Risk In Intimacy Research Articles

Untroubled pullers: An examination of nonclinical hair-pulling

Nonclinical hair-pulling is much more prevalent than hair pulling associated with a diagnosis of trichotillomania (TTM). However, little is known about nonclinical pulling. The purpose of this exploratory research was to begin characterizing a subset of nonclinical hair pullers we refer to as “untroubled pullers,” people who engage in recurrent, noncosmetic hair-pulling without associated distress or impairment. In a secondary analysis of two studies conducted online, untroubled pullers reported significantly lower symptom severity than did those diagnosed with TTM. The Big Five personality dimensions did not differentiate the groups in Study 1, but untroubled pullers endorsed significantly less disability, focused and automatic pulling, social anxiety, perceived risk in intimacy, and perfectionism in Study 2. These findings remained significant after controlling for symptom severity. Age and race resulted in mixed findings between the two studies, but no differences arose in other demographics. These findings suggest that symptom severity may not sufficiently explain differences in associated distress and impairment. Future studies are needed on how other constructs related to distress and impairment interact with hair-pulling behavior to provide insight into when pulling is associated with clinically significant distress or impairment.

Shame, personality orientation, and risk in intimacy: direct and estimated indirect pathways

The psychological literature has re-awakened its interest in shame. Research demonstrates that shame is negatively linked with intimacy through direct and indirect associations with intimacy fear and intimacy levels. This study explored the pathways between trait shame and perceived risk in intimacy. We hypothesised there would be an indirect relationship between shame and risk in intimacy via associations with introjective (self-definition) and anaclitic (dependent) personality orientation, identity impairment and abandonment concerns. University students (N = 501) from New Zealand and Northern Ireland completed an online survey, and path analysis was used to analyse data. Some support for the hypotheses was found, with shame being positively associated with risk in intimacy and half the magnitude of the effect operating indirectly through introjective orientation. Shame was positively associated with anaclitic personality, abandonment concerns and identity impairment, but these latter variables were not associated with risk in intimacy. Moreover, anaclitic orientation was associated with abandonment concerns and introjective orientation was associated with identity impairment. These findings extend the literature by demonstrating that shame may impact on feelings of intimacy risk directly and indirectly via introjective personality orientation. The results are consistent with research that shame has negative associations with intimacy, while also demonstrating that shame can be linked to approach behaviours via anaclitic personality orientation. This study provides further evidence of the complex nature and multifaceted effects of shame.

Symptom accommodation, trichotillomania-by-proxy, and interpersonal functioning in trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder)

ObjectiveThis study investigated relationship functioning in trichotillomania (TTM) as well as specific interpersonal behaviors that have received little attention in TTM research, including by-proxy pulling, symptom accommodation, and self-disclosure. The objective was to contribute data for future development of components of treatment that focus on interpersonal functioning. MethodsData were collected through survey about relationships and related difficulties among adults who endorsed criteria consistent with DSM-5 criteria for TTM (n=670). ResultsConsistent with our hypotheses, TTM symptom severity was correlated negatively with relationship satisfaction and perceived social support, positively with perceived criticism, perceived risk in intimacy, and social interaction anxiety, though these correlations were small (absolute values r=.08 to .17). Approximately one-quarter of survey respondents had not told their closest friend about their trichotillomania, and one-fifth had not told their spouse or long-term romantic partner. TTM-by-proxy urges were reported by 54% of participants, and 37% of participants reported having actually pulled hair from other people, with the most common proxies specified as significant others (51%), parents (13%), friends (8%), siblings (8%), children (7%) and pets (5%). Higher levels of TTM-by-proxy urges were associated with “focused” pulling (d=.37) and perfectionistic thinking (d=.16 to .20), yet current by-proxy urges were not associated with, functional impairment. A small minority of individuals (7%) reported having asked other people to pull hair for them (78% of these requests were granted); there was increased endorsement of “focused” pulling among these individuals. The people who participants asked to pull hairs for them included significant others (66%), mothers (20%), siblings (11%), friends (9%) and one's children (9%). ConclusionMore than one-third of respondents had pulled hair from others, 7% had asked others to pull their hair, and sizable minorities kept TTM secret from their closest friends or even spouse/partners. Clinical levels of social interaction anxiety were endorsed by 51% of the sample. Understanding these interpersonal experiences more fully could improve our understanding of relationship functioning in TTM and guide efforts to individualize treatment for adults with TTM.

Effects of Parental Attachment of College Students on Mental Health Mediated by Psychological Separation and Risk in Intimacy

Effects of Parental Attachment of College Students on Mental Health Mediated by Psychological Separation and Risk in Intimacy

Perceptions of Risk in Intimacy in Dating Couples: Conversation and Relationship Quality

Abstract Intimate self–disclosure is an important factor contributing to relationship quality. In the present study, it was proposed that perceiving intimacy as risky would be associated with less intimate self–disclosure and lower relationship quality. Sixty-four heterosexual couples discussed topics of a personal nature in the laboratory. These conversations were rated for the intimacy level of conversational disclosure by two coders who were blind to the participants' scores on the Risk in Intimacy Inventory (Pilkington & Richardson, 1988). Participants also reported their level of disclosure and partner warmth during the conversation and completed measures of relational disclosure and relationship quality. Higher risk in intimacy scores were negatively related to relationship quality, and this relationship was mediated by relational disclosure and warmth. This suggests that when relationships are perceived as being risky, levels of self–disclosure decrease and the quality of the relationship suffers.

Ego-Identity Achievement and Perception of Risk in Intimacy in Survivors of Stranger and Acquaintance Rape

One hundred twenty-two women participated in a study of the relationship between acquaintance/stranger rape and the respective variables of ego-identity achievement (attainment of self-image during adolescence that integrates one's ideas of what one is and what one wants to be) and perception of risk in intimacy (perception of close interpersonal relationships as a risky proposition). Results showed that compared to women who had not been sexually assaulted, survivors of rape in general reported lower ego-identity achievement and greater perception of risk in intimacy. Focusing on acquaintance rape and stranger rape with age at the time of assault as possible moderator, it was found that lower ego-identity achievement was systematically related to acquaintance rape in women who had been raped during their adolescent years, but not in survivors of rape during adulthood. Perception of risk in intimacy was significantly higher among women who had been raped when adolescents compared to those who had been raped during adulthood, but only in relation to acquaintance rape.

Post Divorce Conflict and Avoidance of Intimacy

This study examined the potential relationship between post divorce parental conflict and adult children's intimate relation ships. One hundred twenty seven single, never married college students (60 male, 67 female) whose parents had been divorced only one time completed a demographic questionnaire, two conflict measures, and two intimacy measures. Multiple regression analysis revealed a moderate re lationship between the conflict scales and one intimacy measure. Higher levels of post divorce conflict correlated with higher levels of perceived risk in intimacy. In addition, gender and age at time of the divorce were as sociated with higher levels of perceived risk. This study lends support to the view that the quality of the coparental relationship is an important contributory factor to children's later adjustment.

Risk in Intimacy as a Chronically Accessible Schema

The cognitive underpinnings of perceptions of risk in intimacy (RII) were investigated in two studies. Using response times to measure schema accessibility, we found partial support for the hypothesis that, although most people have risk-in-intimacy schemas available in memory, those schemas are more accessible to high-RII individuals. In Study 1, high-RII women responded to relationship events more quickly and rated those events as representing greater risk than did low-RII women. In Study 2, high-RII individuals interpreted ambiguous social situations more negatively and did so more quickly than low-RII individuals. In some cases, however, high-RII individuals responded more slowly than low-RII individuals. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed.

Risk in Intimacy

Risk in Intimacy

Perceptions of risk in intimacy and social participation

AbstractThe present study examined the relations between individuals' social lives and the risks they perceived in being intimate with others. Participants maintained a variant of the Rochester Interaction Record (Wheeler & Nezlek, 1977) and completed the Risk in Intimacy Inventory (Pilkington & Richardson, 1988). The results indicated that, compared to people who perceived less risk, people who perceived more risk in intimacy had less rewarding social lives on measures of socio‐emotional and socio‐instrumental dimensions of interaction. Risk in intimacy concerns were particularly salient for women in their interactions with the opposite sex and for men in their interactions with the same sex. In addition, the statistical associations between perceptions of risk in intimacy and characteristics of interactions within close opposite‐sex personal relationships varied as a function of participants' sex and the nature of this personal relationship.

An interpersonal model for participation in mentoring relationships

This study develops and tests a conceptual model of the relationship between three interpersonal components and involvement in mentoring relationships. The model was found to be a good fit for forecasting protege involvement. For proteges, communication competence and self‐esteem were both directly and indirectly related to participation in mentoring relationships. The indirect relationship was modified by perceptions of risk in intimacy. For mentors the best model manifested an indirect relationship between communication competence, self‐esteem and participation in mentoring relationships. Perceptions of risk in intimacy moderated this indirect relationship. Implications for the study of mentoring relationships as interpersonal relationships are discussed.

Perceptions of Risk in Intimacy

Two studies were conducted to design and validate a measure of perceptions of risk in intimacy. A 10-item scale with high internal consistency was developed and related to romantic involvement, self-esteem, assertiveness, interpersonal trust, sensation seeking, extraversion and attitudes toward love. Individuals who scored high on this `Risk in Intimacy Inventory' (i.e. who perceived high levels of risk in intimate relationships) reported fewer close relationships, less assertiveness, diminished trust in others, more introverted tendencies, and more hesitant approaches toward love than did individuals who scored lower on the scale. High scoring respondents also reported relatively high levels of thrill and adventure seeking and boredom susceptibility on the Sensation Seeking Scale. Potential applications of the scale are discussed.