Counselors may be unaware of the physiological underpinnings of couple relationships. Understandi... more Counselors may be unaware of the physiological underpinnings of couple relationships. Understanding emotions as physiological responses resulting from autonomic arousal, we measured couples’ heart rate across a series of typical conversations. Forty-nine heterosexual and one lesbian couple completed measures of emotional reactivity and dyadic adjustment. We used pulse oximetry to record individual heart rate through three 5-min conversations. Using multilevel dyadic growth models, we found emotional arousal and reactivity-predicted heart rate among women, and greater relationship length predicted heart rate among men. We additionally found couples synchronous with respect to relationship satisfaction and emotional reactivity but not to physiological responsivity. This study contributes to counselors’ understanding of women’s physiological reactivity, male responses in longer relationships, and how to support couples when there is potential for relationship conflict.
Child sexual abuse has the potential to cause distress for the victim across the lifespan. Romant... more Child sexual abuse has the potential to cause distress for the victim across the lifespan. Romantic relationships may be particularly difficult for victims of child sexual abuse. This retrospective study examined differences in adult romantic attachment, sexually compulsive behaviors, and emotion regulation by history of child sexual abuse in a large, nonclinical sample. Those with a history of child sexual abuse reported more attachment anxiety in romantic relationships and engaged in more sexually compulsive behaviors. Overall, males displayed more sexually compulsive behaviors than females regardless of history of sexual abuse. Males with a history of sexual abuse displayed the greatest number of sexually compulsive behaviors. Surprisingly, no differences were observed in emotion regulation or attachment avoidant behaviors by history of child sexual abuse. Future research should seek to replicate current findings and examine emotion regulation difficulties experienced as a result...
Sexual-minority couples often form intimate relationships within a culture that proscribes, or is... more Sexual-minority couples often form intimate relationships within a culture that proscribes, or is silent about, their romantic behaviors. Consequently, these couples often emerge in the course of a...
This cross-sectional research investigation examined how relationship satisfaction varies as indi... more This cross-sectional research investigation examined how relationship satisfaction varies as individuals in romantic partnerships become parents, as subsequent children join the family, and as children age. Results indicated individuals in romantic partnerships without children report greater, overall, levels of relationship satisfaction, more affectional expression than those with two children, and greater couple cohesion compared to those with three children. Of all the individuals in romantic partnerships with children, those who have a child between the ages of 8 and 12 report the greatest amount of relationship satisfaction. Research findings may guide counselors when counseling new parents providing information concerning what relationship changes to expect when they become parents and also to provide hope that as children age the couple may face less relationship stress.
Counselors may be unaware of the physiological underpinnings of couple relationships. Understandi... more Counselors may be unaware of the physiological underpinnings of couple relationships. Understanding emotions as physiological responses resulting from autonomic arousal, we measured couples’ heart rate across a series of typical conversations. Forty-nine heterosexual and one lesbian couple completed measures of emotional reactivity and dyadic adjustment. We used pulse oximetry to record individual heart rate through three 5-min conversations. Using multilevel dyadic growth models, we found emotional arousal and reactivity-predicted heart rate among women, and greater relationship length predicted heart rate among men. We additionally found couples synchronous with respect to relationship satisfaction and emotional reactivity but not to physiological responsivity. This study contributes to counselors’ understanding of women’s physiological reactivity, male responses in longer relationships, and how to support couples when there is potential for relationship conflict.
Child sexual abuse has the potential to cause distress for the victim across the lifespan. Romant... more Child sexual abuse has the potential to cause distress for the victim across the lifespan. Romantic relationships may be particularly difficult for victims of child sexual abuse. This retrospective study examined differences in adult romantic attachment, sexually compulsive behaviors, and emotion regulation by history of child sexual abuse in a large, nonclinical sample. Those with a history of child sexual abuse reported more attachment anxiety in romantic relationships and engaged in more sexually compulsive behaviors. Overall, males displayed more sexually compulsive behaviors than females regardless of history of sexual abuse. Males with a history of sexual abuse displayed the greatest number of sexually compulsive behaviors. Surprisingly, no differences were observed in emotion regulation or attachment avoidant behaviors by history of child sexual abuse. Future research should seek to replicate current findings and examine emotion regulation difficulties experienced as a result...
Sexual-minority couples often form intimate relationships within a culture that proscribes, or is... more Sexual-minority couples often form intimate relationships within a culture that proscribes, or is silent about, their romantic behaviors. Consequently, these couples often emerge in the course of a...
This cross-sectional research investigation examined how relationship satisfaction varies as indi... more This cross-sectional research investigation examined how relationship satisfaction varies as individuals in romantic partnerships become parents, as subsequent children join the family, and as children age. Results indicated individuals in romantic partnerships without children report greater, overall, levels of relationship satisfaction, more affectional expression than those with two children, and greater couple cohesion compared to those with three children. Of all the individuals in romantic partnerships with children, those who have a child between the ages of 8 and 12 report the greatest amount of relationship satisfaction. Research findings may guide counselors when counseling new parents providing information concerning what relationship changes to expect when they become parents and also to provide hope that as children age the couple may face less relationship stress.
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