Objective: To understand changes in romantic and sexual behavior among college and graduate students in North Carolina during COVID-19. Participants: Participants were between 18-30 years old and enrolled in a two- or four-year college or graduate program in North Carolina (n = 926). Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was administered to…

This study investigated the role of anger expression and control in the relationships between mindfulness and romantic relationship quality. 237 emerging adults (167 females and 70 males) who had been in a relationship for at least three weeks (range = 3 weeks - 84 months) completed a set of questionnaires that assessed mindfulness, anger…

The impact of romantic relationships in adulthood, specifically marriage, has received consistent attention in existing scholarship. However, the impact of romantic relationships during adolescence has received much less attention. As such, the current study uses two waves of data from the Pathways to Desistance study to examine how elements of…

Feeling loved by one's caregiver is essential for individual flourishing (i.e., high levels of psychological well-being in multiple dimensions). Although similar constructs are found to benefit adolescent well-being, research that directly tests parental love as a feeling from the recipient's perspective is rare. Historically, parental love has…

Objective: College students are among the age-group most affected by sexually transmitted infections, yet few evidence-based interventions have proved effective in increasing college student condom use. The goal of this study was to determine which combination of referent proximity and width of discrepancy between perceived and actual norms within…

This study involved the development of the Stages of Change in Relationship Status (SOCRS) measure in 2 samples of college students. This scale is designed to measure how individuals progress through stages of change when terminating violent and nonviolent intimate relationships. Results indicated that the SOCRS is a reliable and valid tool to…

For this study we examined the association between relationship satisfaction and readiness-to-change alcohol use, as well as the associations between hazardous drinking and readiness-to-change relationship issues in college dating relationships. A sample of 219 college students in a current dating relationship (aged 18-25) completed self-report…

The purpose of this study was to develop a brief Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) protocol that will facilitate reliable implementation of FAP interventions, thus supporting research on FAP process and outcome. The treatment was a four-session individual therapy for clients who were interested in improving their relationship with their…

Marital processes in early marriage are important for understanding couples' future marital quality. Spouses' attributions about a partner's behavior have been linked to marital quality, yet the mechanisms underlying this association remain largely unknown. When we used couple data from the Family Transitions Project (N = 280 couples) across the…

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP; Kohlenberg & Tsai, 1991) aims to improve interpersonal relationships through skills intended to increase closeness and connection. The current trial assessed a brief mindfulness-based intervention informed by FAP, in which an interpersonal element was added to a traditional intrapersonal mindfulness…

Objective: The author examined whether the type of intimacy (ie, emotional, intellectual, sexual, social, recreational) featured in college students' romantic relationships affects the extent to which a partner's health-related behavior may be influenced by a variety of behavior change appeals. Participants: One hundred and thirteen female and 94…

Research indicates peer socialization processes affect the development of problem behavior in childhood and adolescence; however moderating peer factors have not been readily examined. Friendship intimate exchange may be an important factor to consider, as literature suggests that intimate exchange becomes an increasingly important aspect of…

Adolescence is a time of dramatic changes including rapid physical growth, the onset of sexual maturation, the activation of new drives and motivations, and a wide array of social and affective changes and challenges. This review focuses on behavioral changes in this interval and is organized by the claim that a key set of these adolescent changes…

Background: The incidence of psychological, physical, and sexual violence in intimate dating relationships has a significant impact on young people. These issues are of great concern to researchers, educators, and administrators who strive to help youth be happy and healthy. This review focused on prevention and intervention efforts implemented in…

Agency among young women is often understood as fleeting in nature, and studies rarely offer insights into how agency could become a more sustained position. Using data from 54 young women discussing their sexual and intimate relationships, this paper suggests a new way of understanding agency beyond that found in work which stresses agentic…