Importance Of Relationship Quality Research Articles

Personality pathology in adolescence: relationship quality with parents and peers as predictors of the level of personality functioning

BackgroundThe dimensional approach to personality pathology opens up the possibility to investigate adolescence as a significant period for the development of personality pathology. Recent evidence suggests that symptoms of personality pathology may change during adolescence, but the negative consequences such as impaired social functioning persist later on in life. Thus, we think that problems in social functioning may further predict personality impairments. The current study aimed at investigating the role of relationship quality with parents and peers for the prediction of the level of personality functioning across adolescence. We hypothesized that 1) relationship quality with both parents and peers will significantly account for the level of personality functioning in adolescence and 2) the importance of relationship quality with peers for the relation to impairments in personality functioning will increase with age.MethodsA community sample consisting of 855 adolescents aged 11–18 (M = 14.44, SD = 1.60; 62.5% female) from different regions in Lithuania participated in this study. Self-report questionnaires included the Levels of Personality Functioning Questionnaire to investigate personality impairments and the Network of Relationships Questionnaire to assess the quality of dyadic relationships.ResultsDiscord in the parent, but not peer relationships, was related to a more severe level of personality functioning across adolescence. Lower levels of closeness with parents accounted for higher impairments in personality functioning. The importance of closeness with peers for the explanation of the level of personality functioning increased with age.ConclusionsDuring the sensitive period for the development of a personality disorder, relationship quality with the closest adults and peers both remain important for the explanation of impairments in personality functioning.

“I’m missing out and I think I have something to give”: experiences of older involuntarily childless men

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extensively report the implications of the global trend of declining fertility rates and an increasingly ageing population. The experiences of childless men are mostly absent from gerontological, psychological, reproduction, and sociological, research. These disciplines have mainly focussed on family formation and practices, whilst the fertility intentions, history, and experience of men have been overlooked. Not fulfilling the dominant social status of parenthood provides a significant challenge to both individual and cultural identity. Distress levels in both infertile men and women have been recorded as high as those with grave medical conditions.Design/methodology/approachThe aim of this paper is to provide some insight into the affect involuntarily childless has on the lives of older men. This auto/biographical qualitative study used a pluralistic framework drawn from the biographical, feminist, gerontological, and life course approaches. Data were gathered from in-depth semi-structured biographical interviews with 14 self-defined involuntary men aged between 49 and 82 years from across the UK. A broad thematic analysis highlighted the complex intersections between involuntary childlessness and agency, biology, relationships, and socio-cultural structures.FindingsDiverse elements affected the men’s involuntary childlessness: upbringing, economics, timing of events, interpersonal skills, sexual orientation, partner selection, relationship formation and dissolution, bereavement, and the assumption of fertility. The importance of relationship quality was highlighted for all the men: with and without partners. Quality of life was affected by health, relationships, and social networks. Awareness of “outsiderness” and a fear of being viewed a paedophile were widely reported.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a study based on a small self-selecting “fortuitous” sample. Consequently care should be taken in applying the findings to the wider population.Originality/valueHealth and social care policy, practice and research have tended to focus on family and women. The ageing childless are absent and excluded from policy, practice, and research. Recognition of those ageing without children or family is urgent given that it is predicted that there will be over two million childless people aged 65 and over by 2030 (approximately 25 per cent of the 65 and over population). The consequences for health and social care of individuals and organisations are catastrophic if this does not happen.

The Importance of Relationship Quality: Maximizing the Impact of Expatriate Contact with a Local Host

Contact between expatriates and a local host-a specific type of peer mentoring-has been shown to result in benefits to adjustment, social support, and intercultural competence. This longitudinal study examines the role of the quality of this contact. Expatriates in the Netherlands were randomly divided into an experimental group (N = 33) in which 21 participants had developed high-quality contact with their host, and a control group (N = 32) that had no host. The results suggest the higher the quality of the contact, the more benefit the expatriate experienced. Moreover, expatriates with low-quality contact did not experience a detrimental effect. Theoretical and practical implications for mentoring in general, and peer mentoring of expatriates specifically, are discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Physical Dating Violence in Spain and the United Kingdom and the Importance of Relationship Quality.

Mixed-gender friendships, romantic relationships, and sexual behaviors increase during adolescence as a normal part of development. However, some studies have revealed potential risks to these types of social relationships. Different authors have indicated that dating violence among adolescents is an issue for concern. To date, there has been little research on this topic cross-nationally. This study examined and compared the prevalence and characteristics of physical dating violence among young people aged between 15 and 18 years in England and Spain (N = 200 in Spain, N = 199 in England), and how being involved (or not) in this violence relates to romantic relationship quality. Results indicated that approximately 23% of young people reported victimization and 30% reported perpetrating physical dating violence. In both countries, most of those involved in physical dating violence reported involvement in reciprocal violence (displaying both aggression and victimization). Those young people involved in dating violence reported higher levels on scales assessing negative aspects of relationship quality compared with those not involved, but there were no significant differences in positive aspects of relationship quality. Furthermore, different patterns appeared relating to the severity of violence and country. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for theory and practice.

Retaining customers after service failure recoveries: a contingency model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically test a customer retention contingency model in service failure settings. Specifically, this research investigates how service recovery satisfaction (SRS) influences the relationship quality (RQ)-behavior chain. It also examines the moderating role of RQ and switching cost (SC) in the proposed model. Design/methodology/approach – A two-part survey study was performed and 303 valid responses from banking services users were obtained. The structural equation modeling was used in order to test the research hypotheses. Findings – The results of this study show that SRS influences purchase intentions and behavior via RQ. In addition, SC moderate the effect of RQ on purchase intentions whereas RQ moderates the effect of purchase intentions on purchase behavior. Practical implications – From a managerial standpoint, this research provides implications for service recovery management. In particular, the findings indicate the importance of RQ. When a service failure occurs, RQ not only mediates the effect of SRS on purchase intentions, but also facilitates transforming behavioral intentions into actual behavior. Originality/value – This research fills a void in the service recovery literature by linking service recovery performance to the RQ-behavior chain.

The Influence of Relationship Quality on Sport Consumption Behaviors: An Empirical Examination of the Relationship Quality Framework

The importance of relationship quality in relationship marketing has been well documented; however, very little attention has been paid to the issues of relationship quality in sport consumer behavior contexts. We investigated the cognitive structure of relationship quality (RQ) constructs (Trust, Commitment, Intimacy, Identification, Reciprocity) by comparing a general-specific model to a hierarchical model. In addition we empirically tested the link between RQ and three sport consumer behavioral intentions: attendance, media consumption, and licensed merchandise consumption. The model comparison revealed that individual constructs reflected both the distinct aspects of the specific dimensions of relationship quality and the holistic nature of relationship quality, supporting a general-specific model. Results from the simultaneous equation model indicated that for sport consumers, relationship quality with the team explained 56% of the variance in intention to attend games, 75% of intention to consume sport media, and 66% of intention to purchase licensed merchandise.

Importance of relationship quality and communication on foodservice for the elderly

In order to promote foodservice for the elderly, foodservice managers in Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) must identify the main factors to enhance the satisfaction and behavioral intentions with food service. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between relationship quality (consisting of trust, commitment, and satisfaction) and communication in the formation of elderly's behavioral intentions with food services at CCRCs. A survey was administered to residents in two CCRCs and a total of 327 residents participated. A tested structural equation model exhibited good model fit and explanatory power of the study construct. Satisfaction directly influenced word-of-mouth and service quality has an influence on commitment. Commitment was a significant determinant of behavioral intentions to eat more often in the dining room. Also, communication showed positive association with trust. The results provided strong evidence for the importance of satisfaction and communication as a consequence of relationship marketing efforts. Suggestions for future research to better understand the elderly' behavioral intention judgments were given.

The Effect of Collectivism on the Importance of Relationship Quality and Service Quality for Behavioral Intentions: A Cross-National and Cross-Contextual Analysis

The authors explore when and how collectivism influences the importance of service quality and relationship quality for behavioral intentions. Using goal and action identification theories, they argue that collectivist tendencies become salient depending on a buyer's particular goal in a given service context and that when collectivist characteristics are salient, they can influence the importance of service or relationship quality. In the first study, the authors demonstrate the moderation effect of collectivism in a high-social-interaction context, in which they argue that collectivist tendencies are salient, using data collected in countries characterized as high and low in collectivism, and find that collectivism increases the importance of relationship and service quality (contrary to the hypothesized negative effect) for behavioral intentions. In the second study, the authors find that collectivism does not moderate the aforementioned relationships in contexts in which social interaction is expected to be low. The cross-national and cross-contextual findings provide multinational retailers guidance in designing the customer retail experience on the basis of the collectivist tendencies of consumers in various markets.

Parenthood and adult criminal offending: The importance of relationship quality

Drawing on social control, social learning, and general strain theories, it was hypothesized that the quality of a parent-child relationship would be negatively related to adult crime. In addition, it was predicted that relationship quality would more strongly impact the criminal behavior of single parents, teenage parents, and those with prior criminal records. Data from the National Youth Survey were analyzed using a combination of probit and truncated regression. Results provided partial support for hypotheses.

On the importance of relationship quality: The impact of ambivalence in friendships on cardiovascular functioning

Social relationships are reliably related to rates of morbidity and mortality. One pathway by which social relationships may influence health is via the impact of relationship quality on cardiovascular reactivity during social interactions. This study examined the effects of the quality of a friendship on cardiovascular reactivity when speaking about positive or negative life events with an ambivalent or supportive friend. To examine this, 107 healthy male and female adults (and their same-sex friend) were recruited. Results revealed that participants exhibited the greatest levels of systolic blood pressure reactivity when discussing a negative event with an ambivalent friend compared to a supportive friend. We also found higher resting levels of heart rate and lower respiratory sinus arrhythmia among those who brought in ambivalent friends than those who brought in supportive friends. Individuals may not be able to fully relax in the presence of ambivalent friends and may not benefit from support during stress. This research may help clarify the health-related consequences of differing types of social relationships.