Intimacy Research Articles

Young People’s Reasons for and Emotional Reactions to Sexting in Intimate Relationships

ABSTRACT Although sexting is a widespread phenomenon among today’s youth, little is known about their experiences of sexting with their intimate partners. This study addresses this gap by examining young people’s reasons for sexting and emotional reactions to sending and receiving sexts in their intimate relationships, as reported by 764 (48.7% girls) 15–20-year-olds in Finland. Both younger and older girls and boys reported mostly positive reactions to both sending and receiving sexts. However, girls reported more negative reactions than boys did. Girls’ reasons for sending sexts were more frequently related to their own desire to feel sexy or flirtatious, their need for validation from their partner, or the pressure that their partner put on them to sext, whereas boys’ reasons more often indicated normative ideas of sexting as a typical component in a romantic relationship and responding to sexts sent to them by their partners. The results suggest that although it is mostly consensual and reciprocal, sexting within intimate relationships may carry different meanings for boys and girls, reflecting gendered heterosexual norms.

Muslim Women's Experiences of Domestic Violence and Abuse: A Meta-Ethnography of Global Evidence.

Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is a form of interpersonal violence perpetrated by intimate partners or family members. It includes physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, and economic abuse, as well as coercive and controlling behaviors. DVA is associated with severe physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences for the victims. Muslim women, like women from all communities, experience DVA in its various forms, however, they may experience additional barriers when seeking support. This review was conducted using a meta-ethnography approach to synthesize published qualitative evidence on Muslim women's perspectives and experiences of DVA. A systematic search of global evidence in six electronic English databases including Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and ASSIA identified a total of 33 qualitative studies that met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis of these studies revealed four major themes: the experience and impacts of abuse; risk factors contributing to abuse; help-seeking; and the coping strategies of Muslim women. These findings emphasize the importance of religion not only as a risk factor for violence and a barrier to help-seeking but also as a coping strategy for dealing with violence. The findings offer important insights for policymaking and in supporting these women more effectively.

“If You Have Nothing to Hide it Shouldn’t be a Problem”: The Social Construction of Cyber Abuse and Normalized Cyber Behaviors in Intimate Relationships

ABSTRACT Whereas “traditional” forms of intimate partner violence have been socially constructed as abusive, it is unclear whether intimate partner cyber abuse (IPCA) is socially constructed as abusive. We couple the social constructionist framework with an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data collected via a 2019 TurkPrime survey of U.S. adults in intimate relationships (N = 1,486). Approximately 38% of respondents did not identify any IPCA behaviors as abusive. Open-ended responses suggest some view these behaviors as acceptable in certain contexts. However, many believed certain behaviors could constitute abuse. The implications of our findings for research and prevention efforts are discussed.

Self‐Deception in Human–Sex Robot Intimacy

ABSTRACTA common sentiment among anti‐sex‐robot scholars is the apprehension that sex robots will normalize and perpetuate sexual violence towards humans. In this new chapter within the feminist sex war, the authors of this article tend to agree with anti‐sex‐robot concerns and seek to further identify potential harms of sex robots. However, instead of characterizing the harm in terms of what the robots represent and symbolize, we are primarily interested in the internal state of the user and the type of relationship that will emerge between human users and sex robots, which we argue is an unprecedented sexual relation. Unlike other comparable sex products and services, sex robots occupy a liminal space between being perceived as both a sexual property and agent, oscillating based on the preferences and convenience of the user. We argue that this oscillation that enables human–sex robot intimacy requires self‐deception, which in turn entails individual moral responsibility. Thus, we articulate a novel virtue‐based approach of examining human–robot intimacy that focuses on cultivating erotic flourishing. We conclude that people have a moral responsibility to exhibit self‐awareness within the dynamics of their intimate relationship with sex robots and the (contradictory) beliefs required to maintain such intimacy.

Long-Term Relationship over Litigation: Mediation in WTO Dispute Settlement Proceedings

Long-Term Relationship over Litigation: Mediation in WTO Dispute Settlement Proceedings

Social workers’ support of the status quo: Results from a national survey

Summary Social work has an intimate and complex relationship with the systems that shape the social, political, economic, and environmental fabric of the United States. System justification theory helps explain why people are motivated to accept the status quo of systems and unequal social arrangements. This study examined the system-justifying beliefs of a national sample ( N = 516) of master’s-level social workers to better understand how beliefs about the status quo may shape job outcomes (e.g., burnout and satisfaction) and practice outcomes (e.g., goals, motivations, perceptions of clients, and endorsement of practice behaviors). Findings Ordinary least squares regression analyses adjusting for demographic characteristics indicated significant relationships with both practice outcomes and job outcomes. Higher system-justifying beliefs were associated with less social justice motivation, more practical motivation, less transformative practice goals, and less understanding of clients’ needs as symptoms of structural failures. However, higher system-justifying beliefs were also associated with more compassion satisfaction, less secondary trauma, and less emotional exhaustion. Applications Key interventions into the structural conditions of social work practice so that social workers rely less on system-justifying beliefs to cope with burnout and increase satisfaction are discussed. Examples include investments in support resources, workplace empowerment, increased discretion, and workload reduction. Cognitive and psychological interventions, specifically the development of critical consciousness and critical thinking, are also suggested.

The relationship between intimate partner violence and parenting styles with mediated attachment styles in Iranian women

PurposeThe primary aim of this study was to investigate the role of attachment styles as intermediaries in the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and parenting styles among Iranian women.MethodsData for this study was collected between September and December 2020. The participants consisted of 102 women who had been referred to Social Emergency Centers in Isfahan due to their experiences with domestic violence. Participants filled out the Haj-Yahia Violence Questionnaire, Baumrind Parenting Styles Questionnaire (BPSQ), and the Attachment Styles Questionnaire (AAQ). To examine the hypothesized relationships, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used.ResultsEconomic IPV victimization was negatively related to secure attachment (β = − 0.309, p = 0.019) and positively related with authoritative parenting (β = 0.422, p = 0.019) and avoidant attachment style (β = 0.563, p = 0.000). There was a significant, positive relationship between sexual IPV victimization with secure and avoidant attachment styles (β = 0.351, p = 0.011; β = 0.407, p = 0.000). Authoritative parenting style was related to avoidant attachment (β = − 0.524, p = 0.015) and secure attachment (β = 0.371, p = 0.000).ConclusionsIranian IPV victims with secure attachment style were more likely to utilize authoritative parenting and those who have avoidant attachment were less likely to use authoritative parenting. Attachment styles may influence the relationship between IPV and parenting styles in Iranian women who have experienced IPV.

Penal Protection Orders and Intimate Partner Violence in the Netherlands: An Application of the Empowerment Process Model.

This study analyzed the experiences of 20 survivors of violence by partners with penal protection orders (POs) issued against them to explore the extent to which, how, and when POs (dis)empower. The results show that the extent to which POs result in survivors' enhanced sense of safety and ability to move on with their lives is dependent on specific circumstances and the PO impact on their sense of self-efficacy, including whether they obtain PO-related knowledge, report violations, refrain from contact with the ex-partner, and expect and received support from the criminal justice system and others. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Determinants of preterm delivery among mothers who gave birth in hospitals of Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia, 2023: unmatched case-control study

BackgroundPreterm delivery refers to childbirth that occurs before 37 full weeks’ gestation. Globally, around 13.4 million babies are born preterm annually, a million died due to its complications. Identifying its determinants is mandatory to decrease preterm birth and thereby neonatal deaths. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the determinants of preterm delivery among mothers who gave birth in hospitals in the Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia.MethodsA hospital-based unmatched case-control study design was conducted from March 29 to May 20, 2023, in the Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia. Cases were women who gave birth after 28 weeks and before 37 completed weeks, and controls were women who gave birth at and after 37 and before 42 weeks of gestation from the first day of the last normal menstrual period. A consecutive sampling method was used. Data were collected by a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were coded and entered into Epi data 3.1 and analyzed by using SPSS version 25. Variables that had a P-value < 0.25 in the bivariate logistic regression analysis were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model. Finally, p-value < 0.05 was used to claim statistical significance.ResultFrom a total of 405 eligible participants, 399 respondents (133 cases and 266 controls) participated in this study with a response rate of 98.52%. The result of the multivariable analysis shows that mothers who resided in rural areas [AOR = 2.78:95% CI (1.51–5.12)], not receiving support from their partner [AOR = 2.37:95% CI (1.24–4.51)], less than four antenatal care visits [AOR = 4.52:95%CI (2.38–8.57)], developed pregnancy-induced hypertension [AOR = 5.25:95%CI (2.27–12.14)] and exposed for intimate partner violence [AOR = 2.95:95%CI (1.105–7.85)], had statistically significant association with experiencing preterm delivery.Conclusion and recommendationMost of the determinants for preterm delivery have been proven modifiable. Thus, designing new strategies, providing comprehensive mobile clinic services to address hard-to-reach areas and Health care providers should give due attention to mothers with pregnancy-induced hypertension and exposure to intimate partner violence and increase the awareness of antenatal care follow-up and benefit of support during pregnancy to reduce preterm delivery.

Association between health-related hope and distress from restrictions in chronic kidney disease and dialysis

BackgroundIn chronic kidney disease (CKD), the durability of patient adherence to fluid and dietary restrictions may depend on the degree to which they have hope that they will enjoy life. Previous cross-sectional studies have shown that higher hope was associated with lower distress from fluid and dietary restrictions and better adherence in the short term. In this study, we aimed to examine the long-term relationship of hope with distress from fluid and dietary restrictions.MethodsThis prospective observational cohort study included 444 patients with CKD undergoing dialysis in one of five Japanese nephrology centers. Hope as a predictor was measured using an 18-item health-related hope scale. Outcomes were two-item measures of distress from fluid and dietary intake restrictions using the Japanese version of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form, Version 1.3 (higher scores indicate lower levels of distress). Multivariate linear mixed models were used to estimate the association of baseline health-related hope with distress from fluid and dietary restrictions at baseline and follow-up.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 67 years, and 31.1% of them were females. In total, 124, 98, and 222 had non-dialysis CKD, peritoneal dialysis, and hemodialysis, respectively. Higher levels of baseline health-related hope were associated with lower levels of distress from fluid restriction after one year (per 10-point increase, 2.6 points (95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 4.1)); whereas the baseline score was not associated with the distress from fluid restriction at 2 years. Similarly, higher levels of baseline health-related hope were associated with lower levels of distress from dietary restriction after one year (per 10-point increase, 2.0 points (95% confidence interval, 0.3 to 3.6)); whereas the baseline score was not associated with the distress from dietary restriction at 2 years.ConclusionsHealth-related hope, regardless of depression, can potentially mitigate long-term distress from fluid and dietary restrictions in patients with a wide range of CKD severities.Trial registrationUMIN000054710.

Blood Draw Training in Okapi ( Okapia johnstoni )

Abstract Sedating any species in a zoological setting for veterinary procedures, including blood draws can have negative implications for the individual animal, both physiological and psychological both during and after the procedure. In addition, these can take a lot of staff time and resources and can impact the long-term relationship between the individual and keepers. Training individuals to take part voluntarily in their own health care can help to reduce these negative implications; helping to reduce stress, improve welfare, and give individuals choice and control while developing the future management of the species. This case study describes the training of four okapi individuals, a notoriously flighty species, for voluntary blood draws and how training plans should always be adaptable for individuals to encourage successful progression and development. Information © The Authors 2024

Empowering Informed Life Insurance Decisions: The Impact of Financial Literacy on Framing Effects

This study investigates the impact of financial literacy on consumers’ intention to purchase life insurance policies with a framing effect. Although life insurance companies use framing to nudge consumers, this marketing tactic fails to foster long-term relationships and informed decisions. The study introduced a financial literacy education comparing the benefits of life insurance with traditional banking instruments. Using a rating-based conjoint analysis experiment, the effects of financial literacy on premium and benefit framing were tested and analyzed with three-way ANCOVA and Hayes Process. Results indicate that financial literacy significantly increases purchase intention for policies with monthly premiums and aggregate benefits.

Women's Participation in the Arab Spring Protests and the Prevalence of Domestic Violence: Evidence From Egypt

During the Arab Spring protests, Egyptian women demonstrated in streets in unprecedented numbers, challenging societal norms about women’s roles and rights. Using a triple difference approach and nationally representative DHS data, this study exploits regional variation in protest intensity and women’s participation in the protests from 2011 to 2014 to examine the changes in women’s risk of experiencing domestic violence. Results show that women experienced a significant decline in their probability of experiencing physical, sexual, and psychological violence from their intimate partners in regions more exposed to women’s political participation in Arab Spring protests. Exploring potential channels, the study finds a significant increase in women’s decision-making power in more affected regions, without significant changes in attitudes toward domestic violence or labor market outcomes. These effects underscore the role of increased visibility of women in public spaces in empowering women and reducing their experience of intimate partner violence. HIGHLIGHTS Egyptian women protested in unprecedented numbers during Arab Spring demonstrations. Exposure to these events changed women’s risk of experiencing intimate partner violence. Women experienced a significant decline in intimate partner violence in more affected regions. Women also experienced an increase in decision-making power within the household.

Relation Between Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy and Postpartum Mother Psychological Wellbeing

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) may be physical violence, psychological or sexual abuse by a current or former intimate partner. It is an avoidable global public health problem. IPV in pregnancy, despite being a common problem but remains a neglected condition (1). The severity of violence from a partner during pregnancy was reported to be greater than violence before pregnancy due to possibly change in a couple’s relationship and lifestyle accompanying pregnancy (2).Numerous studies revealed that experiencing IPV during pregnancy negatively affects both mothers and infants during the post- partum period(3).Objectives: to assess prevalence of postpartum depression and anxiety and assess possible relation between partner violence during pregnancy and postpartum psychological health. Design: prospective cohort study Method: This study was carried out on 176 pregnant women attending antenatal care to explore the possible relation between intimate partner violence and postpartum depression and anxiety. The assessment was done during the second trimester by screening the sociodemographic factors, screening of intimate partner violence was done using the Arabic version of the Composite Abuse Scale. Postpartum assessment by screening of maternal depression was done by the Arabic version of the Edinburgh post-partum depression scale, and screening of anxiety using the Arabic version of Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale. Results: the prevalence of intimate partner violence during pregnancy was 19.3%. Near half of participants suffered from postpartum depressive illness and around one quarter suffered from possible depression. More than half of participants suffered from mild to moderate postpartum anxiety. Partner violence had also significant relation with depression during pregnancy and post-partum with p-value &lt;0.001 for both. Conclusions: intimate partner violence may be a risk factor for postpartum depression and anxiety.so, we should screen for it and learn how to deal with this problem.

Navigating the challenging storms of cancer management in a national cancer centre: perspectives of female patients

BackgroundBreast, cervical, and ovarian cancers are among the top ten global cancers, affecting women, with age-standardized rates per 100,000 being 47.8 for breast, 13.3 for cervical, and 6.6 for ovarian cancer. The journey from cancer symptoms, through diagnosis and treatment, to survivorship, presents numerous challenges. These challenges encompass physical, psychological, and social aspects, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. It is crucial for research to explore not only the challenges faced by patients but also the strategies they employ to cope with these obstacles.MethodsThis study employed a cross-sectional qualitative approach. Twenty respondents, aged between 15 and 45 years and had been diagnosed with a reproductive cancer (breast, ovarian, or cervical), and were either undergoing treatment or had completed treatment within one year of the study period were purposively selected. Respondents were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. A thematic analysis was conducted on twenty in-depth interviews (IDIs) to understand the challenges and support systems for cancer patients.ResultsThe study identified two principal themes: the challenges faced by patients and the available support systems. The findings are based on patient narratives regarding the obstacles encountered during diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up, along with the mitigation strategies employed. Patients reported a range of challenges, categorized into financial and non-financial. Prominent among the non-financial challenges were psychological distress, body image issues, reduced sexual drive, and overall health deterioration. Support was primarily found through personal relationships and religious or spiritual beliefs.ConclusionThe research highlights the extensive psychological and social effects of cancer and it’s treatment. The study revealed the intertwined nature of financial difficulties and non-financial challenges, emphasizing the importance of social support, including religious, family, healthcare, and peer support. The findings suggest that a comprehensive, multidisciplinary management plan which encompasses both medical and supportive care is required to enhance patient well-being.

Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health Problems in Married Women in Rural Central India: A Community-based Cross-sectional Study

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant social issue affecting women in rural India, with deleterious consequences for their physical and mental health. The “mental health problems and psychosocial factors associated with IPV” is an under-researched topic in Central India. The cross-sectional observational descriptive study was part of a project aimed at strengthening the health sector response to gender-based violence. Eighty consenting women from 19 villages in a district in Central India, who acknowledged experiencing IPV, participated in the study. A predesigned and pretested sociodemographic questionnaire, the WHO multicountry women’s questionnaire, and self-report scales for depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were used to interview the women. The mean age of the respondents was 31.13 ± 6.96 years. The majority of the women (95%) experienced severe physical violence. In addition, a majority of these women simultaneously faced emotional abuse, whereas more than one-third suffered from sexual abuse from their partners. Self-reporting measures showed that nearly two-thirds of the participants had PTSD and moderate-to-severe depression and anxiety. A substantial number of study participants believed that IPV is a private matter for a couple and justified violence if the wife was unfaithful, disobedient, or neglectful of children and household duties. The under-reporting of IPV, presence of misconceptions, and high prevalence of associated mental health problems among IPV-affected women highlight the need for interventions tailored to the needs of battered women.

Attending to Power: Stakeholder Perspectives on Training Physicians to Address Intimate Partner Violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with a wide range of mental and physical health concerns. Research suggests that many physicians lack knowledge and skills to adequately respond to patients experiencing IPV. In order to better integrate physicians' contributions into intersectoral responses to IPV, we asked stakeholders with expertise and experience related to IPV about the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors they wanted them to have. Guided by principles of interpretive description, and using a key informant method, we conducted unstructured interviews with 18 stakeholders in IPV-related frontline, managerial, or policy roles in Ontario, Canada. Data collection and analysis proceeded iteratively through 2022; "thoughtful practitioners" outside the research team were recruited at key junctures to provide feedback on formative findings. Stakeholders suggested that "attending to power" should be a core principle for medical practice related to IPV. Attending to power encompassed understanding interactional, organizational, and structural power dynamics related to IPV and purposefully engaging with power, by taking action to empower people subjected to violence. Specific recommendations for practice concerned four focal contexts: relationships between partners, between patients and providers, between providers, and in social systems and structures. Strengthening physicians' capacity to attend to power dynamics relevant to their IPV practice is an important step in both improving medical care for people experiencing IPV and integrating physician contributions into other services and supports.

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH THROUGH GREEN ECONOMY: AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Objective: In recent years, the growing interest and awareness of environmental issues have once again brought the issue of population growth to the forefront, exerting significant pressure on production. The increased pressure on production and the resultant rise in production have led to a faster trend in consumption. As a natural consequence of both trends, detrimental effects on ecological balance and the environment have begun to emerge. The concept of "green economy" has emerged as an approach to restore the disrupted ecological balance and operationalize this order. This widely spreading concept has begun to generate significant policies at both national and international levels. Method: This study aims to examine the relationship between renewable energy production, consumption, wastewater, and solid waste data, covering the years 1980-2022, using econometric methods to explore the relationship between green economy and economic growth in the context of Turkey. The objective is to analyze the impact of the recent and rapidly increasing transformation towards "green economy" on the long-term trajectory of economic growth in Turkey. Result and Discussion: Based on the findings of the study, it has been determined that, at the 0.05 level of statistical significance, there is no long-term relationship between the variables and economic growth, as well as no long-term significant relationship between any of the variables. When the statistical significance is accepted at the 0.10 level, a significant long-term relationship is identified between the amount of wastewater and renewable energy, with a 1% increase in wastewater leading to a 0.82% increase in renewable energy. Implications: The findings of this study and the transformation towards a green economy, widely covered in the literature, have been recognized in Turkey and an unnamed green transformation movement has begun. As the results of the analysis of the study indicate, the policies introduced for the transition to a green economy and transformation efforts have a positive and significant impact on economic growth in the long term, but the same cannot be claimed for the short term, but in the future, advances in scientific and technological progress and over-specialization will inevitably have positive consequences on global and domestic sustainable development in the short term. Originality/Value: The distinctive feature of this study from similar studies in the literature is that the relationship between the green economy and sustainable growth was analyzed empirically and with five separate econometric models. Recommendations: Turkey needs serious reforms in education in its transition to a green economy. In addition, there is a need for political determination to use environmentally friendly sectors that are more open to innovation and competition, such as renewable energy and green building sectors.

Relationships Between Intimate Partner Cyberviolence and Dark Tetrad Traits: A Moderation Effect of Gender

ABSTRACT While previous studies have shown significant effects of dark traits on intimate partner violence, little is known about their effect on intimate partner cyberviolence (IPCV), and findings are rather mixed. The aim of this research was to explore the relationships between the Dark Tetrad traits and forms of IPCV, using a multidimensional approach, as well as examining the moderation effect of gender on these associations. The sample included 293 heterosexual adults from Serbia. The results showed that all Dark Tetrad traits had significant correlations with threatening behaviors as a direct form of IPCV. Furthermore, primary psychopathy explained the use of devices to monitor partners and threatening (or actual) posting of embarrassing photos of a partner, which are combinations of indirect, invasive, and direct forms of IPCV. Secondary psychopathy explained all other forms of IPCV that were more intrusive and excessive. Narcissistic admiration contributed to explaining threatening behaviors, and narcissistic rivalry explained checking behaviors. Moreover, the results showed that sadism and Machiavellianism in men, and sadism and narcissistic rivalry in women, were associated with certain IPCV forms. These results contribute to a better understanding of the complex relationships between dispositional factors of antisocial behaviors (dark traits) and various forms of IPCV.

Are Judgments of Partner Abuse “Rose Tinted”? An Exploration of Judgments of Gender in Bidirectional Intimate Partner Violence

ABSTRACT Gendered models of intimate partner violence/abuse (IPV/A), and public and professional perceptions, describe IPV/A as a one-sided crime perpetrated by men unilaterally. This becomes problematic when considering bidirectional IPV/A: the dominant form of relational violence according to reviews. Here we explored judgments of bidirectional IPV/A, first using an experimental design and a general public sample, and then using qualitative inquiry with prospective trainee forensic psychologists. Although participants acknowledged bidirectionality, males were infrequently labeled as “victims” and females as “perpetrators”. Participant interviews suggested gender constructions influenced their judgments. Implications for training to challenge gendered narratives and de-bias professional practice are discussed.