Women In Romantic Relationships Research Articles

Differences in Minority Stress Experiences, Mental Health, and Relationship Quality Outcomes Among Bisexual, Pansexual, and Queer Women.

The majority of sexual minority women in the United States today identify as bi+. Recent research suggests that "non-traditional" bi+ labels such as pansexual and queer are being adopted more frequently than ever before, making it increasingly important to evaluate whether these women have unique needs. In the current study, we explored differences in minority stress experiences, mental health, and relationship quality outcomes by sexual identity label among women who identify with the most common bi+ labels: bisexual, pansexual, and queer. Participants were 285 bi+ cisgender women in romantic relationships. They completed online measures of minority stress (antibisexual experiences, identity concealment, disconnection from the sexual and gender minority (SGM) community, and internalized stigma), mental health (depression and anxiety), and relationship quality (satisfaction and commitment). Overall, participants reported similar experiences of minority stress and few differences in their mental health outcomes. However, there were differences in antibisexual experiences by sexual identity label, such that pansexual women reported more frequent antibisexual experiences than bisexual and queer women. There were also differences in relationship quality by sexual identity label, such that bisexual women reported higher satisfaction than pansexual women and higher commitment than both pansexual and queer women. Findings suggest that pansexual and queer women may be facing their own unique challenges, even compared to bisexual women. Clinical prevention and intervention efforts can be tailored for these women to include strategies to cope with more frequent exposure to antibisexual experiences, as well as relationship education and skill-building to promote healthy romantic relationships.

Relationship of Objectified Short-Form Videos Exposure to Satisfaction and Objectification in Relationships Among Chinese Women: A Pilot Study

Studies have indicated the impact of exposure to objectifying media on objectification and relationship satisfaction from a romantic context. This study examined the association between viewing objectified short-form videos and self-and partner-objectification (i.e., objectifying one’s partner), as well as relationship satisfaction among Chinese women. The study participants comprised 241 Chinese women in romantic relationships who were recruited online. Participants completed measures of viewing objectified male and female videos, self-objectification (SO), partner-objectification (PO), and relationship satisfaction. The results showed a significant association between exposure to objectified female videos and SO, but not with relationship satisfaction. Exposure to objectified male videos was associated significantly with PO. The indirect effect of objectified male videos exposure on relationship satisfaction via PO was significant. This implies that PO plays an important role in relationship satisfaction as opposed to SO.

Emotional worlds colliding: A qualitative exploration of the emotional experiences of transgender and cisgender women in romantic relationships during transition.

Relationships in which one partner is transgender are often more complex compared to other LGBQ+couples, due to the ways in which gender transition prompts changes for each partner and their relationship. Despite the impact of transition on both partners, the relationships of transgender people have been underresearched. This study was guided by symbolic interactionism to explore how transgender and cisgender women in romantic relationships experienced their relationship during their transition process. Constructivist grounded theory was used to analyze interviews with 20 transgender and cisgender participants using group-level analysis. Both groups described their journeys in terms of emotional tensions that ebbed and flowed across time. Participants reflected on how they experienced tensions internally and within their relationships as they worked through change and created meaning from their experiences. Recommendations for research and clinical work are provided, in light of these findings.

A Meta-Ethnography on the Impact of Cancer for Lesbian and Queer Women and Their Partners.

Lesbian and queer women face unique experiences navigating cancer care, including challenges in accessing services that incorporate their relational supports. Given the importance of social support for survivorship, this study examines the impact of cancer on lesbian/queer women in romantic relationships. We conducted the seven stages of Noblit and Hare's meta-ethnography. PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, and Social Sciences Abstract databases were searched. Two hundred and ninety citations were initially identified, 179 abstracts were reviewed, and 20 articles were coded. Themes were (a) intersectionality of lesbian/queer identity in the cancer context; (b) institutional and systemic supports and barriers; (c) navigation of disclosure; (d) characteristics of affirmative cancer care; (e) survivors' critical reliance on their partner(s); and (f) shifts in connection after cancer. Findings indicate the importance of accounting for intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, and socio-cultural-political factors for understanding the impact of cancer for lesbian and queer women and their romantic partners. Affirmative cancer care for sexual minorities fully validates and integrates partners in care, removes heteronormative assumptions in services provided, and offers LGB+ patient and partner support services.

“Not for the Weak”: The Lived Experience of Women in Romantic Relationships With Incarcerated Individuals

The impacts of incarceration extend to the entire family system. The relational impact of incarceration is compounded by the increasing stressors romantic partners experience during incarceration. Romantic relationships are multifaceted and necessitate honoring the voices at the center of experience that are often silenced. Individuals in a romantic relationship with an incarcerated individual were interviewed to understand their lived experience using a phenomenological approach. Five themes (stigma, mental health services, suggestions, impact of incarceration, and limitations) emerged from the eight interviews. Implications are discussed to advocate for this population through research and clinical work.

The Impact of Physical Health, Race, and Financial Status on Relational Satisfaction

Relationship satisfaction is a subjective and global evaluation of a romantic relationship based on a sense of happiness, contentment, and fulfillment felt by a partner. Prior research demonstrates that relationship satisfaction can help mediate difficult life situations and stress and may contribute to a partner’s well-being and health. However, the literature examining partner-specific sources of relational satisfaction are lacking. Through a medical family therapy lens, this study examined women’s reported physical health’s impact on relational satisfaction. A total of 555 women in romantic relationships completed a survey with questions from the Medical Outcomes Study 20-Item Short-Form Health Survey and the Relationship Assessment Scale. A hierarchical linear regression indicated that physical health, race, and financial status were significant predictors of relational satisfaction. Findings highlight the importance of physical health’s impacts on relational satisfaction and provide clinical implications and future directions on strengthening couples’ relational satisfaction.

Youth Relationships in the Era of COVID-19: A Mixed-Methods Study Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Kenya

BackgroundMeasures to mitigate COVID-19's impact may inhibit development of healthy youth relationships, affecting partnership quality and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. MethodsWe conducted a mixed-methods study to understand how COVID-19 affected girls' and young women's relationships in Kenya. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression examined factors associated with relationship quality dynamics and SRH outcomes among 756 partnered adolescents aged 15–24 years. Qualitative data from in-depth interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to explore youth perceptions of how intimate relationships changed during COVID-19. ResultsNearly three-quarters of youth described changes in relationship quality since COVID-19 began, with 24% reporting worsening. Reduced time with partners was the strongest predictor of changed relationship quality. Youth experiencing complete or partial COVID-19-related household income loss had heightened risk of deteriorating partnerships (relative risk ratio = 2.43 and 2.02; p < .05); those whose relationships worsened were more likely to experience recent intimate partner violence, relative to no relationship change (20.8% vs. 3.5%; p < .001). Qualitative analysis revealed how COVID-19 mitigation measures hindered intimate relationships, school closures accelerated marriage timelines, and economic hardships strained relationships, while increasing early pregnancy risk and girls' financial dependency on their partners. ConclusionsCOVID-19 disrupted adolescent girls' and young women's romantic relationships, depriving some of partner emotional support and exposing others to sexual violence, early pregnancy, and economically motivated transactional relationships. Increased social support systems, including access to psychosocial services, are needed in low-income communities in Kilifi, Kisumu, and Nairobi, in particular the informal settlement areas, to mitigate COVID-19's consequences on girls' SRH.

Toward a Gender-Sensitive Approach of Psychiatric Rehabilitation in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Systematic Review of Women Needs in the Domains of Romantic Relationships and Reproductive Health.

Later age of diagnosis, better expressive behaviors, increased use of camouflage strategies but also increased psychiatric symptoms, more unmet needs, and a general lower quality of life are characteristics often associated with female gender in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Psychiatric rehabilitation has shown small to moderate effectiveness in improving patients' outcomes in ASD. Few gender differences have been found in the response to psychiatric rehabilitation. This might be related to the predominance of males in research samples, but also to the lack of programs directly addressing women's unmet needs. The objectives of the present paper were: (i) to review the needs for care of autistic women in romantic relationships and reproductive health; (ii) to review the existing psychosocial treatments in these domains; and (iii) to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the current body of evidence to guide future research. A systematic electronic database search (PubMed and PsycINFO), following PRISMA guidelines, was conducted on autistic women's needs for care relating to psychiatric rehabilitation in romantic relationships and reproductive health. Out of 27 articles, 22 reported on romantic relationships and 16 used a quantitative design. Most studies were cross-sectional (n = 21) and conducted in North America or Europe. Eight studies reported on interventions addressing romantic relationships; no published study reported on interventions on reproductive health or parenting. Most interventions did not include gender-sensitive content (i.e., gender variance and gender-related social norms, roles, and expectations). Autistic women and autistic gender-diverse individuals may face unique challenges in the domains of romantic relationships and reproductive health (high levels of stigma, high risk of sexual abuse, increased psychiatric symptoms, and more unmet needs). We discussed the potential implications for improving women's access to psychiatric and psychosocial treatment, for designing gender-sensitive recovery-oriented interventions, and for future research.

A Brief Exploration of the Use of the e in the Spanish Language as a Means of Combating Sexism Regardless of the Opinions of the Academy

Kadare on the beach near the village of Qerret, Albania, in October 2020. Qerret lies on the Strait of Otranto along the Adriatic coast, about 175 kilometers from Brindisi, Italy. Turn to page 44 to read the cover feature about Kadare’s life and work. “With their departure, great writers like Aeschylus and Dante Alighieri seemed to have been looking for a way to return to that zone, that climate, and that chaos in which literature was born.”—Ismail Kadare Features WORLDLIT.ORG 11 PHOTO BY ALDO BONATA What is the difference between an o and an e in Spanish? For 51.06 percent of Argentina’s population, everything. LINGUISTIC R/EVOLUTIONS A Brief Exploration of the Use of the e in the Spanish Language as a Means of Combating Sexism Regardless of the Opinions of the Academy by Ana Ojeda PHOTO BY TIM MOSSHOLDER / UNSPLASH e 12 WLT WINTER 2021 I remember my father enthusiastically sharing his love for the film Deprisa, deprisa, by the Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura. At the end, the song “Me quedo contigo,” an extraordinarily catchy tune with the chorus “si me das a elegir / me quedo contigo” (if you give me the choice / I choose you), plays over the credits. As I write these words to consider the use of the e in Spanish nouns as a means of doing away with the stereotypes and pressures that turn women into our worst possible selves— powerless, docile—I’m paying attention to the lyrics for the first time. Although, in a typically #patriarchal twist, the subject of the song is male, the choice described (the mere fact of having to choose) is essentially the one faced by women in romantic relationships ; the compromises they have to make if they are to fit within the traditional frameworks. In fact, women have to choose between work and family, because they can’t have both. Smart but tacky like most tango lyrics, “Me quedo contigo” portrays a tortured male desperate to win the love of a woman. But the reality of the cliché is the opposite and far more grim: in 2019, 280 femicides were recorded in Argentina, almost one a day—women murdered by their male partners or (in the majority of cases) ex-partners. Although it might not seem like it, these issues are related to representation and perspective . Who is represented, who is visible in the public eye and the collective consciousness . And how. And when. Women who are murdered or raped only seem to be seen once they are either already dead or violated. Before that, even when these crimes are reported, the state’s response is inadequate, often going no further than a restraining order or a panic button. The powers that be don’t see the urgency of the request for protection. What they see is exaggeration, pettiness, wanting attention, to make a scene, nagging, or madness. Inclusive (or antisexist) language and use of the e are very relevant to this. They make visible all those subjectivities that identify as being nonmale within language itself. This is just one of the ways women’s collectives are waging the battle to protect themselves, to live their lives free of violence , because language is a deeply political tool. To be visible linguistically is a means of changing how we are seen in real life. We are changing the status quo. Everyone knows that History is written by the victors (i.e., “men”). We live in hetero-patriarchal societies, communities governed by rules that allocate privileges (comparative opportunities) to those born with a dick between their legs. Across the social classes, that dangling organ smooths one’s path, tamping down the difficulties one faces in life. This in itself is already a feminist concept: recognizing there are collectives that have been marginalized, deprived of the rights and opportunities available to others. As is the concept of intersectionality : different aspects of social and political identities (gender, sex, race, class, religion, etc.) combining to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege. Women are the foremost marginalized majority in the world. In Argentina, according to data from the World Bank, women make up 51.06 percent of the...

OFFERING SHIFTS TO CASUAL LANGUAGE (‘BAN-MAL’) IN THE KOREAN TV SHOW WE GOT MARRIED

: This research focuses on the topic of Korean speech style shifts from polite to casual between men and women in romantic relationships. This study used data from the Korean reality TV show We Got Married, which was broadcast in Korea for 9 years. After reviewing the system of Korean speech styles and manners of shifts, the study explores who is the first one to offer a shift, what they say, and how an offer is given. According to the analysis, older people were more likely to offer shifts first in the case of romantic relationships. In the TV show, older women tended to offer first a little more through indirect means, while older men offered rather directly. As for expressions used in the offers, the phrase ‘drop the honorifics’ and ‘talk comfortably’ were the most frequently used. They might offer in either polite or casual language, with sudden shifts. However, it was more common for speakers to offer shifts while talking in polite language. During conversations, two types of offers were observed: symmetrical shifts and asymmetrical shifts. In the first type, one speaker suggests shifts from both sides. The second type has more variations: one speaker requests the other’s permission to use casual language, allows the other to use casual language, or shows the speaker’s decision to use casual language. In the samples, symmetrical shifts occurred more often.

Childhood Abuse and Positive and Negative Relationship Quality in Women: The Role of Depression

Abstract The interpersonal nature of childhood abuse has led researchers to examine how abuse in childhood is associated with the quality of adult women's romantic relationships. Depression is one pathway by which childhood abuse may be associated with relationship quality. The current study considers whether childhood abuse is linked to positive and negative relationship quality through depressive symptoms. Data were obtained from women participating in the Longitudinal Study of Childhood Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN; N = 544) and were analysed using structural equation modelling. Results indicate a significant indirect effect from childhood abuse to both positive and negative quality through women's depressive symptoms. The indirect effect from abuse to negative relationship quality through depression was significantly larger than positive relationship quality. These results suggest that childhood abuse and subsequent depressive symptoms has a twofold effect on women's romantic relationships.

Forgiveness moderates relations between psychological abuse and indicators of psychological distress among women in romantic relationships

Forgiveness frequently occurs in a relational context and is a key ingredient for restoring and maintaining intimate relationships. Yet, certain interpersonal dynamics that sometimes motivate forgiveness (e.g. abuse) have the potential to adversely affect well-being, especially when ongoing exploitation occurs. In this study, we examined the role of forgiveness in moderating relations between psychological abuse and indicators of psychological distress in a sample of community-based South African women currently in a heterosexual romantic relationship. Participants (n=515) completed measures of decisional and emotional forgiveness of their partner, psychological abuse committed by their current partner during the course of the relationship, and depression, anxiety, and stress. Latent profile analysis identified two subgroups characterised by differing levels of forgiveness: partial forgiveness (high decisional forgiveness and moderate emotional forgiveness) and complete forgiveness (high decisional and emotional forgiveness). Regression analyses revealed that the relations of psychological abuse with depression and stress, but not anxiety, were moderated by ‘forgiveness of partner’. The complete forgiveness group scored lower on depression and stress when psychological abuse was lower, but higher on each outcome when psychological abuse was higher. The findings suggest that there may be conditions in which forgiveness of partner may promote or undermine the mental health of women who experience abuse perpetrated by their current partner.&#x0D; Significance:&#x0D; &#x0D; Whereas women in continuing romantic relationships generally sought neither to avoid or seek revenge on their partners (i.e. decisional forgiveness), distinct subgroups were characterised by more or less reduction of negative emotions (i.e. emotional forgiveness).&#x0D; Within the context of continuing romantic relationships, the mental health benefits that ordinarily accompany more thorough processing of unforgiveness may be eroded when victims are exposed to severe levels of potentially ongoing psychological abuse.&#x0D;

Experiences with Benevolent Sexism: Scale Development and Associations with Women’s Well-Being

Ambivalent sexism theory (Glick and Fiske 1996, 1997) suggests that sexism takes two forms: an overt hostility as well as a subtle benevolence. We examined benevolent sexist behaviors and developed a 25-item Experiences with Benevolent Sexism Scale. Exploratory factor analysis (Study 1, U.S. college sample of 489 women) and confirmatory factor analysis (Study 2, online sample of 216 women) revealed three subscales of benevolently sexist experiences: Heterosexual Intimacy, Protective Paternalism, and Complementary Gender Differences. Women reported experiencing benevolently sexist events more frequently than overtly hostile sexist events; however, they perceived the hostile events to be more distressing and sexist (Studies 1 and 2). Experiencing Protective Paternalism was positively associated with self-doubt and negatively associated with self-esteem (Studies 1 and 2), and psychological well-being (Study 2). However, experiencing Complementary Gender Differentiation was negatively associated with self-doubt and positively associated with self-esteem (Studies 1 and 2), psychological well-being, flourishing, and submission to authority (Study 2). Finally, women in romantic relationships reported more benevolently sexist experiences than did those not in romantic relationships and the frequency of those experiences was positively associated with perceptions of the partner’s benevolently sexist attitudes (Study 2). The results highlight that women frequently experience sexism, ranging from overtly hostile to a subtle benevolence, and the different types of benevolent sexism each have unique associations with women’s well-being.

A high-powered replication study finds no effect of starting or stopping hormonal contraceptive use on relationship quality

Abstract A number of recent studies have implicated that incongruent use of hormonal contraceptives (HCs) negatively affects various aspects of women's romantic relationships. It has been suggested that women with incongruent HC use (a discrepancy in HC use status between when they first met their current partner and the time of study participation) report less sexual satisfaction and higher jealousy scores compared to women with congruent HC use. A similar effect has also been hypothesized for general relationship satisfaction, and recent findings suggest that the association between HC incongruency and women's general relationship satisfaction is moderated by third-party ratings of facial attractiveness of the women's male partners. Using a large convenience sample ( N =948) of Finnish women, we attempted to replicate previously reported findings but found no support for the HC congruency hypothesis, despite excellent statistical power (≥98.7%) to detect previously reported effect sizes. Instead, after dividing our sample into four groups based on HC congruency/incongruency, we found that the largest differences in jealousy, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction scores tended to be found between women who were consistent HC users and consistent non-users (i.e., between women with different kinds of congruent HC use). We also detected a significant main effect of current HC use on jealousy. We conclude that HC congruency effects reported in previous studies may have spuriously arisen from unequal distributions of current HC users within congruent and incongruent HC user groups.

Romantic relationships, college student alcohol use, and negative consequences of drinking

This study examined whether being in a romantic relationship is associated with undergraduates’ alcohol use and negative consequences of drinking. Alcohol use was operationalized to include amount and frequency of drinking, binge drinking, and drunkenness. Negative consequences included: having a hangover, missing a class, getting behind in school work, doing something that was later regretted, forgetting where the student was or what they did, having unplanned sex, and getting hurt or injured. Data came from an online survey distributed to Midwestern undergraduate students (N=572), with analyses conducted separately for men and women. Results indicated that being in a committed relationship generally served as a protective factor against drunkenness, but did not reduce frequency of drinking or binge drinking. Whereas romantically committed men were only less likely to report doing something that was later regretted, women in romantic relationships were less likely to experience all negative consequences of drinking considered here.

Objectification, relationship satisfaction, and self-consciousness during physical intimacy in bisexual women

ABSTRACTScant research has investigated the romantic and sexual relationships of bisexual women and factors that may contribute to relationship quality. This study investigated the mediating roles of body dissatisfaction and relationship satisfaction on the relations between objectified body consciousness and self-consciousness during physical intimacy with a partner in a sample of 217 bisexual women (87% White, 77% had men as primary partners, social class ranged from very low income to upper class). Women in romantic relationships with men reported less relationship satisfaction than women in romantic relationships with women. Consistent with the hypothesized structural model, both body dissatisfaction and relationship satisfaction mediated the relations of objectified body consciousness with self-consciousness during physical intimacy. As objectified body consciousness increased, body dissatisfaction increased; this, in turn, was associated with greater self-consciousness during physical intimacy. In addition, as objectified body consciousness increased, relationship satisfaction decreased, predicting greater self-consciousness during physical intimacy. Implications of these findings for sex and relationship therapists are presented, as are directions for future research.

Dark triad traits and romantic relationship attachment, accommodation, and control

The current studies investigated the influence of Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) on women's romantic relationships. For Study 1, women (N=122) completed the Mach IV, Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, NPI-16, and Experiences in Close Relationships Revised Questionnaire. High secondary psychopathy and low narcissism predicted higher levels of attachment anxiety. High Machiavellianism, primary psychopathy, and secondary psychopathy each predicted higher attachment avoidance. For Study 2, women (N=265) completed Dark Triad trait measures and the Accommodation Scale. Machiavellianism predicted lower active or passive constructive responses to a partner's destructive (or potentially destructive) behavior and lower active destructive responses. Primary psychopathy predicted greater active and passive destructive behavior whereas secondary psychopathy predicted lower active constructive responses. For Study 3, women (N=240) completed Dark Triad trait measures and the Interpersonal Violence Control Scale. Secondary psychopathy was associated with increased levels of each form of control (control through surveillance and threats, control over everyday routines and decision making, and control over autonomous behavior). Machiavellianism and primary psychopathy also predicted increased control over autonomous behavior.

Insecure attachments: Attachment, emotional regulation, sexting and condomless sex among women in relationships

Associations have been found among sexting, attachment insecurity, emotional dysregulation, and sexual and risky sexual behavior in young adults. In a sample of 92 young adult women in romantic relationships, this study aimed to examine whether emotional regulation might constitute an indirect pathway linking attachment and sexting, and the potential implications for engaging in condomless sex. Findings revealed that in young adult women in romantic relationships, attachment anxiety was associated with sexting through difficulty controlling impulses during moments of emotional distress. Also, sexting directly predicted condomless sex. Attachment avoidance and anxiety were both associated with sexting in the bivariate correlations. Findings highlight the role of digital technology in understanding how people's negotiation of needs for attachment and emotional regulation might lead to risky sexual behavior. Interventions targeting the interplay of attachment, emotional regulation and technology use may positively impact relational and behavioral health outcomes.

The Role of Relationship Length in Sexual Risk During Repeated Sexually Coercive Experiences in Adolescent Women's Romantic Relationships

The Role of Relationship Length in Sexual Risk During Repeated Sexually Coercive Experiences in Adolescent Women's Romantic Relationships

Women selectively guard their (desirable) mates from ovulating women.

For women, forming close, cooperative relationships with other women at once poses important opportunities and possible threats-including to mate retention. To maximize the benefits and minimize the costs of same-sex social relationships, we propose that women's mate guarding is functionally flexible and that women are sensitive to both interpersonal and contextual cues indicating whether other women might be likely and effective mate poachers. Here, we assess one such cue: other women's fertility. Because ovulating (i.e., high-fertility) women are both more attractive to men and also more attracted to (desirable) men, ovulating women may be perceived to pose heightened threats to other women's romantic relationships. Across 4 experiments, partnered women were exposed to photographs of other women taken during either their ovulatory or nonovulatory menstrual-cycle phases, and consistently reported intentions to socially avoid ovulating (but not nonovulating) women-but only when their own partners were highly desirable. Exposure to ovulating women also increased women's sexual desires for their (highly desirable) partners. These findings suggest that women can be sensitive to subtle cues of other women's fertility and respond (e.g., via social exclusion, enhanced sexual attention to own mate) in ways that may facilitate their mate retention goals while not thwarting their affiliative goals.