Intimacy Research Articles

Identifying Pregnant Patients With Suspected Intimate Partner Violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the leading cause of death in pregnant women. Although it can be difficult to identify patients experiencing IPV, injuries to the head, neck, or face due to an assault are known to correlate with intentional injury. The objective of this study is to assess the contemporary burden of IPV in pregnancy and describe the patient characteristics. The National Inpatient Sample was queried for all pregnant women between January 2016 and December 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: suspected IPV (SIPV) and no-SIPV groups. We defined SIPV as any pregnant patient with an identified head, neck, or face injuries categorized as intentional assault. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between SIPV and variables of interest. A total of 28,540 pregnant patients presented with traumatic injuries with 530 (.02%) identified as SIPV. Suspected IPV patients were younger (25 vs 27 years, P = .012), more likely to be of Black race (46% vs 28%, P = .002), more likely to be in the lowest income quartile (51% vs 38%, P = .031), less likely to have private insurance (12% vs 34%, P < .001), and have higher rates of substance use disorder (35% vs 18%, P < .001). Black race and history of substance use disorder were associated with increased odds of SIPV-related injuries (odds ratio [OR]: 2.01, interquartile range [IQR]: 1.27-3.16, P = .003 and OR: 2.30, IQR 1.54-3.43, P < .001, respectively). Our results suggest that there are significant racial and socioeconomic disparities in potential risk for IPV during pregnancy.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Children: A Narrative Review

Method: This narrative review summarizes research from the years 2019-2024 on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in children. Results: This research suggests that prevalence rates have been highly variable as a function of the stress experienced, for example, post-surgery (15%), following exposure to war (28%) and following head injury (34%). The negative effects have included cognitive dysfunction, aggression and other behavioral difficulties and the comorbidities include sleep disorders, somatic symptoms and depression. Predictors/risk factors have been the primary focus in this literature and have included parent risk factors including exposure to intimate partner violence, sexual and emotional abuse. Sensory modulation and cognitive processes have been implicated as, for example, negative attention bias and subjective threat. Injuries and hospitalizations have been predictors as has been exposure to explosions and earthquakes. The most frequently studied intervention has been cognitive behavioral therapy which has consistently reduced the symptoms of PTSD. Potential underlying biological mechanisms have included parent PTSD, pregnancy inflammation, and autonomic dysregulation including low cortisol and heartrate, although reduced cortical thickness (volume) in several areas of the brain has been the most frequently studied potential mechanism. Discussion: The studies in this review highlight the prevalence and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder in children. However, they have been primarily based on mixed-age child and adolescent samples and the results have varied by the type of stress experienced and the severity of the stress.

What is the role of environmental stress on public health? Asymmetric evidence on carbon emissions, ecological footprint, and load capacity factor

The aim of this paper is to analyze the effects of carbon emission, ecological footprint, which takes into account the demand side of the environment, and load capacity factor, which takes into account both the supply and demand sides of the environment, on health expenditures with conventional and quantile methods. According to the conventional co-integration approach, there is no relationship between the environment and health expenditures. The other side, the findings obtained from the quantile co-integration method, which can give robust results in the presence of tailed distributions and possible endogeneity problems and consider the asymmetric structure in the data set, show the existence of a long-term relationship between the variables. According to the coefficient estimates, while carbon emission and ecological footprint increase health expenditures, the load capacity factor decreases.

Efficacy Of ICT Based Intimate Partner Violence Intervention; A Systematic Review

Efficacy Of ICT Based Intimate Partner Violence Intervention; A Systematic Review

Examining consumers' perceptions of relationship value with retailers: a multi-method approach

PurposeThis study employs a multi-method approach to investigate how perceived relationship marketing investment affects perceived relationship value and consumer gratitude, influencing consumer involvement, word-of-mouth intentions, and long-term relationships across three retail consumer types.Design/methodology/approachThe study analyses a model involving 542 consumers, employing structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to identify distinctive factor configurations across public, semi-public, and private retail organizations.FindingsA retailer’s investment in relationship marketing significantly enhances relationship value and consumer gratitude, leading to increased engagement and word-of-mouth intentions. Perceived benevolence moderates the effect of relationship marketing on gratitude. However, gratitude alone does not ensure long-term relationships. Using fsQCA, we identify four distinct consumer configurations, providing nuanced insights.Research limitations/implicationsRetail organizations broaden relationship marketing strategies to boost perceived value and elicit consumer gratitude, influencing consumer performance outcomes.Practical implicationsRetail organizations should broaden relationship marketing strategies to boost perceived value and elicit consumer gratitude, influencing consumer performance outcomes.Social implicationsManagers should develop strategies that lead to consumer gratitude toward the firm, such as journey mapping can help visualize retail delivery. Grateful consumers may contribute to firms’ profitability by influencing current and potential consumers in their social networks and communicating their expertise through review/feedback for improvement. Therefore, various strategies are needed to stimulate positive comments from grateful consumers about the firm’s excellent performance.Originality/valueThis study builds on Lawler’s affect theory, highlighting how relationship value and consumer gratitude profoundly influence exchange process outcomes. It introduces new psychological mechanisms to explain the impact of perceived relationship marketing investment on performance outcomes. Integrating these elements provides a comprehensive understanding of retailer–consumer dynamics, revealing how emotional and psychological factors shape marketing strategies and business performance. This contribution enriches theoretical frameworks and offers practical insights for enhancing relationship marketing practices.

Effectiveness of Father-Focused Interventions to Prevent or Reduce Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy and Early Parenthood: A Systematic Review

During pregnancy and the early parenting period, women are especially vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV), with devastating impacts on women, children, and families. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of father-focused interventions to prevent or reduce IPV during pregnancy and early parenthood. Six databases were searched, using a combination of the concepts “fathers,” “pregnancy/early parenthood,” “IPV” and “intervention.” Articles were double screened by title and abstract, and then full-text. Methodological and reporting quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. Fifteen papers were eligible for inclusion; these articles were mostly of poor-to-moderate quality. Only three of the articles reported on interventions in lower- and middle-income countries. The most common forms of IPV addressed in these interventions were physical (10), psychological (8), sexual (4), and economic/financial (3). Of 12 articles reporting on data from both intervention and control groups, only six indicated statistically significant results; among these, only three reported robust analyses showing significantly greater reduction in IPV in intervention than in control groups. All three took place in lower- or middle-income countries. Two were underpinned by theoretical frameworks, which considered transforming traditional perceived gender norms. Therefore, interventions based on principles that address transformation of gender norms show promise but the success of such underlying principles needs to be confirmed, and better-quality evidence and reporting are needed for interventions targeting fathers to prevent or reduce IPV.

A Comprehensive Review Aimed At Addressing Rural Indian Women's Health Literacy Needs To Prevent Intimate Partner Domestic Abuse.

A Comprehensive Review Aimed At Addressing Rural Indian Women's Health Literacy Needs To Prevent Intimate Partner Domestic Abuse.

Factors reported by the participants in group therapy for intimate partner perpetrators as helping

Little is known about the factors that facilitate change in interventions designed for intimate partner perpetrators. This qualitative study examined factors perpetrators in a voluntary-based batterer programme had experienced as having helped them reduce their intimate partner violence. The data were drawn from video-recorded group meetings. The data comprised recordings of 30 videotaped weekly group sessions held over a two-year period. The data were analysed by data-driven content analysis. We also examined which of the participants – facilitators or perpetrators – initiated discussion on factors helpful in reducing intimate partner violence Multiple factors that perpetrators had found useful in reducing their violent behaviours were found: New skills, Changes in attitudes and ways of thinking, Receiving peer support in the group, and Increased personal well-being and functioning. These factors might be connected as part of a process of critical self-reflection which was enabled through reduced feelings of shame and increased empathy. These discussions began at the initiative of the facilitator or group members, by sharing the experiences of another group member, or by open-ended questions from group members to others.

The Judicial Interpretation of Intimate Partner Homicide in China: An Empirical Analysis of Sentencing Practice Between 2016 and 2021.

In recent years, China has endeavored to implement individualized sentencing for cases of intimate partner homicide (IPH), using both legal and extralegal factors, to protect potential female victims and female defendants. This study examines the factors influencing the sentencing of IPH, utilizing a sample comprising 921 cases from 2016 to 2021 on the China Judgments Online website. The results show that: (1) the legal factor "victim's fault" is the main reason for the leniency of sentencing for female defendants compared to male defendants; and (2) intimate partner relationships between defendants and victims can have a protective effect on sentencing.

“Us big boys gotta find a way that works”: A qualitative study of casual sexual experiences among larger-bodied, White and Latino sexual minority men

Compared to their heterosexual counterparts, sexual minority men (SMM) are more likely to report that their own body image negatively impacts their sex lives, are more vulnerable to weight stigma, and more frequently experience size-based discrimination. Additionally, in comparison to heterosexual men, SMM report higher levels of anti-fat bias, both directed at themselves and intimate partners. Given this literature, we qualitatively examined how nine larger-bodied SMM (Mage = 37.89, SD = 12.42) experience and navigate weight stigma when seeking out casual sex. Our analytic process revealed four primary themes: Building a Gate, Letting Partners Past the Gate, Joy Inside the Gate, and When the Gate Fails. The gate refers to the protection that participants employed to avoid negative, unsafe, or fatphobic sexual encounters. Participants shared that they were aware of weight stigma within their own community, and many assumed (or were explicitly told) that their bodies were undesirable to potential partners. Further, participants readily delineated between fat attraction and fat fetishization, whereby the latter was universally framed as negative and degrading. These findings highlight the complex experience of engaging in casual sex for larger-bodied SMM and identify strategies these men use to protect themselves from body shame and weight stigma.

Human–Robot Intimacy: Acceptance of Robots as Intimate Companions

Depictions of robots as romantic partners for humans are frequent in popular culture. As robots become part of human society, they will gradually assume the role of partners for humans whenever necessary, as assistants, collaborators, or companions. Companion robots are supposed to provide social contact to those who would not have it otherwise. These companion robots are usually not designed to fulfill one of the most important human needs: the one for romantic and intimate contact. Human–robot intimacy remains a vastly unexplored territory. In this article, we review the state-of-the-art research in intimate robotics. We discuss major issues limiting the acceptance of robots as intimate partners, the public perception of robots in intimate roles, and the possible influence of cross-cultural differences in these domains. We also discuss the possible negative effects human–robot intimacy may have on human–human contact. Most importantly, we propose a new term “intimate companion robots” to reduce the negative connotations of the other terms that have been used so far and improve the social perception of research in this domain. With this article, we provide an outlook on prospects for the development of intimate companion robots, considering the specific context of their use.

Perceptions of Burnout Among Black Pastors of Small Churches: A Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this study was to explore the roles and responsibilities of Black pastors and how they might contribute to burnout. Five participants (four men, one woman) were selected from a sample of 25 Black pastors who completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and agreed to be interviewed. Transcendental phenomenology, a qualitative analysis, was used to understand the essence of meaning of burnout among the five interview participants. Four themes were identified from the data, which allowed the essence of meaning of burnout to be constructed: (1) Burnout is Emotionally Tiring; (2) Ministerial Demands and Rewards; (3) Cultural Aspects; and (4) Personal Before Professional. Findings suggest that Black pastors are subject to experiencing emotional, physical, and spiritual fatigue; that denomination-specific tasks and cultural factors (i.e., age, race, and gender) add to the uniqueness and challenges of their pastoral identity; and that the choice to prioritize personal life over professional life ensures the stability in their personal relationships with God and their families.

Postseparation Financial Abuse Perpetrated Through Government Systems: A Survey of Australian Mothers' Experiences of Child Support.

Financial abuse is a form of violence that can extend well beyond intimate partner relationship breakdown. A survey of 540 Australian separated parents examined how financial abuse was perpetrated, with a focus on child support and other government systems. Women reported that their ex-partners minimized and withheld child support payments to inflict direct financial harm, while interactions between the family court, taxation, and benefit payment systems were taken advantage of to threaten or control them. Findings revealed how the mandatory and complex Australian child support system provided perpetrators with a useful means of perpetrating financial abuse across households.

Quantitative Analysis of Agricultural Carbon Emissions and Absorption from Agricultural Land Resources in Shaanxi Province from 2010 to 2022

Agriculture is not only a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions but also a vast carbon sink system. Achieving the “dual carbon” goals—carbon peaking and carbon neutrality—is a major strategic objective for China in the near future. This study focuses on agricultural data from 2010 to 2022 in Shaanxi Province. It begins by analyzing the current economic and environmental conditions of the province and its resource endowment. This study then quantitatively assesses carbon absorption, carbon emissions, and the net carbon sink in agriculture over this period. Additionally, a vector autoregression (VAR) model is used to empirically analyze the relationship between agricultural carbon emissions and their influencing factors in Shaanxi Province. Key findings include the following: (1) From 2010 to 2022, the total carbon emissions from agriculture in Shaanxi Province were controlled to around 3 million tons, showing an overall trend of “growth-slow decline” with fluctuations. The carbon emissions from fertilizer application accounted for approximately 60% of the total carbon emissions from agriculture in Shaanxi Province, with a total volume ranging from 1.623 to 2.164 million tons. The total carbon absorption from agriculture in Shaanxi Province showed an increasing trend with fluctuations year by year from 2010 to 2022, with an average annual increase of 1.367%. (2) Fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural films, and agricultural diesel are the primary contributors to agricultural carbon emissions. (3) Results from the Johansen cointegration test reveal a long-term equilibrium relationship between agricultural carbon emissions in Shaanxi Province and influencing factors such as fertilizers and pesticides in the short term. The contributions of fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural films, and agricultural diesel to agricultural carbon emissions are 1.351%, 1.888%, 10.663%, and 0.258%, respectively. (4) The long-term contributions of fertilizers and pesticides to agricultural carbon emissions initially increased before undergoing a gradual attenuation, with average attenuation rates of 1.351% and 1.888%, respectively.

Evaluating strategies for intimate partner violence and sexual violence (CDC)

Evaluating strategies for intimate partner violence and sexual violence (CDC)

The Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence and PTSD in Women Survivors and the Influence of Risk Factors: A Systematic Literature Review

The Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence and PTSD in Women Survivors and the Influence of Risk Factors: A Systematic Literature Review

Religious, Practical and Future-Oriented Coping Strategies to End Intimate Partner Violence: An In-Depth Examination of Ultraorthodox Israeli Women’s Narratives

Abstract Purpose Much attention has been devoted to the ways in which women have made sense of, worked through, coped with, and recovered from Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), but the insights of survivors affiliated with religious minorities are scarce. The purpose of this study is to advance understandings and practices concerning the coping experiences of Ultraorthodox women (UJW) survivors of IPV. Using descriptive phenomenological methodology, in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 15 Ultraorthodox Israeli women who identified themselves as survivors of IPV. Methods The research design and data analysis were inspired by a phenomenological approach to document, analyze, and understand these women’s subjective experiences on this heretofore under-studied topic. Shenton’s four criteria were assessed to promote the current study’s rigor and trustworthiness. Results Thematic analysis revealed three core themes and seven related sub-themes: (1) Devoting time to spiritual activities (sub-themes: daily prayers and attending Jewish classes); (2) Finding inspiration in a role model (sub-themes: a woman who survived IPV, a well-appreciated rabbi); and, (3) Planning the future (sub-themes: commitment to a new project, helping other women to cope with IPV, and commitment to the future and well-being of their children). Conclusions An integrative synthesis of the findings reveals two distinctive forms of coping: spiritual-based and practical-based coping strategies, that demonstrate the survivors’ multifaceted perceptions and coping narrative with IPV. The strengths and limitations of this study are addressed along with implications for practice and theory.

What differentiates sexual from non-sexual homicides? A case–control study

ABSTRACT Research comparing sexual homicide (SH) and non-sexual homicide (NSH) has been rare outside North America and Europe and has contributed to addressing whether SH is primarily a sexual or homicide offence or a hybrid. This case–control study compared 142 SH and 142 NSH cases from Australia and New Zealand. Bivariate analyses indicated SH offenders more often had sexual problems, lacked intimacy, and appeared more prosocial, had less serious mental health problems, with lifestyles giving opportunities to access victims. Planning rather than reacting, sexual fantasies and arousal, time, and isolation to interact with victims privately, control of victims and crime scenes, lack of remorse, reliving the experience later, preventing detection, and more intrusive, intimate, and sadistic interactions characterised SH offences. Victims were more likely to be strangers, unrelated, single, and living alone. We developed multivariate models to predict SH, with the final model including: offender single, with a sexual disorder, but not a substance use disorder or major mental illness; offence long in duration, with expressive physical violence and unusual or ritualistic features, against a stranger, in an isolated location. These results are consistent with previous studies and indicate SH is different from NSH, supporting differential practice with SH. However, the findings could primarily reflect the over representation of sexual sadism in SH and the over representation of intimate partner victims in NSH. Future research needs to consider the heterogeneity of SH.

Environmental Ethics in Islāmic Perspective: Relevance and Application

God has created all living and non-living things with a distinctive purpose. As the Sustainer of all, He has also arranged for each living organism a desirable environment that provides sustainable items. So, each life requires a sound environment for sustainability. Ecological studies help us understand organisms’ relationship to the environment around them. As God’s highest creation, humans have a close relationship with Nature to maintain and sustain their lives in vibrant caravans. The philosophical interpretations do accept the intimate relationship between humanity and Nature. However, our lifestyle is based on the rich consumption of resources, the development of new technologies and sciences for processing natural resources, burning fossil fuels, and discharging harmful radiation, which has alienated Nature from humanity. We can also point out other causes responsible for a radical break between human society and Nature. The Qur’ān and the Sunnah of the Prophet of Islām are the primary sources of all arts and thoughts. They may lead us to develop an Islāmic perspective on ecological crises and help us solve them. It is attempted here to understand some of the vital environmental phenomena in the light of these sources of Islām. There is intrinsic goodness, beauty, harmony and orderliness in the creation of God; everything in it, the sky and earth, including the sun, moon, stars, water, air, land and a thousand other things have been created for the benefit of man. The Creator created the universe with a Divine trust, which he had accepted and blessed to live in. He thanks God for all bestowed gifts practical in his entire gamut of human emotional life. From the Islāmic perspective, environmental ethics has become intrinsically relevant to dealing with all issues related to ecological crises. In the present paper, we are attempting to briefly discuss the Islāmic perspective on environmental ethics with particular reference to the Qur’ān and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad. It is assumed that the Islāmic framework on the said topic can also pave the way to bring out its relevance and application in crucial times. Philosophy and Progress, Vol#73-74; No#1-2; Jan-Dec 2023 P 1-20

The Relationship Between International Trade and Tourism Revenues in Türkiye *

The tourism industry is a critical sector in Türkiye’s economy and plays a significant role in reducing the country's trade deficit. This research paper presents a comprehensive overview of the tourism industry and international tourism in Türkiye. The research paper conducts an empirical analysis of pertinent variables and investigates the association between international trade and tourism revenues. Utilizing the VAR model with data spanning from 2000 to 2021, the study scrutinizes the linkage between the two variables. Firstly, the study checks the stationarity of the variables, then uses the Johansen cointegration test to detect whether there exists a long-term relationship between the variables. Next, the direction of the relationship is determined through the Toda Yamamoto causality analysis. The results show that there is a long-run relationship between the variables. The results obtained from the causality analysis also show that there is a reciprocal causality relationship between the rate of openness to trade, which is used as an indicator of international trade, and tourism revenues. Finally, the variance decomposition shows that tourism revenues are an important factor in international trade and this effect gradually increases over time.