Relational Pathway Research Articles

Correlates of physical activity levels, muscle strength, working memory, and cognitive function in older adults.

To explore the relationship between physical activity level, muscle strength, working memory and cognitive function in older adults. A cross-sectional research design was employed to recruit 120 older adults individuals aged 70 and above. Participants were asked to complete the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale. Data on variables such as grip strength and performance on the N-back task were collected. Data analysis involved the use of independent samples t-tests, χ2 tests, linear regression analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The detection rate of cognitive dysfunction in older adults was 53.211%; 1-back correct rate had an explanatory power of 11.6% for the cognitive function scores of older adults (R2 = 0.116, p < 0.001); grip strength showed a significant positive correlation with 1-back correct rate (r = 0.417, p < 0.001), and was significantly correlated with the 0-back response time (r = -0.478), 1 -back response time (r = -0.441) were significantly negatively correlated (p < 0.001); physical activity level was significantly positively correlated with grip strength (r = 0.559, p < 0.001), and the difference in grip strength among older adults with different physical activity levels was statistically significant (F = 19.685, p < 0.001). Physical activity level, muscle strength, working memory, and cognitive function are closely related in older adults, and the relational pathway of physical activity → muscle strength → working memory → cognitive function may serve as a useful addition to promote the field of cognitive research in older adults. To identify and prevent cognitive decline in older adults, physical activity questionnaires, grip strength tests, and 1-back task tests can be extended to nursing homes and communities.

“This Is Our Home”

Abstract Luo orphaned children derive their conceptualization of home from historical ideologies of patrilineal kinship and the local discourses of belonging situated within properly constituted marriage. Contrary to older literature that presents home as a domestic spatial arrangement, orphans understand home as a relational pathway that safeguards growth. We show that orphans use their notion of home to express feelings of vulnerability and apply their agency against adult-initiated fosterage practices. The article contributes to an enhanced understanding of Luo sociality and promotes a dynamic anthropology of relationships and child anthropology by unpacking the facets of childhood vulnerability. Our analysis points to analytic themes of contradictions and paradox in Luo kinship values in relation to child support and ambivalence in how children's agency is exercised in fosterage arrangements.

The anger-depression mechanism in dynamic therapy: Experiencing previously avoided anger positively predicts reduction in depression via working alliance and insight.

A central tenet of psychodynamic theory of depression is the role of avoided anger. However empirical research has not yet addressed the question of for which patients and via what pathways experiencing anger in sessions can help. The therapeutic alliance and acquisition of patient insight are important change processes in dynamic therapy and may mediate the anger-depression association. This study was embedded into a randomized trial testing the efficacy of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) for treatment resistant depression. In-session patient affect experiencing (AE) was coded for every available session (475/481) by blinded observers in 27 patients randomized to ISTDP. Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine within-person associations between variation in depression scores session-by-session and both patient ratings (alliance) and observer ratings (AE and insight) of the treatment process. Alliance and insight were independent mediators of the effect of anger on next-session depression. However, the relative importance of these two indirect effects of anger on depression was conditional on pretreatment patient personality pathology (PP). In patients with higher PP, in-session anger was negatively related to depressive symptoms next session, with this effect operating through higher alliance. In patients with low PP, in-session anger was negatively related to depressive symptoms next session, with this effect operating through enhanced patient insight. These findings highlight an anger-depression mechanism of change in dynamic therapy. Depending upon patient personality, either an "insight pathway" or a "relational pathway" may promote the effectiveness of facilitating arousal and expression of patients' in-session feelings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Social brokerage: Encounters between Colombian coffee producers and Austrian Buyers – A research-based relational pathway

The usual economic analyses skip the web of social relations where economic but also social influences are equally relevant. Reinecke et al. (2018) offer a conceptual perspective to study social brokerage (the ‘social turn’) across global value chains. This paper aims: 1) to reveal how Colombian producers and Austrian roasters start social ties (i.e. through social brokerage) and eventually become business partners with the illustrative example of specialty coffee chains, 2) to propose a research-based relational pathway for social brokerage, and 3) to unpack how encounters between producers and roasters originated and developed as well as to identify the required knowledge and coordination devices used. The encounters follow an ethnographic approach relying on participant observation (e.g. in Vienna, Austria and in selected Colombian coffee regions). Coffee is one of the many commodities suitable to analyze social interactions across global chains. Colonial patterns are still embedded in the economic geography of global value chains. The involvement of researchers (including non-Europeans) was key to enhance social brokerage (e.g. structural holes, boundary work) and in that way allowed disadvantaged chain actors to uninhibitedly voice whatever discomfort resulted from those interactions. Although material quality is paramount in the trade of specialty coffee, it shall not be the only guiding coordination device and knowledge construct to be followed by chain actors. Building collaborative relationships is not an easy or static task. Nonetheless, it is key to encourage knowledge sharing, to yield a sense of fairness and humanity across global chains and to cope with opportunistic gatekeepers.

Practice Matters: Pro-environmental Motivations and Diet-Related Impact Vary With Meditation Experience.

Mindfulness has emerged as a potential motivator for sustainable lifestyles, yet few studies provide insight into the relationship between mindfulness practice levels and individual engagement in pro-environmental behaviors. We also lack information about the significance of meditators’ behavioral differences in terms of their measurable environmental impact and the motivational processes underlying these differences in pro-environmental performance. We classified 300 individuals in three groups with varying meditation experience and compared their pro-environmental motivations and levels of animal protein consumption. Exceeding prior attempts to compare high-impact behaviors of mindfulness practitioners and non-practitioners, we created the most detailed classification of practice engagement by assessing frequency, experience and type of meditation practice. This nuanced view on mindfulness practice reveals that advanced meditators, who reported high levels of connectedness with nature (CWN), subjective happiness and dispositional mindfulness showed significantly more concern for the environment. They also demonstrated the lowest levels of greenhouse gas emissions, land occupation and water use related to their animal-protein consumption. This study is the first to follow a self-determination theory perspective to deepen our understanding of the motivational differences between meditator groups. We revealed that advanced meditators reported significantly more integrated motivation toward the environment than non-meditators. We also provided preliminary evidence for a new theoretical framework suggesting that experiential strategies such as mindfulness practices could strengthen the relational pathway of pro-environmental behaviors. Using sequential mediation analysis, we confirmed that the negative effect of mindful compassion practice on greenhouse gas emissions from animal-protein consumption is partially mediated by CWN and integrated motivation toward the environment. While our study does not support assumptions of causality, it shows that much can be learned by studying the motivations of advanced meditators for maintaining high levels of pro-environmental behavior.

Motivating individuals for social transition: The 2-pathway model and experiential strategies for pro-environmental behaviour

Many ecological economists advocate the need to evolve beyond capitalism if we want to flourish as a society as well as respect the safe boundaries of our planet. While becoming clearer of the shape and underlying value-structure of such a new system, we also need to think about how we can motivate people to take part in such a major social transition. This paper tackles this question by critically evaluating the underlying hedonistic-normative assumptions of current mainstream models for pro-environmental behaviours (PEB). In a self-determination theory perspective on human motivation and well-being, the paper proposes a 2-pathway model of PEB that integrates a relational pathway for environmental motivation. Based on insights from neurobiology and psychology, this paper advances current PEB theories and lays the groundwork for a new category of environmental interventions: experiential strategies. Thus, the 2-pathway model provides important theoretical insights into the link between mindfulness and sustainable lifestyles, as well as the interface between environmental behaviours and well-being. By recognising and investing in the relational capacities of individuals, we might be able to promote a society that prioritises self-actualisation over self-interest.

Creating a pathway to employability in a Business School: developing professional practice through collaboration

Within Business Education, our students study technical skills and gain commercial knowledge which will equip them for their future careers. In addition, our students need to develop the ‘soft skills’ which employers are looking for when they recruit graduates. To create a pathway to employability, we have used a collaboration between a module leader and a Business School employability consultant to support second year students. We set out how we have included the consultant in planning and delivering specific topics within the module, and in giving formative feedback to students. In this way we have embedded employability skills in the curriculum and built a relational pathway to the Business School’s careers support for students.

Indeterminate States in Transcultural Histories

Abstract This paper explores the Jung-India continuum which encapsulates many centuries of transcultural history. At the centre is Germany’s role in advancing Sanskrit scholarship, the Sacred Books of the East being one of Jung’s primary sources of readings on India. Jung’s notions about India were guided by German romanticism and enclosed many layers of cultural interactions between the two countries. They reflect historical moments of how notions about race and culture were formed through various interconnected movements. Jung’s long engagement with and his journey through India, at many points held indeterminate ideas about culture and feelings of otherness about India, its people, knowledge, religious goals etc. This paper elaborates on Jung’s notion of ‘cultural other’ with reference to India. India was also the ground for his discovery of his own psychological standpoint different from the East and the dream of the Grail. Jung had many divergences with Indian philosophers and spiritualists which made these transcultural exchanges complex. For example, the concept of unconscious psyche is absent in Indian philosophical knowledge. This paper examines these issues in understanding the notion of ‘cultural other’ in Jung, and the various ways by which he carried and expressed his differences, that facilitated a relational pathway between Jung and India, critical for future inquiry and dialogue.

Pedagogical Relational Teachership (PeRT) – a multi-relational perspective

ABSTRACT This article presents a theoretical relational perspective of education, Pedagogical Relational Teachership (PeRT), which supports the development of new knowledge about teachers’ relational proficiencies to create opportunities for students to participate in their education and to emerge as unique individuals and speak with their own voices. Within the field of inclusive education, it is a relational approach where teaching is to be understood relationally. The fundamental bases in this inclusive perspective on education are the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Salamanca Statement. The concept of relational teachership is elaborated on to emphasise the importance of teachers’ relational proficiencies in the classroom. The article also clarifies how PeRT includes a multi-dimensional model to illuminate relational processes and relationships on different levels within the educational system. PeRT is a relational approach for scholars and practitioners, which can be seen as a new beginning and an invitation to a relational pathway that explores participation, accessibility and equity.

Becoming a Person of Dialogue

AbstractIt is imperative that Social Sciences examine in depth the underlying issues in human relations that have contributed to divisions among persons, within families, institutions, between nations and religions. If we accept that dialogue is the main currency of statecraft, diplomacy, negotiation, mediation and peacebuilding (Rieker and Turn 2015), then we need to ask ourselves, what are the characteristics of a person capable of engaging in dialogue? Are they characteristics that can be taught? Are they characteristics that make us human?In his book “Relational Being” Gergen (2009) warns of the dire consequences we face if we continue on the pathway of “rugged individualism”. He explains how our relationships have become instruments for our own satisfaction. From Freud to Skinner, psychology has described human relationships as being primarily about seeking the greatest pleasure from others. But, the so-called “freedom” that we achieve gives us a satisfaction that is transitory at best. “Freedom contains an emptiness that only relationship can fill” (Gergen, 2009, p. 20). It is essential that we find the path to discovering the true meaning of relationship and more importantly cross-racial/ethnic relationships.Jean Baker Miller described what she termed “growth-fostering relationships” (Miller, 1986), and Chodorow (2001) has developed a theory regarding development suggesting that women develop along a relational pathway whereas men follow the developmental phases that move them toward autonomy. These theorists, and others, view the relational trait to be particularly characteristic of women. A more comprehensive understanding of the nature of the human person can be attained only by taking into consideration both autonomy and relational ability as equally important.Capacity for dialogue, therefore, is an important contribution that women bring to the world stage. Women from traditionally marginalized groups offer an essential and unique perspective to this topic due to their understanding of the role of power in the dynamics of relationships. To foster cross-cultural dialogue it is important to examine the power dynamics of what it means to be honest, empathetic and collaborative across cultures.In this discussion, the authors draw upon the fields of technology, child development, feminism, and the social justice literature in an attempt to articulate the benefits of dialogue. It is far from exhaustive and provides a cursory purview of this challenging topic. It is an example of how integration among different theories can help move our literature forward in understanding a challenging topic as dialogue. It also offers a perspective on how men and women can grow in their relationship building ability, and therefore ability to dialogue, by embracing characteristics like being vulnerable, cooperative, selfless, and nurturing, relating this to the teachings of Chiara Lubich.

From Sexual Assault to Sexual Risk: A Relational Pathway?

Among women and gay and bisexual men, sexual assault is associated with increased rates of sexual risk behavior and negative sexual health outcomes. Although the mechanisms of these effects are potentially myriad, the current analyses examine the role of perceived partner pressure for condomless sex in mediating the association between adult sexual assault (ASA) and recent anal or vaginal sex without a condom. In a sample of 205 young adult women and gay and bisexual men, ASA was indirectly associated with condomless anal and/or vaginal sex via perceptions of partner pressure for condomless sex, χ2(1) = 5.66, p = .02, after controlling for race, age, gender and sexual identity, and relationship status. The elucidation of this relational mechanism points to several potential intervention and prevention strategies that may reduce actual and perceived pressure for sex without a condom, including strategies designed to facilitate the prioritization of health and safety over relational goals and the improvement of partner selection and perceptions of partner pressure.

Neuroscience, mind and meaning: an attempt at synthesis in a Relational Affective Hypothesis

This paper sets out a falsifiable Relational Affective Hypothesis, describing a neurological and relational pathway, through which affect and sensations arising from the interior of the body are translated, in a relational context, into language and a capacity for symbolisation. It describes the role of psychodynamic defences in narcissistic disorder, which can result in collapse in the function of this pathway. The hypothesis arose from clinical psychodynamic work with patients with severe and complex narcissistic disorders. They are characterised as severe, because they are at high risk of completed suicide and so are commonly treated in locked units, and complex because of their anorexic and bulimic eating patterns, tendency towards somatisation and the co-occurrence of autistic difficulties. A more or less profound failure of symbolisation is a feature common to these presentations. This interdisciplinary thinking offers a perspective on brain and psychological development, taking into account the complex interplay between genetic, environmental, relational and dynamic influences. It can be tested empirically and has implications for psychoanalytic thinking, psychiatry and neuroscience.

Intimate Partners’ Perspectives on the Relational Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training: A Qualitative Research Study

Using general systems theory, we describe findings from a larger qualitative phenomenological study that examined the relational effects of mindfulness training when one member of a couple completed an 8-week, mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) in the last 6 months. In this segment of the larger qualitative study, we describe what intimate partners observed and if they experienced any direct benefits from the graduates’ individual MBSR training. Eleven primarily White, college-educated couples (nine heterosexual and two same sex couples) participated in the larger study; average relationship length was 13.8 years. The following three major themes and seven subthemes emerged for the 11 intimate partners of MBSR graduates: (1) positive observations (general positive perception, graduate’s improved emotional balance); (2) perceived impact (perception of communications, impact on intimate partner and relationship); and (3) meaning making (appreciation, incongruence of meaning, continuing practice). Findings suggest intimate partners observed improved emotional balance in MBSR graduates, but reported that behavioral changes were limited in scale and just emerging. Developing mindfulness-enhanced couple interventions that target dyadic outcomes could improve the relational benefits of mindfulness practice. Future studies should examine emotion regulation as a potential relational pathway of mindfulness and include more diverse samples of couples.

Pathways to sexual risk taking among female adolescent detainees.

Sexual risk taking among female delinquents represents a significant public health problem. Research is needed to understand the pathways leading to sexual risk taking among this population. This study sought to address this issue by identifying and testing two pathways from child maltreatment to non-condom use among 329 White and 484 African American female adolescent detainees: a relational pathway and a substance use coping pathway. The relational pathway indicated that child maltreatment would be related to non-condom use via depressive self-concept and condom use self-efficacy. The substance use coping pathway suggested that depressive self-concept and alcohol-based expectancies for sexual enhancement would mediate the relationship between child maltreatment and non-condom use. As hypothesized, the relational pathway variables were associated with one another in the expected directions; however, evidence of mediation was not found. Support for mediation was found for the substance use coping pathway. Exploratory across group comparison analysis indicated that the relational pathway was significant for White girls whereas the substance use coping pathway was significant for African American girls. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

A Relational Model of How High-Performance Work Systems Work

In this paper we explore a causal mechanism through which high-performance work systems contribute to performance outcomes. We propose that high-performance work systems can improve organizational performance by strengthening relationships among employees who perform distinct functions, a pathway that is expected to be particularly important in settings characterized by highly interdependent work. In a nine-hospital study of patient care, we identify high-performance work practices that positively predict the strength of relational coordination among doctors, nurses, physical therapists, social workers, and case managers, in turn predicting quality and efficiency outcomes for their patients. Relational coordination mediates the association between these high-performance work practices and outcomes, suggesting a relational pathway through which high-performance work systems work.

Gendered Pathways

Although qualitative research in the area of gender-responsive offending pathways has grown extensively, little quantitative work has been conducted. This study utilizes interview and survey data to assess various gender-responsive needs with an intake cohort of 313 women probationers. Using a path analytic approach, the study statistically supported three gendered pathways to women offenders' incarceration: (a) a pathway beginning with childhood victimization that contributed to historical and current forms of mental illness and substance abuse; (b) a relational pathway in which women's dysfunctional intimate relationships facilitated adult victimization, reductions in self-efficacy, and current mental illness and substance abuse; and (c) a social and human capital pathway in which women's challenges in the areas of education, family support, and self-efficacy, as well as relationship dysfunction, contributed to employment/financial difficulties and subsequent imprisonment. Support for such gendered pathways has implications for both criminological explanations of female offending and correctional interventions for women.