Reports Of Relationship Quality Research Articles

Does Forgiveness Enhance Or Detract From Relationship Quality Among Sexual Abuse Survivors?

ABSTRACT Many women experience childhood sexual abuse (CSA) during their childhood and CSA often negatively impacts adult’s romantic relationships. Consequently, it is important to understand the protective factors that buffer against the detrimental impact of CSA on the quality of women’s romantic relationships. Forgiveness may be one such factor. The current study looked at trait forgiveness as a moderator of CSA and overall relationship quality, positive relationship quality, and negative relationship quality. A sample of 171 women completed an online survey. Using hierarchical regression, forgiveness was found to moderate the association between CSA and overall relationship quality and negative relationship quality, but not positive relationship quality. Findings indicate that the interaction between CSA and forgiveness was significant, but higher levels of forgiveness actually decreased overall relationship quality and increased negative relationship quality. The relationship between CSA and overall reports of relationship quality and negative relationship quality were stable at low levels of forgiveness, but when forgiveness was high overall relationship quality decreased and negative relationship quality increased. CSA was also directly associated with lower levels of positive relationship quality. Findings from the study indicate continued conceptual refinement when considering CSA, forgiveness, and relationship quality.

Coparenting, Couple Conflict, Social Support, and Relationship Quality: A Dyadic Exploration of Couples From LIEM Backgrounds

Economically marginalized families may face enduring vulnerabilities that make adaptive relational processes leading to healthy, long-term relationships more difficult. Informed by the vulnerability-stress-adaptation framework, we utilized an actor-partner interdependence model and dyadic data from a sample of 199 low-income couples who were expecting or had recently given birth to investigate the association of two adaptive processes (couple conflict and coparenting alliance) and two personal resources (instrumental and emotional support) with their relationship quality. Results indicated significant actor effects of men’s and women’s coparenting alliance and men’s instrumental support on their own reports of relationship quality. Additionally, results indicated three significant conjoint actor-partner effects—couple conflict and couple emotional support on women’s relationship quality and couple conflict on men’s relationship quality. These findings contribute to the literature on the transition to parenthood and extend the literature examining dyadic relational processes in families from low-income and economically marginalized backgrounds.

Dyadic analysis of very old parents’ and their children’s interdependence and self-perceptions of aging

The number of families with very old members is growing, and their intergenerational experiences may have significant ramifications for how the family members view their own aging. Using 114 dyads of very old parents ( Mage = 93.31) and their “old” children ( Mage = 67.78), we investigated whether one’s own (i.e., parents or children) and each other’s (i.e., children or parents) reports of relationship quality, care experiences, and health were associated with self-perceptions of aging. At the bivariate level, parents’ ratings of relationship quality and care experiences were related to some of the children’s health indicators, and vice versa. Very old parents reported less positive self-perceptions of aging than their children, and there was no within-dyad similarity in self-perceptions of aging. Individuals’ own health indicators (i.e., functional limitations, chronic conditions, and depressive symptoms) were associated with their self-perceptions of aging. For parents, their own report of more depressive symptoms was associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging. For children, their own report of more depressive symptoms as well as functional limitations was associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging. Care experiences demonstrated a partner effect for parents, such that children’s report of more caregiving burden was associated with parents’ less positive self-perceptions of aging. The findings provide initial evidence to assess the interdependence of self-perceptions of aging within parent-child ties in very late life. Despite the generational difference in the level of self-perceptions of aging, various facets of the informal care context may contribute to how older individuals view their own aging trajectory.

Mothers' Functional Limitations and Relationship Quality With Adult Children: Exploring the Moderating Roles of Race and Gender.

Theory and research on intergenerational relations emphasize the salient role that mothers and their adult children play in one another's lives. However, little is known about how mothers' health may shape mother-child relationship quality in later-life. We utilized data from the Within Family Differences Study to explore how mothers' functional limitations affect multiple dimensions of mother-child relationship quality, as reported by mothers and their offspring, with particular emphasis on whether race, child's gender, or generational position moderated these associations. Although mothers' reports of relationship quality were not predicted by their functional limitations, adult children reported higher ambivalence when they perceived their mothers had limitations. Further, adult children in White families reported higher ambivalence when mothers had limitations than did those in Black families. This study highlights the importance of considering the roles of structural factors in shaping the conditions under which health limitations affect mother-child ties.

The effect of multiple forms of father-child contact during imprisonment on fathers’ reports of relationship quality

According to the most recent national estimates, nearly 2.6 million children have an incarcerated parent (Glaze & Maruschak, 2008). Children with incarcerated parents are more likely to face height...

Mothers’ Health and Relationships With Adult Children: The Moderating Role of Gender and Race

Consistent with theories of the life course and intergenerational solidarity, families are generally closely tied groups in which one family member’s event affects other members as well. Although the literature has documented that parents and adult children affect one another’s well-being, less is known about how parents’ health shapes relationship quality between family members. In this paper, we utilize data from the Within-Family Difference Study (WFDS) II to explore how mothers’ functional limitations affect relationship quality between mothers and their adult children, as reported by both family members. We hypothesized that the association between mothers’ health and intergenerational relationship quality would be moderated by gender and race. Using multi-level regression modeling, we found that mothers’ reports of relationship quality were not predicted by the presence of mothers’ functional limitations, nor were there any moderating effects of race or gender. In contrast, adult children who perceived that their mothers had limitations reported higher tension with them. Further, daughters were more likely than sons to report greater tension when they perceived that their mothers had limitations (differences between coefficients p < .10). White adult children reported lower levels of closeness and higher levels of tension when they perceived that their mothers had health limitations (differences between coefficients p < .05; p < .10 respectively). However, limitations did not predict Black children’s reports of closeness or conflict with mothers. This study sheds new light on the complex ways in which race and gender moderate the role of mothers’ limitations in intergenerational relationship quality.

Exploring the Link between Mindfulness and Relationship Quality: Direct and Indirect Pathways.

This study serves to advance the empirical research on predictors of relationship quality by considering the role of trait mindfulness in combination with measures of stress and positive relationship behaviors among a diverse sample of men and women in couple relationships. Multi-group structural equation models tested both direct links and indirect pathways and found stronger evidence for an additive model of trait mindfulness, perceived stress, and positive couple behaviors uniquely associated with men's and women's reports of relationship quality. Furthermore, positive relationship behaviors are comparatively the most closely linked with relationship quality for both men and women in our sample. As more clinicians are incorporating mindfulness training with clients, these types of explorations can serve to inform practices on relative value of intervention strategies and possible pathways for enhancing couple relationship quality.

Relationships’ Best Friend: Links between Pet Ownership, Empathy, and Romantic Relationship Outcomes

ABSTRACTThe benefits of pets on individual wellbeing is well established. But can pets also have benefits for romantic relationships? Using mixed methods, three studies explored the link between pet ownership and romantic relationship quality. First, using a grounded theory approach, we qualitatively investigated participants’ personal beliefs of how their pets influence their romantic relationships by coding open-ended responses. Results suggested that pets are seen as having predominantly positive (86.5%) effects, followed by few neutral (8%) and negative (4.5%) effects (study 1). We next compared a community sample of pet owners’ reports of relationship quality with those of non-pet owners. Results suggested that pet ownership was associated with several relationship benefits (greater overall relationship quality, partner responsiveness, adjustment, and relational investment) compared with couples without pets (study 2). Finally, we examined one possible reason for why pets may benefit relationships: A pet might provide the opportunity to practice empathic abilities, which is a crucial ability in the maintenance of positive relationships. Results showed that the number of years an individual owned a pet was positively correlated with empathic concern, which in turn was linked to several relationship benefits (commitment, couple identity, and relationship maintenance behaviors; study 3). In sum, three studies provided initial evidence that there is indeed a positive association between two important relationships in peoples’ lives: their partners and their pets.

The Roles of Fathers’ Involvement and Coparenting in Relationship Quality among Cohabiting and Married Parents

Relationship quality often declines following the birth of child, likely reflecting in part the shift towards role traditionalization that occurs through gender specialization. The current study used longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study, an urban birth cohort in 2000 consisting of structured interviews of mothers and fathers who were followed over 5 years (n=1275), to examine whether low levels of fathers' involvement and coparenting, two indicators of role traditionalization, were linked to negative trajectories of mothers' and fathers' relationship quality for couples whose first child was born in marriage or cohabitation. We carefully consider union transitions in the 5 years postpartum by including between-subjects variables indicating that the parents were continually married, continually cohabiting, were cohabiting at the child's birth and got married after, or were cohabiting or married at the child's birth but subsequently separated. As anticipated, both fathers' involvement and coparenting were positively associated with parents' reports of relationship quality, more so for mothers than for fathers and especially for cohabiting mothers, buffering the decline in mothers' and fathers' relationship quality that typically accompanies the birth of a child. These findings underscore the importance of the father role, not only for the well-being of the child (as we know from other research) but also for the relationship of the parents. Fathers should be encouraged and supported to take an active role in parenting through educational programs and public policy (e.g., paid paternity leave).

Power and the association with relationship quality in South African couples: Implications for HIV/AIDS interventions

IntroductionPower imbalances within sexual relationships have significant implications for HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa. Little is known about how power influences the quality of a relationship, which could be an important pathway leading to healthy behavior around HIV/AIDS. MethodsThis paper uses data from 448 heterosexual couples (896 individuals) in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa who completed baseline surveys from 2012 to 2014 as part of a couples-based HIV intervention trial. Using an actor-partner interdependence perspective, we assessed: (1) how both partners' perceptions of power influences their own (i.e., actor effect) and their partner's reports of relationship quality (i.e., partner effect); and (2) whether these associations differed by gender. We examined three constructs related to power (female power, male equitable gender norms, and shared power) and four domains of relationship quality (intimacy, trust, mutually constructive communication, and conflict). ResultsFor actor effects, shared power was strongly and consistently associated with higher relationship quality across all four domains. The effect of shared power on trust, mutually constructive communication, and conflict were stronger for men than women. The findings for female power and male equitable gender norms were more mixed. Female power was positively associated with women's reports of trust and mutually constructive communication, but negatively associated with intimacy. Male equitable gender norms were positively associated with men's reports of mutually constructive communication. For partner effects, male equitable gender norms were positively associated with women's reports of intimacy and negatively associated with women's reports of conflict. ConclusionsResearch and health interventions aiming to improving HIV-related behaviors should consider sources of shared power within couples and potential leverage points for empowerment at the couple level. Efforts solely focused on empowering women should also take the dyadic environment and men's perspectives into account to ensure positive relationship outcomes.

Extending the Intergenerational Stake Hypothesis: Evidence of an Intraindividual Stake and Implications for Well-Being.

The intergenerational stake hypothesis suggests that parents are more invested in their children and experience better quality parent-child ties than do their children. In this study the authors examined variation in reports of relationship quality regarding parents and children intraindividually (do people report better quality ties with their children than with their parents?) and whether within-person variations have implications for well-being. Participants age 40-60 (N = 633) reported on their relationship quality (importance, positive and negative quality) with their parents and adult children. Individuals reported their relationships with children were more important and more negative than relationships with parents. Individuals with feelings that were in the opposite direction of the intergenerational stake hypothesis (i.e., greater investment in parents than children) reported poorer well-being. The findings provide support for the intergenerational stake hypothesis with regard to within-person variations in investment and show that negative relationship quality may coincide with greater feelings of investment.

Do you really understand? Achieving accuracy in interracial relationships.

Accurately perceiving whether interaction partners feel understood is important for developing intimate relationships and maintaining smooth interpersonal exchanges. During interracial interactions, when are Whites and racial minorities likely to accurately perceive how understood cross-race partners feel? We propose that participant race, desire to affiliate, and racial salience moderate accuracy in interracial interactions. Examination of cross-race roommates (Study 1) and interracial interactions with strangers (Study 2) revealed that when race is salient, Whites higher in desire to affiliate with racial minorities failed to accurately perceive the extent to which racial minority partners felt understood. Thus, although the desire to affiliate may appear beneficial, it may interfere with Whites' ability to accurately perceive how understood racial minorities feel. By contrast, racial minorities higher in desire to affiliate with Whites accurately perceived how understood White partners felt. Furthermore, participants' overestimation of how well they understood partners correlated negatively with partners' reports of relationship quality. Collectively, these findings indicate that racial salience and desire to affiliate moderate accurate perceptions of cross-race partners-even in the context of sustained interracial relationships-yielding divergent outcomes for Whites and racial minorities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Does Gender Moderate the Association Between Children's Behaviour and Teacher-Child Relationship in the Early Years?

Prior research has shown that teacher-child relationship quality predicts school emotional wellbeing and academic engagement, but it is unclear whether the relationship quality reflects teachers’ perceptions of children's social-emotional behaviours differently for girls and for boys. The purpose of this study was to examine whether teachers’ reports of relationship quality were differentially associated with children's behaviours depending on child gender. Teachers provided behavioural reports and ratings of closeness and conflict for children from kindergarten (n= 598), pre-primary (n= 496), and year 1 (n= 451). Of 19 significant associations, only 5 were moderated by gender, including hyperactivity and emotional problems. The findings suggest that, primarily, gender does not moderate how teachers’ perceptions of behaviours correlate with their ratings of relationship quality, but that gender role expectations may affect teacher-child relationship quality in some behavioural domains. Suggestions for counsellors working with teachers are presented that target teacher self-reflection on gender expectations, behavioural expectations and their intersection, to improve teacher-child relationship quality.

Predictors of relationship quality during the transition to parenthood

Objective: The present study examined predictors of relationship quality among a sample of first-time parents. Background: The transition to parenthood engenders both joys and challenges for parents and has been a focus of interest to scholars for decades. On average, couple relationship quality declines following the birth of a first child, but research has moved beyond averages and focused instead on uncovering factors that lead some couples to improve in relationship quality and others to decline. Methods: Using data collected from 29 first-time parent dyads, this short-term longitudinal study examined the ways in which similarity between mothers’ and fathers’ role expectations at birth, similarity of individual parents’ ideal versus actual parenting responsibilities at six months, and parents’ satisfaction with the division of childrearing responsibilities at six months were related to parents’ reports of relationship quality at child age six months. Results: Regressions revealed that mothers’ relationship quality was predicted by their satisfaction with the division of childrearing responsibilities. Partners’ relationship quality was predicted by mothers and partners holding similar beliefs about the importance of partners fulfilling various roles and marginally by whether partners’ ideal division of role responsibilities matched the actual division of responsibilities. Conclusion: Although limited by the small sample size, these results suggest that expectations regarding parenting role responsibilities are an area worthy of further research. Just as premarital programmes encourage couples to discuss areas of difference before marriage, prenatal couples should be encouraged to resolve differences in their expectations of one another as parents.

Developmental mentoring, relationship quality and school adjustment: the Chapel Buddy programme

This prospective mixed methods longitudinal study examined the connection between mentor–mentee relationship quality and school adjustment amongst students participating in the Chapel Buddy programme, a developmental mentoring programme. Thirty-one sixth graders were paired with 29 kindergarteners for the duration of the school year. Sixth-grade reports of relationship quality had a significant main effect on predicting the self-reported school adjustment of the kindergarten students at the end of the year. Additionally, regression analyses indicated that relationship satisfaction of the sixth-grader students predicted teacher-reported academic adjustment of the sixth graders. Qualitative analyses of parents' perspectives of the Chapel Buddy programme indicated parents believed the programme eased the transition to school. This study concludes that developmental mentoring has a positive influence on school adjustment, specifically school connectedness, for mentors as well as the mentees, and such a programme can be successful for fostering adjustment to elementary and middle school.

Emotion regulation and relationship quality in mother–young adult child dyads

A functionalist approach to emotion regulation (ER) emphasizes the strategies people use to regulate their emotions and their goals for doing so. In the present work 90 mother–young adult child dyads (51 daughters; 39 sons) reported on their perceptions about relationship quality and the extent to which they employed one ER strategy (expressive suppression) and two ER goals (self- and other-oriented) when controlling anger toward the partner. Suppression and both ER goals predicted one’s own reports of relationship quality; however, only the two ER goals predicted partner reports of relationship satisfaction. Relations between ER processes and relationship quality were comparable for both generations. Results are discussed from a functionalist perspective in which ER is conceptualized as an integrated interpersonal system.

The Couple That Prays Together: Race and Ethnicity, Religion, and Relationship Quality Among Working‐Age Adults

A substantial body of research has shown that relationship quality tends to be (a) lower among racial and ethnic minorities and (b) higher among more religious persons and among couples in which partners share common religious affiliations, practices, and beliefs. However, few studies have examined the interplay of race or ethnicity and religion in shaping relationship quality. Our study addresses this gap in the literature using data from the National Survey of Religion and Family Life (NSRFL), a 2006 telephone survey of 2,400 working‐age adults (ages 18–59), which contains oversamples of African Americans and Latinos. Results underscore the complex nature of the effects of race and ethnicity, as well as religious variables. In particular, we found that couples' in‐home family devotional activities and shared religious beliefs are positively linked with reports of relationship quality.

Parents Perceived as Peers: Filial Maturity in Adulthood

Filial maturity refers to the adult offspring’s perception of parents as individuals with past histories and limitations. Three studies were conducted to measure filial maturity and its relational and developmental correlates. Study 1 included adults aged 18–59 to empirically assess filial maturity and its correlates across adulthood. Study 2 examined associations between filial maturity and constructs indicative of emerging adulthood (e.g., emotional autonomy), among people aged 18–24. Study 3 included young and middle-aged adults (N = 158; ages: 22–49) and their parents to assess associations between parents’ reports of relationship quality and offspring’s filial maturity. Offspring reported greater filial maturity with mothers and with parents with whom they reported greater relationship quality, closeness, and autonomy. Parents who reported greater relationship quality had offspring who reported greater filial maturity. Findings suggest that filial maturity is a dyadic phenomenon that influences parent child relationship quality across the lifespan.

Mentor commitment in formal mentoring relationships

This research examined the role of mentor commitment relative to protégé perceptions of relationship quality within formal mentoring programs. Based on a matched sample of 91 mentors and protégés, the results indicated that mentor commitment related positively to protégé reports of relationship quality. This relationship was stronger for male protégés than for female protégés. The results indicated that protégés reported higher quality relationships when mentors underestimated their commitment to the relationship relative to the protégés estimate of mentor commitment. Suggestions for future research are offered.

Personality, Family History, and Competence in Early Adult Romantic Relationships.

The present investigation tested how well family characteristics and the personality traits assessed by the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (A. Tellegen, 1982) measured in late adolescence predict aspects of romantic relationships in early adulthood. Nurturant-involved parenting practices and personality traits were related to observed negative interactions and to couples' reports of relationship quality. These results from a prospective longitudinal study suggest that the origins of competence in romantic relationships can be found both in individual differences in personality (especially in negative emotionality) and in differences in developmental experiences. Discussion further develops an account of relationship success and dysfunction that integrates proximal factors, such as couple interactions, with more distal factors such as personality and socialization experiences.