Adult Relationship Quality Research Articles

Early-Life Parental Affection, Social Relationships in Adulthood, and Later-Life Cognitive Function.

Although research has demonstrated the long-term health consequences of childhood adversities, less is known about the long-term impact of positive childhood experiences, such as parental affection. Using longitudinal data (1995-2014) from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, we analyze structural equation models estimating direct and indirect pathways from early-life parental affection to changes in later-life cognitive function through relationship quality in adulthood among Black and White older adults (N = 1983). Analyses revealed significant indirect effects of parental affection on better cognitive function through higher levels of social support (both average social support and family social support) in adulthood in the full sample and among Black respondents. Indirect pathways through relationship strain and through friend support were not significant. This work elevates the importance of promoting positive parental relationships during childhood, with implications for better social relationships in adulthood and cognitive function in later life.

Pathways from childhood maltreatment to the quality of adult intimate relationships: Inquiry into mindfulness, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and attributions.

Pathways from childhood maltreatment to the quality of adult intimate relationships: Inquiry into mindfulness, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and attributions.

Link Between Parent-Emerging Adult Relationship Quality and Emerging Adult Physical Health: An Examination of Mediators and Moderators

The purpose of this study was to examine the link between parent-emerging adult relationship quality and emerging adult physical health outcomes. In addition, mediators and moderators of these links were explored. The sample consisted of 869 college students (ages 18–25 years) who completed online anonymous surveys. Results indicated that high levels of parent-emerging adult openness were significantly related to low levels of emerging adult health problems. In addition, parental involvement was negatively and significantly related to emerging adult body mass index and health problems. Mediation analyses conducted through structural equation modeling demonstrated that parent-emerging adult relationship quality was indirectly (but not directly) related to youth health outcomes via emerging adult internalizing symptoms (but not via emotion regulation). Moreover, there was no evidence for significant gender differences, therefore the overall pattern of findings were similar for women and men. Implications for interventions focusing on parent-emerging adult relationships and emotion regulation were discussed.

The association between early regulatory problems and adult peer relationship quality is mediated by the brain's allostatic-interoceptive system.

Early regulatory problems (RPs), i.e., problems with crying, sleeping, and/or feeding during the first years, increase the risk for avoidant personality traits in adulthood, associated with social withdrawal and anxiety. Even more, RPs are linked with functional alterations in the adult default mode and salience networks, comprising the brain's allostatic-interoceptive system (AIS) and playing a role in social interactions. We investigated whether RPs assessed in infancy are associated with difficulties in adult peer relationships mediated by functional alterations of the AIS. As part of a large case-controlled prospective study, 42 adults with previous RPs and 70 matched controls (mean age = 28.48, SD = 2.65, 51% male) underwent fMRI during rest. The analysis focused on the intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) of key nodes of the AIS. Peer relationship quality was assessed via a semi-structured Life Course Interview and the YASR scale. In these same individuals, RPs were assessed at ages 5, 20 and 56 months. RPs in infancy were associated with lower-quality peer relationships and enhanced functional connectivity of the AIS nodes in adulthood, with a stronger effect for multiple and persistent RPs compared with transient-multiple or single-persistent RPs. Importantly, iFC changes of the dorsal mid insula, a primary interoceptive cortex with frontal and temporal regions, mediated the relationship between early RPs and adult peer relationship quality. Results indicate long-lasting social and neural changes associated with early RPs. Our findings further implicate the AIS in both interoceptive and social processes, while indicating the need for early screening of early RPs.

Additive and Moderating Effect of Parents and Friends on Health and Behavior Outcomes During Emerging Adulthood

Relationships with parents and friends may work together to increase the risk of adjustment problems in emerging adulthood. However, it is still undetermined if social relationships act in an additive (i.e., serve as unique predictors) or moderating (i.e., interact with other predictors) fashion. In a cross-sectional sample of 859 female college students ( M age = 19.53, SD = 1.49; 73.9% White) from a large university in the south-central United States, we assessed how parents and best friends impact emerging adult internalizing symptoms, risky behavior, and health problems. We found that low levels of best friend risky behavior attenuated the links between father-emerging adult relationship quality and risky behavior and internalizing symptoms, and high levels of father-emerging adult relationship quality magnified the association between mother-emerging adult relations and internalizing symptoms. Ultimately, these results indicate that relationships with parents and friends served as additive or unique predictors of emerging adult health and behavior.

Longitudinal associations between attachment representations coded in the adult attachment interview in late adolescence and perceptions of romantic relationship adjustment in adulthood

AbstractIncreasingly, researchers have operationalized Adult Attachment Interview (AAI)‐derived attachment representations as reflecting individual differences in secure base script knowledge (AAIsbs) – the degree to which individuals show awareness of the temporal‐causal schema that summarizes the basic features of seeking and receiving effective support from caregivers when in distress. In a series of pre‐registered analyses, we used AAI transcripts recently re‐coded for AAIsbs and leveraged a new follow‐up assessment of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development cohort at around age 30 years (479 currently partnered participants; 59% female; 82% White/non‐Hispanic) to assess and compare the links between AAIsbs and traditional AAI coding measures at around age 18 years and self‐reported romantic relationship quality in adulthood. Higher AAIsbs predicted better dyadic adjustment scores in adulthood (r = 0.17) and this association remained significant controlling for other AAI‐derived coding measures, as well as sociodemographic and cognitive functioning covariates. Findings extend previous evidence pointing to the predictive significance of AAIsbs for multiple adult functioning domains.

Childhood maltreatment and the quality of marital relationships: Examining mediating pathways and gender differences

Background: Childhood maltreatment (CM) is considered a traumatic experience with long-term adverse effects on the quality of adult intimate relationships. Research on the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon among Arab societies is scarce. Objective: This study investigated the impact of childhood physical abuse (PA) and emotional abuse (EA) on the quality of marital relationships. Additionally, it examined the mediating roles of two dimensions of insecure adult attachment (i.e., avoidant and anxious) to a romantic partner and psychological distress within gender-specific models. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a representative sample of 604 married Arab adults ( M age = 33.5, SD = 6.52; 50.1% women) in Israel using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Childhood PA was significantly related to low levels of relationship quality among men and women. For men, childhood PA was positively related to psychological distress and both patterns of romantic attachment styles, which in turn were negatively associated with relationship quality. For women, childhood PA was positively associated with psychological distress and avoidant attachment, correlating with low levels of relationship quality. Conclusion: A retrospective assessment of childhood PA is associated with decreased levels of marital relationship quality for men and women. This association is mediated by psychological distress and romantic attachment styles. Implications: Implementing interventions focused on improving mental health and promoting a secure romantic attachment style can enhance the quality of marital relationships for adults with CM experiences.

Construct validity of the Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale measuring adult sibling relationship quality where one sibling has intellectual or developmental disabilities

The Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale (LSRS) has been validated in samples where neither sibling has intellectual or developmental disabilities. We sought to examine the construct validity of the LSRS with a sample of adult siblings of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Adult siblings of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (N = 646) completed Adult LSRS items measuring Affect, Behavior, and Cognitions. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) were employed to examine the construct validity of the LSRS in this sample. The initial CFA fit for a three-factor model was inadequate (CFI = 0.86, TLI = 0.84, RMSEA = 0.10, x 2 = 1752.97, df = 249). Further analyses using EFA suggested alternative two-factor and three-factor models. CFA models based on these potential factor solutions also had inadequate fit. These findings indicate that the LSRS may not be an appropriate measure of sibling relationships where one sibling has intellectual or developmental disabilities. Future research may need to utilize sibling relationship measures developed specifically for siblings where one has intellectual or developmental disabilities.

CHANGES IN ADULT SIBLING CONFLICT AND OLDER PARENTS’ COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: THE MODERATING ROLE OF CARE PROVISION

Abstract The life course concept of “linked lives” emphasizes that the life events of one family member have implications for other family members. Health events have been shown to be particularly salient in later-life families. We considered the consequences of older parents’ cognitive impairment on adult sibling relationship quality. Using mixed methods data from 327 adult children (nested within 96 families) collected as part of the Within-Family Differences Study (WFDS) T3, we examined the role of adult children’s care provision in the association between parents’ cognitive impairment and adult sibling tension. At T3 of the WFDS, the adult children were on average 60 years old and their parents were on average 90 years old. We conducted lagged multilevel linear regression modeling to account for nonindependence and to control for sibling tension seven years earlier before parents were experiencing cognitive impairment. The results of the quantitative analyses revealed that reports of sibling tension were higher in families in which parents experienced cognitive impairment. Moderation analyses indicated that the association between parents’ cognitive impairment and sibling tension was stronger for caregivers than noncaregivers. Qualitative analyses revealed that discrepancies in perceptions of the caregiving situation between caregivers and noncaregivers fueled sibling tension. Noncaregivers often seemed unaware of the caregiving situation or actively disengaged to avoid conflict. Taken together, these findings indicate that sibling tension is particularly high in the context of caring for older parents with cognitive impairment. In particular, adult children who are providing care are at increased risk of sibling tension.

Longitudinal trajectories of adult sibling relationship quality and psychological well‐being: The effect of childhood maltreatment

AbstractObjectivesThis study examined (a) the effect of childhood maltreatment on the trajectory of emotional closeness with siblings and (b) whether and how a history of childhood maltreatment affects the longitudinal association between emotional closeness with siblings and older adults' psychological well‐being.BackgroundPrior studies have suggested that childhood maltreatment may have lasting adverse effects on later‐life relationships with family members of origin, which may include adult siblings.MethodsWe used three‐wave data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. Latent growth curve modeling was conducted to examine the associations between perceived sibling closeness and the psychological well‐being of 4,736 older adults.ResultsOur findings showed that the trajectory of perceived sibling closeness differed between older adults who experienced childhood maltreatment and those who did not. Perceived sibling closeness was lower at baseline for those who experienced maltreatment and did not change over time, whereas perceived sibling closeness increased over time for those who did not experience maltreatment. Further, older adults who reported greater sibling closeness over time showed less of a decline in psychological well‐being, of which patterns did not differ between the maltreated and nonmaltreated groups.ConclusionChildhood maltreatment was found to have long‐term negative effects on the emotional quality of sibling relationships in late adulthood.ImplicationsMore research is needed to explore potential mechanisms that explain these lifelong associations, which will inform the development of timely interventions that can help reduce the long‐lasting influence of adverse childhood experiences on the dynamics and relationships in later‐life families.

Family values as predictors of the quality of close relationships

Aim The aim of this study was to determine if and in what way family values influence the quality of interpersonal relationships of adult siblings and the partners in close long-term relationships. Method In the conducted quantitative research three self-descriptive tools were used: Familism Scale, Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire and Commitment Inventory. The research included 234 adults (M = 35; SD = 9.128). Women accounted for 64.1% of the sample (n = 150). Results Among the most frequently chosen family value dimensions were Individualism, Family support and Respect. Family values appeared to be significant predictors for both the quality of adult sibling relationships and interpersonal commitment in a close long-term relationship. Conclusion Familism contributes to developing proper interpersonal relationships in close relationships.

Getting under the skin: long-term links of adolescent peer relationship difficulties to adult vagal tone.

Understanding whether and how the absence of positive relationships may predict longer-term physical health outcomes is central to building a working conceptual model of the interplay of social and physical development across the lifespan. This study sought to examine the extent to which difficulties establishing positive social relationships from adolescence onward serve as long-term predictors of low adult vagal tone, which in turn has been linked to numerous long-term health problems. A diverse community sample of 141 individuals was followed via multiple methods and reporters from age 13 to 29. Across this span, social relationship quality was assessed via close friend and peer reports, observations of romantic interactions, and self-reported romantic relationship satisfaction. A range of potential personality and functional covariates was also considered. Vagal tone while at rest was assessed at age 29. Adult vagal tone was predicted across periods as long as 16years by: adolescents' difficulty establishing themselves as desirable companions among peers; early adults' inability to establish strong close friendships; and lack of warmth in romantic relationships as an adult. Poor early adult friendship quality statistically mediated the link from adolescent peer difficulties to adult vagal tone. A range of potential confounding factors was examined but was not linked to vagal tone. Within the limits of the correlational design of the study, robust connections between adult vagal tone and social relationship quality from adolescence onward suggest at least a possible mechanism by which relationship difficulties may get 'under the skin' to influence future physiological functioning.

Beyond Parenting Socialization Years: The Relationship between Parenting Dimensions and Grandparenting Functioning.

Parental socialization has been studied mainly when is in process, but less is known about its long-term impact on older adults, particularly on one of the most important developmental tasks in later life: being a grandparent. Participants were 313 Spanish grandparents. The present study examined the relationship between parenting and its impacts in the long term, when the child is a grandparent. The variables examined were parenting (parental warmth and parental strictness) and grandparenting functioning (satisfaction with life, meaning of life, parent–adult child relationship quality, emotional closeness with grandchildren, and role overload). The statistical analyses were a correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analyses. A constant pattern between parenting and grandparenting functioning has been found. Warmth was positively associated with grandparenting functioning, as opposed to strictness, which did not show benefits for grandparents and even showed a significant negative relationship with an indicator of grandparenting functioning. Present findings highlight that, during the socialization years, greater parental warmth but not parental strictness might be of benefit for children at the end of their life (i.e., when they are grandparents) but also for their descendants because they have a better relationship with the two following generations (i.e., adult children and grandchildren).

Invitational Leadership

The quality of adult relationships within a school has more to do withthe quality and character of the school and with the accomplishmentsof students than any other factor. (Barth, 1990, p.163)This study focused on invitational practices of principals and thecorrelation between a principal’s inviting behaviors and teachers’ perceptions.It was hypothesized that there was a positive correlation betweena principal’s actions and teacher affective outcomes such as feelingsof trust, respect, job satisfaction, and perceived principaleffectiveness. The principal-teacher relationship was studied in an effortto elucidate the importance of positive human interaction in educationalsettings.A thorough review of the literature on the subject of InvitationalEducation from 1970 through 1991 revealed that little had been writtenon the application of Invitational Theory to administrative practices.Although Purkey and Warters (1986), Common (1983, 1984, 1985),Chambers (1983), and Cogar (1987) addressed the subject and offeredsuggestions for the application of Invitational Theory to the administrationof schools, Invitational Leadership was not a primary focus of thefounders and followers of Invitational Education.

Trajectories of adolescent stressful life events and young adults' socioeconomic and relational outcomes: Weight and depressive symptoms as mediators.

Little is known about how biological and psychological consequences of adolescent stressful life events (SLEs) are jointly associated with socioeconomic and relational outcomes in adulthood. To address this gap, the present study involved testing a model based on the life course perspective that posits adolescent SLE trajectories produce parallel trajectories of depressive symptoms and weight status, which are jointly associated with socioeconomic status and intimate relationship quality in adulthood. Prospective data over 13years from a nationally representative sample of 11,677 US adolescents was utilized. The results demonstrated that trajectories of BMI and depressive symptoms, which showed contemporaneous and longitudinal comorbidities over the early life course, were influenced by adolescent SLEs. Both BMI and depressive symptoms trajectories are additively and jointly associated with socioeconomic status and intimate relationship quality in adulthood. Additionally, adolescent SLE trajectories are directly associated with these adult outcomes. These observed associations persisted even after controlling for early family socioeconomic adversity and race/ethnicity. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Childhood Emotional Maltreatment and Romantic Relationships: The Role of Compassionate Goals.

Past research indicates that childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) undermines the quality of adult romantic relationships by fostering negative characteristics in survivors. Two longitudinal studies investigated the hypothesis that decreased compassionate goals toward partners over time explain the association between CEM and declining relationship quality. In Study 1, CEM predicted decreased compassionate goals over time, which in turn predicted decreased relationship quality in individuals in romantic relationships. Study 2 replicated this effect in romantically involved couples and showed that partners’ high compassionate goals attenuated the decline in compassionate goals associated with reported CEM. These results point to the importance of examining how CEM may affect positive relationship processes and the protective roles of partners’ compassionate goals.

Cohort Profile: Chengdu Positive Child Development (CPCD) survey.

Childhood is a critical developmental stage affecting future health, competence and capacity. According to theories of child development (physical and behavioural development risk process theories), some preventable outcomes include chronic illness, mental illness, obesity, myopia, developmental injury, substance abuse, antisocial behaviour, social alienation and school failure.1,2 Positive Child Development (PCD) is a positive psychological approach which focuses on the growth, cultivation and nurturing of developmental assets, abilities and potentials in children.3,4 It focuses on each child’s unique talents, strengths, interests and potential. It aims to understand children and engage them in productive activities rather than correct or cure for maladaptive tendencies.5 It has been highlighted as potentially supporting better health and social outcomes throughout the life course.6–9 Many US development programmes have shown positive changes in children’s and adolescents’ behaviours (such as interpersonal skills and quality of peer and adult relationships) and significant improvements in problem behaviours (e.g. drug and alcohol use, school misbehaviour).10 Other studies have found similar findings where, for example, children with positive development were more satisfied with life and had fewer problem behaviours.11–14

Kin detection cues and sibling relationship quality in adulthood: The role of childhood co-residence duration and maternal perinatal association

Cues facilitating kin detection among children have been suggested to have a profound impact on adult sibling relationships. Using a large and population-based data of younger and middle-aged Finns, we test how childhood co-residence duration and maternal perinatal association (MPA) correlate with contact frequency, emotional closeness and provision of help between adult siblings. Employing sibling fixed-effect regression models we show that duration of co-residence in childhood and MPA are indeed associated with better relationship quality in all three measures. Provided MPA, sibling relationship quality is high independently of co-residence length, but in the absence of MPA, increased co-residence duration is associated with better relationship quality. Co-residence duration is more strongly associated with provision of help between opposite-gender than same-gender sibling dyads. Full siblings report better relationship quality than half siblings do, although the co-residence duration mediates the effect of genetic relatedness in emotional closeness between full and maternal half siblings and in provision of help between full and paternal half siblings. Moreover, MPA serves as a mediator in the case of emotional closeness between full and maternal half siblings. Our results provide solid support for the importance of childhood kin detection cues for sibling relationship quality in adulthood, and how such cues interact with genetic relatedness and gender.

The role of family communication in shaping the quality of adult sibling interpersonal relationships and the opinions about the social world

The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between the dimensions of the quality of the interpersonal relationship of siblings in early adulthood and opinions about the social world, and to check whether there are relational predictors of these opinions.
 The participants of the study were 180 people (including 48.9% women) who were in early adulthood (M = 24.73; SD = 4.54), who came from complete families with adult siblings.
 The following research tools were used: the Adult Relationship Questionnaire (Walęcka-Matyja, 2014), the STQ-Now Questionnaire (Szymańska, 2016), the Social Opinion Questionnaire (Różycka, Wojciszke 2010) and a questionnaire.
 The obtained results indicate the existence of numerous, although mostly weak and moderate, relationships in the expected directions between all dimensions of the interpersonal relationship of siblings (except for Competition) and opinions about the social world. Relational predictors of beliefs about the social world were also determined. It was found that sibling relationships in which there is high conflict, intense competition and indifference negatively affect the experience of satisfaction with social exchange, the level of self-esteem and trust in interpersonal contacts. Additionally, the negative aspects of the relationship of adult siblings (Conflict, Indifference) foster the belief that the world is a game in which you have to be ready to constantly fight with others. In turn, friendly relations between siblings (Warmth, Mutuality) and those with an element of struggle for power in the relationship (Domination) contributed to an increase in the level of self-esteem.

Family communication patterns and relationship quality between emerging adults and their parents

Few researchers have examined how family communication patterns influence child help-seeking behaviors and child help-providing behaviors in relation to the parent-child relationship during the period of emerging adulthood. In the current study we utilized a latent profile analysis to determine family communication pattern types from two standard communication orientations (i.e., conversation orientation and conformity orientation). We also examined how pattern types were associated with parent-emerging adult relationship quality and help/support seeking/providing behavior within the family during the period of emerging adulthood as reported by emerging adults ( n = 129) and one of their parental figures ( n = 129). The data supported two family communication types (i.e., protective and pluralistic) created from conversation and conformity orientation scores and we utilized them to differentiate between relationship qualities and help/support seeking/providing behavior when those behaviors were reported by emerging adults but not their parental figures.