from adults in their lives. This initial stage of the project captures young people’s views on what feeling (mis)understood feels like, its impact on their mental health, and how adults can help young people to feel understood. Conceptualisation, design, fieldwork, analysis and writing were all co-produced with peer-researchers. Data for this project was generated through four workshops each held in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A total of 26 participants aged between 16 and 24 years of age took part in these workshops, and each workshop was facilitated by two peer-researchers and a member of university staff. Data was analysed through collaborative thematic analysis. The study found that feeling understood by supporting adults has a very positive impact on young people’s wellbeing, mental health and help-seeking behaviour. Feeling misunderstood was found to have the converse effect, and in addition was found to make young people less likely to seek further support. Young people also identified a number of key actions adults can take to help the young people they support feel better understood. The findings of this research suggest that practitioners in the health and social care sector working with young people should consider the ways in which they can help young people feel better understood.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy for Childhood Sexual Abuse Memories in Men Who Have Sexually Offended Against Children: Changes in Perceptions of Abuse and Offending

ABSTRACT Five adult males who had sexually offended against children and had previously been victims of child sex abuse (CSA) were interviewed about their experiences of completing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy on memories of their CSA. Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Themes identified encapsulated descriptions of changes in participants’ perspectives of their CSA that led to changes in perspectives of their offending behavior and victims, reduction in sexual preoccupation, increased desire for healthy adult relationships and reduced sexual arousal to children. Therefore EMDR could potentially contribute to the reduction of re-offending in this population.

Adult sibling relationships: The impact of cohabitation, marriage, separation, and childbearing

AbstractObjectiveThis study explores how life transitions, such as cohabitation, marriage, separation/divorce, and childbearing, affect three dimensions of full‐sibling relationships (contact, intimacy, and conflict).BackgroundSibling relationships shape family dynamics and context, providing enduring support and affection as the longest‐lasting relationships in an individual's life. Studying their evolution during life transitions enhances our understanding of these dynamics, considering their prolonged nature, peer status, and shared family history.MethodWe use data from the German Family Panel, specifically five waves (V, VII, IX, XI, and XIII), and fixed effects regression models that acknowledge life course transitions of both sibling dyads.ResultsThe life course perspective fails to fully capture the complex sibling bond, as contact between siblings decreased when one entered into cohabitation, but increased with marriage, separation, and parenthood. Nevertheless, the findings revealed that changes in sibling intimacy afterlife course transitions are consistent with the perspective. This dimension weakened during family formation but strengthened when unions dissolved. Conflict between siblings also decreased when starting to live with a partner, while it increased after separation, implying a spillover from romantic to sibling relationships.ConclusionOverall, these findings suggest that the theoretical framework for adult sibling life courses should consider sibling family formation events. The study highlights the significance of sibling relationships and their potential impact on shaping family context and dynamics as they are often the longest‐lasting relationships.

A Descriptive Study of the Characteristics of Homicide-Suicide in Forensic Autopsy Cases.

Homicide followed by suicide (HS) is a tragic event with varied characteristics across countries and regions. Compared to Western countries, there are limited studies on HS in Asian countries. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the characteristics of recent HS cases by examining forensic autopsy records from 2008 to 2020 collected from the Department of Legal Medicine, Chiba University, in Japan. A total of 77 HS cases were identified, involving 77 perpetrators (52 completed suicides, 25 attempted suicides), with 28 perpetrator and 89 victim autopsies. Our findings showed that older adults accounted for nearly half of the victims; victims were mostly females, whereas most perpetrators were male. The most common HS relationship was that between a parent and a child. Autopsy findings showed that the most common cause of death was strangulation, and illegal drugs were detected only in a few cases; however, psychotropic drugs were detected in child victims. No obvious evidence of past child physical abuse by caregivers was found. In contrast, intimate partner violence (IPV) was present, with a history of IPV found in half of HS cases involving adult intimate partner relationships. Notably, gender differences in age and relationship to the victim were identified. Likewise, some perpetrators may have expressed their plans and intentions for HS before the event, which may represent an important sign for HS prevention. However, to accurately reveal the course of HS, nationwide integrated statistics, forensic autopsies, including toxicological analyses of the deceased; and forensic psychiatric perspectives, including psychological autopsy, are required.

Association of home and community-based services and cognitive function of Chinese older adults: social participation as a mediator

BackgroundThis study makes an effort to examine the impact of home and community-based services on maintaining cognitive function and understand the mediating effect of social participation on the relationship of community services and older adults’ cognitive function in China.MethodThe empirical data comes from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). A total of 38,582 (person-time) respondents were gathered for this study. The two-way fixed effects regression model is used to estimate the associations between independent variables, mediating variables and cognitive ability after controlling for socio-demographic, family responsibility, and time variables.ResultThis study has confirmed that participating in daily and social activities is associated with the cognitive functions of Chinese older adults. Social participation can stimulate cognition. Active participation in outdoor activities, doing housework or taking care of kids, daily playing cards or mah-jong, reading books and newspapers, watching TV, and listening to the radio can significantly promote the cognitive ability of older adults. In addition, the findings have indicated the importance of community services for older adults. This study shows personal daily care services, legal aid services, health education services, as well as dealing with family and neighborhood disputes have a positive effect on maintaining older adults’ cognitive functions. Meanwhile, the provision of door-to-door medical services hurts their cognitive functions. This study also illustrates that community-based services can increase the level of older adults’ social participation, and then enhance their level of cognitive function.ConclusionThis study can inform service provision agencies to develop targeted programs to support older adults’ continued engagement.

O045 Sleep Duration is Associated with Young Adult's Heart Rate Variability Response to Stress

Abstract Introduction Young adulthood is a critical developmental period typified by heightened exposure to stress, and a tendency towards insufficient sleep. The relationship between sleep loss and stress may have lifelong health consequences. Currently, our understanding of this relationship in young adults is limited. Heart rate variability (HRV) is an important indicator of balance in the autonomic nervous system. We examined the association between sleep duration and HRV in response to cognitive stressors. Methods Seventy-six young adults (M=20.6±1.9, 72.4% female) who self-identified as short sleepers were recruited. Habitual sleep duration was monitored with actigraphy for two weeks. Participants subsequently underwent an in-lab experiment where their HRV was recorded during baseline, and during a cognitive stress condition involving the completion of computerised cognitive stress tasks. Participants also reported their habitual stress levels and sleep quality. Results Actigraphy assessment revealed that participants slept within the recommended sleep durations (M=7.8±0.7). The participants reported high habitual stress but normal sleep quality. Our moderation analysis indicates that shorter sleep duration was associated with elevated HRV during the cognitively demanding tasks. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate an association between sleep duration and HRV in the context of a cognitive stressor, indicating that sleep and stress are related in young adults. An unexpected negative relationship between sleep duration and HRV during the cognitively demanding tasks suggests complexity in this relationship; however, we should still look to reduce stress and improve sleep where we can in young adults. This association may be better understood via direct manipulation of sleep duration.

Age-related, multivariate associations between white matter microstructure and behavioral performance in three executive function domains

The executive function (EF) domains of working memory (WM), response inhibition (RI), and set shifting (SS) show maturational gains and are linked to neuroimaging-measured brain changes. This study explored ways in which maturation-linked differences in EF abilities are systematically associated with white matter microstructural differences from adolescence into young adulthood. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and nine neurocognitive tests were collected from 120 healthy subjects ages 12–24. Analyses across the white matter skeleton were performed, focusing on fractional anisotropy (FA). Data were ‘fused’ using a multivariate technique (CCA+jICA), producing four independent components (ICs) depicting white matter FA values that covaried with test performance. Correlations between age and IC loading coefficients identified three EF-DTI profiles that may change developmentally. In one, SS performance was linked to greater reliance on the FA of ventral brain tracts, and less on dorsal tracts with age. In another, white matter microstructure was related to a pattern of strong WM and weak SS that became more pronounced with age. A final IC revealed that younger individuals with low RI and high WM/SS skills typically matured out of this cognitive imbalance, underscored by white matter changes with age. These novel multivariate results begin to emphasize the complexity of brain structure-cognition relationships in adolescents and young adults.

Experiences of interpersonal victimization and abuse among autistic people.

What do we already know?Autistic people are more likely to have negative life experiences than non-autistic people, from bullying and ostracization, to being victims of crime, to unemployment and homelessness. This includes being victims of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and domestic abuse. Quantitative work has suggested that as many as 90% of autistic people experience these forms of abuse in some form during their lives, but there is little work asking them to talk about harmful relationships in their own words.What does this article add?This article reports on interviews with 24 autistic adults about their experiences of being victims of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and/or domestic abuse. Some of the themes which came from these interviews are shared with non-autistic victims, but others appeared unique to autistic people. One of these was evidence for unique autism-related vulnerabilities, as well as the impact the abuse had on their relationships long term. Participants also talked about how the sex and relationship education they had received had inadequately prepared them for adult relationships, and how this had contributed to their struggle to recognize and react to abusive behaviour.Implications for practice, research and policyPolicies around intimate partner violence and sexual assault need to be updated to account for the different ways in which neurodivergent people (people whose brains process information differently from the majority) may discuss their experiences, rather than looking for 'standard narratives' as an indicator of a need for support. Relationship and sex education should be tailored for autistic young people to help them recognize abusive behaviours, and include how to respond to these safely. We recommend that future research tries to focus specifically on the abuse experiences of autistic men, non-binary and trans people, who have been under-represented in studies to date. In addition, much less is known about the abuse experiences of autistic people of colour or autistic people with intellectual disabilities, who also need to be actively included in these discussions.