Surveys an adult female sample of childhood sexual abuse survivors to determine if hardiness was effective in moderating the negative effects of perceived trauma and severity of the sexual abuse and internalized shame on relationship intimacy. Results indicate that perception and severity of abuse, and shame were significantly and negatively…

Reviews research concerning prevalence, varieties, contributing factors, and harmful consequences of sexual intimacies (occurring either prior to or subsequent to termination of treatment) between mental health professionals and clients. Notes that the sequelae of therapist-client sex may form a distinct syndrome and identifies 10 aspects of…

Examined relationship of discrepancy between couple's actual level of intimacy and desired level of intimacy and marital adjustment using data from 185 randomly selected couples. Results revealed that discrepancy between actual and desired intimacy of husbands and wives was highly predictive of marital adjustment. Couples with low intimacy scores…

Sees counseling interventions with gay men as most useful when mental health counselors are comfortable with their own sexual orientation and when they have conceptual maps to guide them in understanding issues unique to gay men. Assists counselors working with gay men in developmental exploration of identity and intimacy tasks. Provides…

Examined the extent to which young Iranian women (n=77) in Los Angeles have kept traditional values and/or identify with liberal values of United States. Results indicated the more acculturated the woman was the more liberal were her attitudes toward sex roles and intimate relationships. (ABL)

Explores possible relationships between adult attachment and violence among intimates. Describes insecure attachment patterns (Avoidant and Anxious/ambivalent), relating each to specific manifestations of courtship violence in dyadic interaction. Sees concepts contributing to understanding of courtship violence as exaggerated form of behavior…

Presents intimacy genogram, method for charting patterns of intimate behavior multigenerationally by questioning clients about their definitions of intimacy and how that intimacy is and was experienced and expressed historically in the family. Explains procedures for developing intimacy genogram and presents case example to illustrate its use. (NB)

Used longitudinal data from National Survey of Children to examine parent-child relationships in middle childhood and early adolescence. Found fathers much more involved with sons and tending to concentrate on more instrumental facets of support, whereas mothers tended to be more supportive across genders in traditional, affective sense.…

Examines gender and three aspects of couples' (N=50) marital intimacy using a method establishing both objective and subjective indices of intimacy. Results suggest that high intimacy is based on both understanding and similarity of intimate experience. Women reported higher levels of intimacy and were also better than men in predicting their…

Compares 32 nonfamilial child molesters with 32 comparable nonoffenders on measures of empathy, intimacy, loneliness, and self-esteem. Results indicate that the child molesters were deficient in empathy, intimacy, and self-esteem. Among the offenders, the correlations between scores on most of the measures had higher values than among the…

Examines associations between relationship duration, qualities, and sexual behaviors in adolescent couples (N=61). Frequency of sexual behavior and perception of global relationship predicted relationship length. Positive relationship qualities were associated with relationship longevity for male partners only. Discusses findings in light of gaps…

Friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) are defined as relationships between cross-sex friends in which the friends engage in sexual activity but do not define their relationship as romantic. Relationship scholars have only recently begun to examine these relationships, despite their mention in the popular media (e.g., HBO's 'Sex in the City,'…

The authors examined the relationship between sibling structure variables (i.e., gender, number of sisters, number of brothers, sibling spacing, number of siblings, and birth order, all men, and all women siblings) and current relationships with parents and spouse/partners. Participants included 519 adults between the ages of 19 and 59 years. Two…

This article examines the widespread resistance to condom use in sub-Saharan Africa by describing the major semiotic axes that organize how people talk about condoms and condom use. These axes include the "sweetness" of sex, trust and love between sexual partners, and assessments of risk and danger. Using data from rural Malawi, we show…

Dr. Pete Anderson, a clinician and professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, entered the life of Anna and her family two years ago. Anna was referred to him because of his clinical research and expertise in pediatric oncology and multimodality therapies. Anna had been diagnosed with metastatic Ewing's Sarcoma, a form of bone…