The role of romantic relationship quality in adulthood: Moderating effects on the long-term impact of childhood abuse and neglect on somatic and mental complaints.

Mindfulness has well-documented benefits for mental, physical, and relational health. However, research about the role of mindfulness in health has scarcely explored interpersonal mindfulness, a distinct type of mindfulness expressed externally and relationally in interpersonal interactions. Mindfulness is known to be beneficial in romantic relationships but has been underexplored to date. A new interpersonal mindfulness construct known as "mindful partnering" (MP) presents a comprehensive application of interpersonal mindfulness to romantic relationships. This study advances research on MP by providing an improved conceptualization of the construct and an observational coding scheme, the Ratings of Observed Mindful Partnering (ROMP) system. Results showed that the ROMP has strong interrater reliability at the level of suggested analysis, supporting the idea that interpersonal mindfulness is observable, and initial tests of validity indicated convergent validity of this measurement tool for the MP construct. We suggest that this tool is potentially useful for clinicians and future research.

To explore concerns and coping experiences regarding sexual well-being in inflammatory bowel disease and examine the relationship between these concerns and affected individuals' background factors. Explanatory sequential mixed methods study. Recruitment flyers (n = 1347) were distributed to individuals attending inflammatory bowel disease outpatient clinics in seven facilities. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing demographics, concerns and coping experiences related to their sexual well-being. Those who provided consent participated in semi-structured online interviews. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. A total of 551 participants completed the questionnaire, and 21 participated in the interviews. Among them, 251 (45.6%) reported experiences of concerns related to romantic relationships and marriage, sexual life, pregnancy, childbirth and childcare. The nature of these concerns varied by background factors: unmarried individuals more often reported relationship concerns; those with surgical or perianal history more often reported sexual concerns; and women, married individuals and individuals with Crohn's disease more often reported pregnancy-related concerns. Coping experiences were categorized as (1) active barrier management, (2) partner and professional support, (3) passive or resignation coping and (4) cognitive reframing. Sexual well-being is significantly affected among individuals with inflammatory bowel disease. Many participants reported understanding and support from significant others or relied on personal coping strategies; however, others reported an absence of coping experiences. Sharing these findings with individuals with inflammatory bowel disease and healthcare professionals may enhance awareness and promote support strategies to improve these individuals' sexual well-being. Concerns about sexual well-being are influenced by both clinical and psychosocial factors, including treatment history, life stage and partner relationships. Healthcare professionals should provide individualised and comprehensive care that incorporates the partners and families of individuals with inflammatory bowel disease to better address sexual well-being. This study presents the first large-scale mixed methods evidence on how individuals with inflammatory bowel disease experience sexual well-being, providing direct implications for improving quality of life. By illustrating both adaptive and absent coping strategies, the findings contribute essential insight to inform patient-centred clinical practice and psychosocial care. The Good Reporting of a Mixed-Methods Study (GRAMMS) guidelines were followed. No patient or public contribution.

Humans form selective and enduring pair bonds with romantic partners, a principal feature of human sociality. Neuroimaging studies have shown that romantic partners are differentially represented from other individuals in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and anterior insula (aINS) and that the specificity of partner representations in the NAcc diminishes as relationships mature. However, it remains unclear whether such differentiation reflects partner-specific coding or mere differences in familiarity with others and whether these regions play different roles in romantic bonding. To address these questions, we applied multiple regression representational similarity analysis to fMRI data from 51 heterosexual male participants in early romantic relationships. The data were acquired during a social incentive delay task, in which participants anticipated social approval from their female romantic partner, a female friend, or an unfamiliar female individual. This approach allowed us to dissociate partner-specific representations from familiarity-related effects in the NAcc and aINS. We found that both regions exhibited partner-specific representations that could not be explained by familiarity. Consistent with previous findings, partner specificity in the NAcc was negatively associated with relationship duration, indicating that partner-specific coding in this region is established early in romantic relationships and diminishes as relationships progress. Moreover, greater partner specificity in the aINS was associated with more frequent intrusive thoughts about the partner. Together, these findings demonstrate that romantic partners are represented in the NAcc and aINS in a qualitatively distinct manner from other individuals, and that these regions support dissociable aspects of romantic bonding.

Intimate partner violence, which includes physical assault, sexual violation and coercion, economic abuse, as well as psychological aggression within romantic relationships, remains a pressing public health issue, affecting millions of adults in the United States each year. The costs of such experiences are high, contributing to risk of adverse physical and mental health outcomes, decreased economic and educational attainment, as well as risk of early mortality. Evidence suggests that intimate partner violence and its deleterious consequences are experienced more frequently by those holding historically and systemically marginalized social identities, including people of color, sexual and gender minorities, as well as immigrants and refugees. Yet, more research is needed to both understand why these disparities emerge; and from a clinical perspective, how to effectively address violence within historically and systemically marginalized communities. To achieve these aims, we must look outside the boundaries of psychology toward feminist and interdisciplinary frameworks. Such perspectives illuminate how structural and institutional forces interact and shape our individual and interpersonal experiences, including interpersonal violence. Integrating these perspectives into existing ecological frameworks illuminates how structural and institutional forces interact and shape survivors' individual and interpersonal experiences, including intimate partner violence. Our goal is to advance justice-oriented research and practice by both identifying the drivers of violence-related disparities and advocating for community healing and engagement as essential components of trauma-informed care for survivors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

ABSTRACT Before the Internet, popular ways for matching potential couples in Nigeria were through betrothal, or introduction by family, friends and religious institutions. Dating was eventually done face-to-face or ‘offline’. However, the discovery of the Internet drastically revolutionized the social, interpersonal and romantic relationships of humans, resulting in the proliferation of online dating shows that cater to diverse demographics and preferences. Using the postcolonial feminist philosophical perspective, the uses and gratification and popular culture theories, this paper employs mixed methods to explore how the Nons Miraj matchmaking show has disrupted traditional dating relationships amongst Nigerian youths. Qualitative visual ethnography and quantitative content analysis were used to collect data and interpret patterns of meaning in participant interactions and audience comments on the shows. Findings showed that critiques, hate speech, and gratifying comments were prevalent, while objectification and opinions on the matched couples were rare, meaning that the entertainment value of the shows superseded the audiences’ interest in the ensuing relationships. This study provides insights on how matchmaking shows complement traditional African norms of dating and finding love. It recommends that content creators strive to balance responsible entertainment with the preservation of human dignity, in the evolving digital dating ecosystem.

This study explored the childhood experiences of young adults with sexual and gender diversity (SGD) assigned male at birth in Thailand, using semi-structured interviews with 18 medical students recruited from four universities and thematic analysis. Understanding early life experiences of individuals with SGD is important, as these formative years shape identity development, mental health, and patterns of self-disclosure, yet remain underexplored in non-Western contexts. Three main themes were developed: Distant paternal existence and closer connections to mother or female family members; Self-discovery through romantic relationships leading to identity confusion; and Perceived fears of parental disapproval not supporting self-disclosure. The findings highlight the central role of family dynamics, particularly the influence of female figures and extended family structures. They identify distinct milestones in the SGD journey, including romantic relationships preceding sexual activity and the impact of anticipated non-acceptance on disclosure. These findings emphasize the need for culturally informed research beyond Western frameworks. They also have implications for public health, underscoring the necessity of developing mental health services, sexual health education, and support systems that are sensitive to cultural contexts and family dynamics.

This study examines representations of transgenerational trauma and healing strategies in Chika Unigwe's The Middle Daughter. The analysis of the novel pays critical attention to the intergenerational transmission of trauma within the mother-middle daughter relationship. Drawing on the tenets of Trauma Theory, the study reveals how silence, emotional repression, and culturally shaped parenting practices contribute to the psychological distress of the protagonist, Nani. Through a close investigation of characterization and events in the narrative, the paper shows how the often-overlooked role of the middle daughter affects emotional visibility and self-perception within the family, yielding to traumatic flashbacks. The analysis further demonstrates that unresolved maternal trauma and cultural expectations influence Nani's romantic and non-romantic relationships, shaping her vulnerability and internalized guilt. Finally, the study discusses Nani's path to healing, through narration, maternal agency, and personal autonomy, arguing that recovery begins with reclaiming one's story and voice. By closely reading the novel alongside the postulations of trauma scholars such as Judith Herman, Cathy Caruth, Marianne Hirsch, C. N. Van der Merwe, and Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, the research contributes to trauma studies in African literature by highlighting the psychological cost of inherited silence and the therapeutic import of emotional truth-telling.

For many Chinese sexual minority men, coming out-disclosing their sexual orientation-is stressful because of concerns about how heterosexual recipients may react. This study examined predictors of those reactions and applied machine learning to model them. Between August 2022 and January 2023, we screened 54,902 individuals on a Chinese crowdsourcing platform and recruited 650 Chinese cisgender heterosexual participants who had experienced a coming-out encounter with a sexual minority man. Participants reported on 85 personal, contextual, and behavioral factors surrounding the encounter. Bivariate analyses and machine learning models revealed that background characteristics-such as the recipient's sex, age, and relationship to the discloser-were the strongest predictors of reactions. Smaller contributions emerged from select contextual parameters and coming-out strategies: negative reactions were linked to disclosures involving a love confession, assault, or substance use by disclosers; positive reactions were associated with recipients anticipating the disclosure and disclosers referencing a same-sex romantic relationship. The machine learning models captured complex interactions among predictors. These models achieved moderate predictive accuracy (ACC = 0.62-0.65, R2 = 0.20-0.31), comparable to that reported in prior machine learning studies in social and personality psychology. While recipients' reactions are predictable, improving coming-out experiences in high-stigma contexts requires attention to the recipient-side processes that sustain or challenge heteronormative norms.

Abstract This study investigates how distinct configurations of intimacy, passion, and commitment within romantic relationships predict quality of life (QoL) among emerging adults. Drawing on Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love (1986) and employing a person-centred approach through Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), the research identifies four relational profiles ( Sex , Love , Love and Sex , and Complex Relationship ) in a representative sample of Slovak emerging adults (n = 676). Regression analyses reveal that integrated emotional and sexual experiences ( Love and Sex , corresponding to Romantic Love) are associated with significantly higher QoL than single-component profiles. However, the expected superiority of Consummate Love ( Complex Relationship ) was observed only among participants with conservative value orientations. For liberal respondents, relationship quality was primarily linked to intimacy and passion without the need for long-term commitment. These findings support a value-congruence model of intimacy, demonstrating that the psychological benefits of specific relationship structures depend on their alignment with individuals’ ideological worldviews. The study contributes to both psychological theory and sociological understandings of intimacy by illustrating how personal values shape the links between love, commitment, and well-being during emerging adulthood.

Improving social functioning for people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders is a priority for service users, carers and broader society. While many face challenges with social functioning, a proportion do obtain a job, a partner, and other valued social goals. Informal carers are key stakeholders, support recovery and may support service users' social functioning, though some research suggests carer and service user priorities may differ. Research suggests item content in measures of social functioning may not fully capture people's social world. The aim of this study was to explore service user and carer understandings of social functioning and what they value most, to inform intervention and measurement approaches. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve service users and eight carers and audio recorded. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted on anonymized transcripts with input from a multidisciplinary team and a carer with lived experience. One overarching theme, 'Fitting in and being accepted' reflected service user and carer participants' emphasis on integration and belonging beyond any particular social functioning outcome. Four themes were generated from the analysis: 'the value in performing everyday activities', 'communication and sociability as connection to the world', 'close relationships as central to social functioning and wellbeing' and 'the paradox of work: highly valued but a potentially risky endeavour'. Having a job was considered important but was out of reach for many. Revised expectations meant that service users who had more challenges with social functioning valued basic independence and achieving this helped them feel integrated in society. Service users and carers had broadly similar priorities and expectations for social functioning, with some exceptions including expectations around romantic relationships. Digital communication served as an important means of low pressure connection to others. People with schizophrenia need more social opportunities that fit their circumstances including developing relationships and accessing work. Instruments that measure social functioning may not reflect what service users find meaningful about social functioning, such as feeling accepted and fitting in and their use of digital communication.

Hormonal contraception has revolutionized women's reproductive control, yet its effects on romantic relationships are underexplored. We tested the Congruency Hypothesis, which predicts that changes in hormonal contraceptive (HC) use after forming a romantic relationship can reduce relationship quality. Using semi-representative samples from 51 countries (n = 10,482), we analyzed partnered women aged 45 or younger (n = 2,224) who reported HC use both when they met their partner and at the time of the study, and who rated their relationship satisfaction and intensity of the three components of love: Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment toward their partner. We found no robust support for the Congruency Hypothesis. However, in a weighted model, participants who changed their HC use pattern reported slightly lower Passion than those who consistently used (or consistently did not use) HC. Our study contributes to the growing body of research on the role of HCs by offering some reassurance: for most women, choosing or changing HCs is unlikely to meaningfully alter their relationship quality, including their experience of love and relationship satisfaction. We acknowledge, however, that our study was underpowered to detect very small effect sizes (e.g., r = .04) reported in a recent meta-analysis, and should therefore not be read as a definitive contribution in the ongoing debate. Although such small effects are generally considered practically negligible at the population level, they may nonetheless carry personal relevance for individual women.

Event-driven PrEP (ED-PrEP) is an established method of preventing HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM). This analysis seeks to assess overall PrEP uptake and PrEP dosing regimen (daily or ED-PrEP) using survey data from the PrEP APPEAL study, an online cross-sectional survey of MSM across 15 countries in Asia. Among 15,012 cisgender MSM, 12,050 (80.3%) were aware of PrEP, 12,264 (81.7%) were not currently taking PrEP, 941 (6.3%) were taking ED-PrEP and 1742 (11.6%) were taking daily PrEP. Among current PrEP users (n=2683), Lao People's Democratic Republic (17/23, 73.9%), Taiwan (252/359, 70.2%) and Japan (105/184, 57.1%) had the highest proportion of ED-PrEP users. Compared with ED-PrEP users, factors independently positively associated with non-PrEP users included identifying as bisexual and condomless vaginal sex, whereas factors negatively associated with non-PrEP users included living in a high-income country, having a university education, receiving an HIV test in the past 12months, knowing people with a positive attitude about PrEP, having more sexual partners, condomless anal sex and chemsex. Compared with ED-PrEP users, factors independently positively associated with daily PrEP included being in a romantic relationship and receiving an HIV test or STI diagnosis in the past 12months, and factors negatively associated with daily PrEP users included living in a high-income country, having a university education and chemsex. More work is needed to promote general PrEP uptake across the region and to promote choice of PrEP dosing regimen to suit the HIV prevention needs of the individual.

Aging in place has become a central goal of aging policy and practice, reflecting older adults' preference to remain in their homes and communities rather than relocating to institutional settings. Community-based living arrangements are increasingly viewed as a potential response to loneliness and social isolation in later life. The present study examines an informal, non-institutional community housing model initiated by older women who sought to age in place together. It explores how community members experience communal life, the meanings they attribute to the community, and the extent to which the model supports aging in place. The study employed a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through 16 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with members of three informal community housing groups located in the city of Harish, Israel. Findings are organized around four central themes: (1) the community as a family (2) dilemmas surrounding intimacy and romantic relationships within the community (3) tensions between spontaneity and formalization in community organization (4) differing understandings of the community's purpose. Together, these themes reveal the ambivalence and fragility inherent in informal community living. The findings highlight both the potential and the limitations of informal community models in supporting aging in place. While such communities can enhance social connection, security, and mutual support, they also require ongoing negotiation to define boundaries and shared expectations. The study has implications for practitioners, community organizers, and policymakers seeking to promote aging in place through non-institutional, community-based initiatives.

This study explored romantic relationships in older adulthood and was guided by the Lifecourse Perspective. It investigated how lifespan development, linked lives, historical context, timing of transitions, and human agency influence relationship decisions in later life. Twenty-one participants completed in-depth interviews exploring their romantic relationships. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed two themes. First, societal expectations and influences on relationships highlight how norms during the early stages of life shape initial trajectories. As individuals aged, these expectations weakened, allowing greater agency in choosing to pursue, maintain, or avoid romantic partnerships. Second, apprehension about caregiving roles emphasized concerns about the emotional and physical demands particularly among single and widowed women who had previously provided care. Participants in committed relationships viewed caregiving as a more reciprocal, expected part of caregiving. Findings underscore the complexity of later-life relationships and the importance of historical context, gendered expectations, and accumulated life experiences in shaping romantic decision-making.

This study proposed relationship cycling (on-again/off-again relationships) as a chronic stressor that might drive experiences of turbulence. We assessed a model based on Relational Turbulence Theory (RTT) with 188 participants in romantic relationships (50 cyclical; 138 noncyclical). Relational uncertainty, interference, and facilitation were modeled to predict experiences of emotions, cognitions, and communicative aggression, and these were modeled to predict turbulence. Multigroup analyses generally supported RTT. Yet, cyclical partners reported lower relational quality (e.g. more uncertainty, aggression), and results suggested they might be desensitized to problematic behaviors and cognitions whereas emotions played a stronger role in determining their experience of turbulence.

Investigations into mindfulness and well-being have increasingly turned toward social outcomes such as compassion. However, research is needed to understand how mindfulness relates to compassion in real-world contexts. Moreover, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently understood, with self-related processes—particularly self-absorption and interdependent self-construal—representing important candidates. To address these gaps, we conducted a preregistered, ten-day diary study with n = 230 adults (Mage= 40, SD = 12; 50% female, 49% male, and 1% N/A) in heterosexual romantic relationships (Mlength of relationship = 15 years, SD = 11 years; n = 114 dyads with both members contributing). Partner ratings of compassion were collected to capture how mindfulness relates to a person’s compassion as perceived by close others in everyday life. We found that distinct facets of mindfulness showed different associations with compassion across levels of analysis: within persons, daily state increases in mindful acceptance corresponded with higher compassion (B = 0.19, SE = 0.06, p = 0.002, 95% CI[0.07, 0.31]), whereas between persons, greater trait mindful attention predicted greater compassion (B = 0.52, SE = 0.17, p = 0.002, 95% CI[0.19, 0.85]). We also found support for self-absorption as a mediating mechanism, as greater mindfulness (state and trait) was associated with more compassion through lower self-absorption. Although we expected this indirect effect to be stronger among individuals higher in interdependent self-construal, this moderation was not supported. Together, these findings highlight the importance of distinguishing state and trait processes in understanding the link between mindfulness and compassion in real-world contexts, and identify self-absorption as a key mechanism. Future work can address limitations of this work by investigating its generalizability to other populations.

ABSTRACT This study explores the nature of adolescents’ posts on social media using a data donation approach within three different European countries. Adolescents (N Belgium = 106, N France = 118, N Slovenia = 114) donated screenshots from their most recent posts/stories on Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. The various themes present in the visuals of the screenshots were coded, and data were linked to survey measures to explore individual differences. The results demonstrated the prevalence of nature, friends, and travel themes across platforms, whereas mental health, substance use, and romantic relationship themes were only limitedly featured. One-way repeated measures ANOVAs showed some significant platform differences for education (more prevalent on Snapchat), memes/jokes (more prevalent on TikTok) and nature (more prevalent on Instagram). Zero-one inflated beta regression models indicated individual differences in terms of gender, age, country of residence, and social media mind-sets. These results may guide the focus of future research interested in social media posting dynamics within adolescence.

Stroke recovery and its associated outcomes have an impact on both persons with stroke and their care partners. The current study examined differences between younger and older couples coping with stroke, as well as focusing on how depression and satisfaction outcomes for one member of the dyad impacted the other. This cross-sectional secondary analysis examines baseline data from a pilot study involving 34 couples coping with stroke, originally part of an 8-week positive psychology intervention designed to foster resilient romantic relationships. Participants completed self-reported ratings of depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire) and satisfaction with social roles (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Satisfaction with Social Roles-Short-Form 7a v1). Younger persons with stroke were more likely to be unemployed, have children under 18, and report lower education levels, whereas older participants were more often male and had longer relationships. Significant inverse correlations were found between depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and satisfaction with social roles (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Satisfaction with Social Roles), particularly among younger dyads. Actor-partner interdependence models revealed that younger stroke survivors' social role satisfaction was inversely related to both their own and their care partners' depressive symptoms, whereas in older dyads, only care partners' outcomes showed significant negative associations. This study highlights differences between younger and older couples coping with stroke, revealing that younger dyads exhibit more influence among one another as well as worse recovery outcomes. These findings underscore factors that can impact long-term recovery and life participation for both persons with stroke and their care partners. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Measuring daily romantic relationship quality is important for understanding conflict, support, and satisfaction processes in near real-time. Although there now exists a great deal of research on determinants and outcomes of daily relationship quality, these investigations often rely on several untested assumptions regarding sources of, and consistency in, variability. In this study, we tested the variance components for daily relationship quality, how consistent these measurements are, and whether they are impacted by individual differences in attachment security. Six daily, nonexperimental self-reports of relationship satisfaction and functioning (e.g., conflict) from 101 couples were analyzed using generalizability theory. Results demonstrate a large amount of residual in daily reports of relationship quality, yet significant portions of variance attributable to person- and day-level processes. Variance proportions also changed depending on the index of relationship functioning examined, and individual differences in attachment security moderated these results. Lastly, daily reports of relationship satisfaction are relatively stable when submitted to models using persons as the object of measurement. These findings have implications for planning and interpreting future diary and ecological momentary assessment/experience sampling method studies.