Relationship Factors Research Articles

Where do they stand? A post-structuralist examination of offense-supportive narratives constructed by men convicted of child sexual abuse.

Decisions to engage in child sexual abuse (CSA) are not motivated solely by sexual/romantic interest in children. Given the complex interplay of personal, relational, and societal factors involved, we explored the narratives men constructed around their subjective motivations for offending, situated within the post-structuralist constructs of desire, power, and ethical subjectivity. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 men charged/convicted of CSA. Offenses were often contextualized as attempts to satisfy sexual and/or emotional desires. While some participants reported a persistent interest in children, others attempted to satisfy these desires through CSA in response to negative experiences with adults, including sexual overregulation, sexual objectification, and demoralization. Participants' subversion of social and ethical norms was aided by offense-supportive narratives that stemmed from their interactions with/interpretations of the world. Interventions to prevent CSA may benefit from a post-structuralist perspective of the social and cultural mechanisms by which men's decisions to engage in CSA are shaped.

Rethinking decision‐making about home improvements

Rethinking decision‐making about home improvements

Attitudes and self-efficacy towards infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship among nurses: A mixed-methods study.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of nurses' infection control practices, antibiotics stewardship attitudes and self-efficacy when caring for patients with multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in a hospital setting. Multidrug-resistant bacteria cause a substantial health burden by complicating infections and prolonging hospital stays. Attitudes and self-efficacy can inform professional behaviour. Nurses' attitudes and self-efficacy concerning multidrug-resistant bacteria, infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship are vital in keeping patients safe. A descriptive and convergent mixed-methods design involving quantitative and qualitative approaches was used. Two hundred and seventeen nurses working in clinical practice at seven different hospital wards (i.e., general medicine, surgical, haematological and oncology) at a Norwegian university hospital were invited to participate. Data were collected in February and March 2020 via two questionnaires: the Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Attitude Questionnaire and the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale (n=131) and four focus group interviews (n=22). The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and systematic text condensation. Most nurses showed moderate knowledge, adequate behavioural intentions towards infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship, and high self-efficacy. However, they reported negative emotions towards their knowledge level and negative emotions towards nursing care. The nurses appeared uncertain about their professional influence and role in antibiotic stewardship practices. Organisational and relational challenges and ambivalent perceptions of nurses' role were potential explanations. Nurses report moderate attitudes and high self-efficacy when caring for patients with multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. This study suggests that nurses experience organisational and relational factors in their work environment that challenge their attitudes towards infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship practices. Measures that strengthen their knowledge and emotional response underpin correct infection prevention and control behaviour. A role clarification is needed for antibiotic stewardship. No Patient or Public Contribution. Measures to increase attitudes towards infection prevention and control, antibiotic stewardship and multidrug resistance is recommended. Measures should be taken to overcome organisational challenges. A clarification of the nurses' role in antibiotic stewardship is needed.

A relational investigation of Israeli gay fathers' experiences of surrogacy, early parenthood, and mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perinatal distress affects approximately 10% of fathers, but little is known about how gay fathers experience the challenges surrounding childbirth and early parenting of a child. This study explored gay fathers' experiences of having a baby via transnational surrogacy, raising that baby as a gay parent, and the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 Israeli men to understand their experiences of surrogacy and early parenthood, focusing on the impact on their mental health and the relational factors involved. Secondary narrative analysis revealed that fathers constructed surrogacy as a perilous quest that required strong intentionality to undertake. The first year of parenthood was conceptualised alternately as a joyful experience and/or one that challenged fathers' identities and mental health. A relational framework was applied to better conceptualise the fathers' narratives, revealing that actual connections-and the potentials for links-considerably shaped experiences of surrogacy, perinatal distress and recovery. Implications for research and policy are discussed.

Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences

This is a narrative review addressing the topic of romantic infidelity, its causes and its consequences. Love is commonly a source of much pleasure and fulfillment. However, as this review points out, it can also cause stress, heartache and may even be traumatic in some circumstances. Infidelity, which is relatively common in Western culture, can damage a loving, romantic relationship to the point of its demise. However, by highlighting this phenomenon, its causes and its consequences, we hope to provide useful insight for both researchers and clinicians who may be assisting couples facing these issues. We begin by defining infidelity and illustrating the various ways in which one may become unfaithful to their partner. We explore the personal and relational factors that enhance an individual's tendency to betray their partner, the various reactions related to a discovered affair and the challenges related to the nosological categorization of infidelity-based trauma, and conclude by reviewing the effects of COVID-19 on unfaithful behavior, as well as clinical implications related to infidelity-based treatment. Ultimately, we hope to provide a road map, for academicians and clinicians alike, of what some couples may experience in their relationships and how can they be helped.

Love's a dance you learn as you go: Evidence for interpersonal complementarity during romantic conflict and its association with relationship outcomes

AbstractHigh‐quality romantic bonds benefit people. Extant literature has explored many individual and relational factors that contribute to high‐quality relationships, yet research on how moment‐to‐moment behaviours predict quality is still in the nascent stages. The current study explored interpersonal complementarity on warmth and dominance as one index of moment‐to‐moment interaction dynamics in romantic relationships. The sample included 180 couples (360 individuals), examined at 10‐s intervals, over the course of an 8‐min conflict discussion. Analysis confirmed the predicted pattern of complementarity such that people adjusted their behaviours in response to their partner's behaviour, engaging in similar levels of warmth and opposite levels of dominance (Hypothesis 1). Additionally, results revealed that relationship length was logarithmically related to dominance complementarity, whereas it was not significantly related to warmth complementarity (Hypothesis 2). Finally, dominance and warmth complementarity were differentially associated with numerous relational constructs (Hypothesis 3a/3b).

Individual and Relational Factors Associated to the Childbearing Intentions of Brazilian Women and Men

Currently, individuals are increasingly considering parenthood as a matter of choice. This explanatory and cross-sectional study evaluated the contribution of the individual (age, gender, education, employment status, personality) and relational (family income, dyadic adjustment, marital satisfaction, empathy, adaptability, and cohesion) factors in the childbearing intentions, among 165 women and 111 men in a heterosexual relationship in Brazil. They completed self-report questionnaires, examined through chi-square test, ANOVA, and binary logistic regression. Women were more likely to choose to remain childless when compared to men, as well as those who were older, had higher education or lower monthly income, and those with higher scores on autonomy, aggression, and relationship emotional satisfaction. The desire for personal realization and keeping autonomy is evident, especially in women.

Moral distress in psychiatric nurses in Covid-19 crisis

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has put heavy pressure on nurses. Psychiatric nurses are also exposed to moral distress due to the special conditions of psychiatric patients and patient’s lack of cooperation in observing health protocols. This study has been conducted to explore and describe factors that caused moral distress in Iranian psychiatric nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodThis qualitative study with a conventional content analysis approach involved 12 nurses at the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran. This study was conducted in the winter of 2021. Data collection was performed by semi-structured interviews, data analysis was performed based on the five steps of Graneheim and Lundman.ResultsBy continuous comparison and integration of data, 17 subcategories, 8 subcategories, and 3 categories were extracted from 252 initial codes. The causes of moral distress in psychiatric nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic were identified as emotional responses (Fear and Doubt), relational factors (Nurses’ Relationship with Each Other, Nurse-physician Relationship, and Relationship whit Patients), and Institutional factors (Lack of Attention to Health Instructions, Failure to complete the treatment process for patients and Institutional Policies).ConclusionNew dimensions of the causes of moral distress associated with the COVID- 19 pandemic are discovered in this study. Managers and planners should equip psychiatric hospitals with isolation facilities and Personal Protection Equipment for patients and nurses. Strengthening the ethical climate by improving communication skills and individual nursing empowerment to prevent moral distress is recommended.

Students' Learning Perception in Engineering, Health and Education During Emergency Remote Education in Chile

<p style="text-align:justify">Higher education institutions around the world had to implement an emergency remote education (ERE) modality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to determine the individual and relational factors that affect the perception of learning in engineering, education, and health students during emergency distance education. Through a quantitative, non-experimental, and correlational study, an online survey was administered to a sample of 929 higher education students regarding their ERE experience. They were surveyed regarding their perceived learning, empathy, classroom interaction, self-regulation of learning, positive agency, student engagement, learning approaches, and use of digital resources. Data was analyzed using quantitative methods, namely correlations, comparisons of means and a linear regression analysis. Education students showed a more positive perception of learning, used a deep learning approach, and rated more positively the empathy shown by their professors and the possibilities for class participation than other students. Engineering students had the lowest scores on perceived learning and on almost all other variables. In general, students with a better perception of learning presented a higher engagement in their studies and a lower use of surface learning approach.</p>

Noncustodial parents, instrumental networks, and child support compliance

Research on child support compliance has focused on the characteristics of noncustodial parents (NCPs) that are associated with compliance, finding that compliance with child support orders is primarily related to the ability to pay support as demonstrated by earnings. Yet, there is evidence linking social support networks to both earnings and noncustodial parents' relationships with children. Using a social poverty framework, we show that relatively few NCPs are completely isolated: most have at least some people in their network who can loan money, provide a place to stay, or provide a ride. We explore whether the size of these instrumental support networks is positively linked to child support compliance both directly and indirectly through earnings. We find evidence of a direct association between instrumental support network size and child support compliance, but no evidence of an indirect association via increased earnings. These findings suggest the importance for researchers and child support practitioners to consider the contextual and relational factors of the social networks in which parents are embedded, and to more thoroughly examine the process by which support from one's network can lead to child support compliance.

The Weaving Healthy Families program: Promoting parenting practices, family resilience, and communal mastery.

Parenting quality, family resilience, and community resilience and support have been found to be primary protective factors for the disproportionate burden of anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorder (SUD), depression, and suicide that US Indigenous youth and adults tend to experience. The purpose of this research study was to examine pilot results for outcomes related to relational factors for Indigenous family members who participated in the Weaving Healthy Families (WHF) program (translated to Chukka Auchaffi' Natana, in the Choctaw tribal language), a culturally grounded and empirically informed program geared toward promoting wellness, family resilience, parenting practices, and community resilience while also preventing SUD and violence. This nonrandomized pre-experimental pilot intervention followed a longitudinal design, which included pre-test, a post-test, and a 6-, 9-, and 12-month post-intervention follow-up surveys. Repeated-measures regressions were utilized with generalized estimating equations (GEE) to examine changes in parenting, family resilience, and communal mastery before and after the intervention for 24 adults and adolescents (12-17) across eight tribal families. Results indicate that the overall quality of parenting improved, as measured by improved parental monitoring and reductions in inconsistent discipline and corporal punishment. We identified sex differences in positive parenting, poor monitoring, and corporal punishment, with greater decreases in these measures among males over time. Family resilience and communal mastery improved for adolescent and adult participants after the WHF program. Our results indicate promising improvements across relational, familial, and community ecological, which provide clear clinical implications.

Challenges of Preadolescence in the School Context: A Systematic Review of Protective/Risk Factors and Intervention Programmes

Preadolescence is a critical period, characterised by changes in physical, hormonal, cognitive, behavioural, and emotional development, as well as by changes in social and school relationships. These changes are accompanied by the transition from elementary school to middle school. The literature shows that this transition is one of the most stressful events for preadolescents, which can have a negative impact on their well-being. The main objectives of this review, focused on the school context, were to identify protective and risk factors influencing the well-being of preadolescent students and to describe the interventions implemented. A systematic search of peer-reviewed papers published between 2011 and 2021 was conducted following the PRISMA reporting guidelines. A total of 36 full-text articles met the inclusion criteria. Studies converge in identifying risk factors that may affect student well-being in this age group: individual factors (levels of emotional awareness and self-esteem) and relational factors (friendship, teachers’ and parents’ supporting actions and roles). Intervention programs are mainly focused on improving emotional and social regulation skills that also influence academic achievement. Our findings have important implications for both research and intervention in school settings.

Protocol Development of Sage: A Novel Conjoint Intervention for Suicidal and Self-Injuring People With Borderline Personality Disorder and Their Significant Others

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with several destructive behaviors, including suicide and nonsuicidal self-injury. The devastating effects of BPD impact individuals with BPD, their relationships, and the mental health of significant others (SOs), which research suggests may be suboptimal. Few BPD interventions incorporate SOs into treatment, despite research suggesting that both emotion dysregulation and relationship dysfunction contribute to the maintenance of BPD. Incorporating SOs into treatment presents an opportunity to optimize BPD outcomes, while dismantling emotional and relational factors that maintain BPD and improving SO mental health. This paper describes the development of Sage, a 12-session conjoint psychotherapy intervention delivered to individuals with BPD who engage in suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior, or have suicidal ideation, and their SOs. It is designed to simultaneously target BPD pathology, relationship functioning, and SO mental health. Sage is a time-limited cognitive-behavioral intervention that is primarily informed by cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (Monson & Fredman, 2012) and dialectical behavior therapy (Linehan, 1993, 2015). This paper describes the development of the intervention, including key skills taught, logistical issues that were encountered in its delivery, and relevant solutions. Future directions in the development and testing of Sage are described.

Whose is this street? Actors and conflicts in the governance of pedestrianisation processes

The benefits of pedestrianisation are widely acknowledged. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, cities are increasingly proposing street closures, in some cases as isolated experiments and in others with more structural ambitions. Although generally seen favourably, street closures often give rise to conflicts. Existing literature on conflicts in pedestrianisations focuses on residents', shopkeepers', or road users' opposition to the actual interventions. Less attention is given to the tensions and conflicts related to the governance process adopted or the constellation of actors involved. This paper aims to shed light on the broad range of conflicts likely to undermine pedestrianisation initiatives by studying a series of street closures in a semi-central neighbourhood of Turin, the Torino Mobility Lab project. Based on semi-structured interviews and document analysis, the paper shows how different substantive, procedural and relational conflicts can affect the governance of pedestrianisation processes, undermining their effectiveness. The responsibilities and reasons for the success or otherwise of pedestrianisation initiatives are linked to procedural and relational factors, which often receive less attention than substantive aspects. The inherent political dimension of pedestrianisation, the deep-rooted vision of the street as a space for cars, and the absence of a shared vision placing street closures within a system of actions aimed at undermining the principle of automobility as a right are also highlighted as key underlying factors.

The Relational Dimension of Radicalization: Context and Tie Formation in Dutch Salafi-Jihadi Networks

ABSTRACT Despite the widely held notion that processes of radicalization tend to happen in relation to others, systematic evidence on the social context in which actors meet and form ties is scarce. This is problematic, as without a more thorough understanding of the relational dimension of radicalization, any strategy to intervene may turn out less effective than perhaps hoped for. Based on our access to detailed police information on eleven Dutch Salafi-Jihadi networks (2001–2014; 273 actors), this article presents a descriptive analysis of the social context in which actors meet and form ties. In most networks, we observe pre-existing family and friendship ties, actors to frequent Salafi mosques and radicalizing settings, and committed actors engaged in functional roles. We also find indications for these elements to facilitate actors to form ties. It is important to note however that we also observe exceptions, both in terms of prevalence and impact of the relational factors we study. In the article, we describe our detailed empirical findings and reflect on the (differential) social context is which actors participating in Dutch Salafi-Jihadi networks meet and form ties.

Social networking sites and relationship social comparison: Effect of relational and individual factors

The widespread use of the Internet and the popularity of mobile devices have greatly changed our communication habits. Due to their popularity, social networking sites (SNS) are at the center of online relationships, including romantic ones. This paper explores the emerging role of SNS on relationship social comparison (RSC) and individual and relational predictors of RSC. The present study used an experimental design to evaluate the role of relational posts of others’ on SNS. Specifically, RSC based on posts by others on SNS were analyzed. In addition, possible other factors that influence the tendency to make RSC, namely relationship satisfaction, investment, quality of alternatives, and adult attachment orientation were examined. The sample of the study consist of 251 participants. 180 (71%) were females and 71 (29%) were males. The sample’s mean age was 28.16 (<i>SD</i>=6.32). According to the results, there was no significant effect of exposure to relational posts on RSC. On the other hand, the results showed that anxious attachment style and investment in romantic relationships positively predicted RSC tendency. On the contrary, relationship satisfaction negatively predicted RSC tendencies. This study provided an important insight for understanding the effects of SNS on RSC in terms of individual and relational factors.

Coping with in-locus factors and systemic contradictions affecting antibiotic prescription and dispensing practices in primary care-A qualitative One Health study in Brazil.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing threat to global health. The risks and sanitary consequences of AMR are disproportionately experienced by those living in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). While addressing antibiotic use has largely been documented in hospital settings, the understanding of social drivers affecting antibiotic prescribing and dispensing practices in the context of human and animal health in primary care (PC) in LMICs remains extremely limited. We seek to explore how in-locus and multi-level social factors influence antibiotic prescriptions and dispensing practices in the context of human and animal health in primary care in Brazil. This is a baseline qualitative One Health study; semi-structured interviews and field observations were undertaken in primary care sites located in a socioeconomically vulnerable area in the city of São Paulo, the most populated city of Brazil. Twenty-five human and animal healthcare professionals (HP) were purposely sampled. Interview data were subject to thematic analysis. Three overlapping social drivers were identified across HPs' discourses: individual and behavioral challenges; relational and contextual factors influencing the overprescription of antibiotics (AB); and structural barriers and systemic contradictions in the health system. As a result of the interaction between multilevel in-locus and structural and contextual factors, HPs experience contextual and territorial challenges that directly influence their risk perception, diagnosis, use of laboratorial and image exams, time and decision to undergo treatment, choice of AB and strategies in coping with AB prescriptions. Additionally, in-locus factors influencing antibiotic prescriptions and dispensing practices are intertwined with individual accounts of risk management, systemic contradictions and ambivalences in the national health system. Our findings suggest interventions tackling AB use and AMR in Brazil should consider the social context, the complex health system structure and current integrated programs and services in PC.

Onset risk factors for youth involvement in cyberbullying and cybervictimization: A longitudinal study.

Cyberbullying and cybervictimization are spread worldwide, and due to COVID-19, an increasing number of children and adolescents have been impacted. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, research has investigated and highlighted the key risk factors for cyberbullying and cybervictimization, and numerous anti-cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs have been developed and assessed for their efficacy. Despite this, no studies have specifically focused on the individual, relational, and contextual risk factors associated with the onset of youth involvement in cyberbullying and cybervictimization. To address this lacuna, 333 Italian students aged 10-16 years (M = 12.16, SD = 1.35) were involved in a year-long longitudinal study and filled in the anonymous online actuarial Tabby Improved Checklist two times with a 6-month interval. Onset risk factors for cyberbullying and cybervictimization have been separately analyzed by excluding all students involved in cyberbullying from the original sample or in the cybervictimization baseline (T1). The results showed that being male, being involved in school bullying, having low levels of awareness of online risk, and having high levels of affective empathy were all significant onset risk factors for cyberbullying. Similarly, being male, being involved in school bullying and victimization, having high levels of affective empathy, and moral disengagement were onset risk factors for cybervictimization. Given the negative psychological and behavioral consequences of cyberbullying and cybervictimization, this article includes discussions on practical and policy implications for future research, stressing the need to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of primary prevention programs addressing and managing onset risk factors for cyberbullying and cybervictimization.

Market dynamism and sustainability in heritage tourism destinations: The enhancing role of bridging capital

PurposeIn recent years, interest in analysing the conceptualisation, measurement, determinants and consequences of sustainability orientation (SO) has intensified. The authors respond to a growing demand for research that delves into external and relational factors of SO in the context of hospitality and tourism industry. This paper aims to analyse how market dynamism (MD) influences the SO of firms in heritage tourism destinations (HTDs) and how bridging capital affects this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe authors empirically analysed a sample of 238 companies in the UNESCO World Heritage Cities of Peru. The proposed hypotheses have been tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling.FindingsThe results show a curvilinear relationship between MD and SO. Furthermore, bridging capital enhances the effects of MD, reducing the focal width of the U-shaped curve. Specifically, when hospitality and tourism firms (HTFs) in tourist destinations operate in environments with low-medium levels of dynamism, the diverse links generated slow down the development of an SO. However, the more dynamic the environment, the greater is the SO of firms with large amounts of bridging capital.Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the importance of conducting an analysis based on a contingent approach that considers the coherence between external elements of the environment and internal factors. Such an approach helps to understand how HTFs in developing countries establish their SO. Managers should be aware of changes in demand and seek coherence between the level of MD and their inter-organisational relationships, and so be able to assess potential opportunities through developing an SO.Originality/valueThis study contributes to a better understanding of the sustainability commitment of HTFs in the sustainability of HTDs. This study connects the population ecology and social capital approaches, explaining this relationship from a disaggregated perspective – social and environmental – in the context of a developing country.

Empathy and the work of clinical psychiatrists: narrative review

SUMMARYClinical research suggests that empathy is associated with better clinical outcomes in various areas of medical care, raising the question of whether a similar effect occurs in psychiatry. The aim of this review is to explore philosophical, neuroscientific and psychological perspectives on the concept of empathy in the context of the day-to-day work of clinical psychiatrists. The definition of empathy is outlined and sociodemographic factors, working conditions and psychiatrists’ beliefs that can potentially affect empathy in clinical encounters are explored; educational and training aspects are also reviewed. The review concludes suggesting that research on empathy is needed to understand contextual, training and relational factors that could benefit mental healthcare as well as the working conditions of clinical psychiatrists, both inextricably linked.