Although psychologists, sociologists, family scientists and communication experts are making important contributions to the study of personal relationships, discussion of the gender differences that often create barriers to intimacy, and how these differences are reflected in the communication process, is notably absent from much of this work.…

Asserts that heterosexual sexual involvement in the contemporary college population is often sporadic, episodic, without commitment, and accompanied by deliberate effort of both partners to suppress tender, romantic feelings and intimacy. Suggests the sources of this situation lie in changes in the ethos, the ascent of women, advances in…

Examined the process of marital disaffection to determine whether there is a pattern of sequential stages. Developed three-phase model of disaffection from the results of in-depth interviews with 49 highly disaffected spouses. Results suggest that marital therapy must involve different goals and interventions during each phase of disaffection to…

Investigated factors associated with relationship quality of 49 first-time pregnant women and their mothers using data from a two-wave mail survey. Compared correlations of intimacy and perceptions of equity with correlations of intimacy and actual help patterns. Findings indicated that perception of equity is more associated with relationship…

Describes assessment technique used by interdisciplinary staff on coed Alzheimer's disease unit to help determine patients' competencies to participate in intimate relationships. Two case studies are presented to highlight how assessment led to treatment decisions. (Author/NB)

Examines the effectiveness of indirect requests in attaining assistance from intimate and nonintimate others. Finds that directness of requests increases request force and interacts with relational intimacy to influence verbal compliance. Finds that directness is more effective at eliciting verbal compliance at higher levels of intimacy. (KEH)

Avoidance strategy use, techniques used to deal with unwelcome requests from others, has been found to vary along compliance and bilateral dimensions in intimate relationships. Examined avoidance strategy use among undergraduates from United States (U.S.) and Mexico. Found U.S. women used more nonverbal disapproval and voicing objections than did…

Examined potential effect of self-disclosure in intervention program for male college seniors (N=60) with deficient job-interviewing skills. Four different counselors treating participants on individual basis provided predetermined, genuine self-disclosures reflecting qualities of intimacy and/or skill display. Results did not support supposition…

A number of writers have argued that Erikson's stages of identity and intimacy do not address the experience of women accurately. This article contends that such claims come out of a serious misreading of Erikson's work, and shows that the stages as they stand are not incompatible with the idea that there are relational components of identity…

Administered Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Inventory to 207 adolescents to assess perceived expressions and desires in 3 categories of interpersonal relationships: inclusion (companionship), control (leadership), and affection (intimacy). Found differences in expression of all categories; desire for inclusion and affection. Males ranked…

The microstructures of interpersonal networks in China and the United States contain many consistent patterns, despite the countries' great differences. In-group choices and network diversity are analyzed with regard to age, sex, educational attainment, occupation, socioeconomic status, and proportion of kin in the network. Contains 21 references…

Evaluated effectiveness of marital therapy designed to enhance intimacy through self-disclosure of personal constructs. Couples in therapy (n=22) and controls (n=19) showed significant reduction in symptoms of nonpsychotic emotional illness. Couples in therapy subjectively reported improvement. Found significant pattern of improvement for wives in…

Examined the hypotheses that intimacy of friendship is more integral to socioemotional adjustment during adolescence than during preadolescence, and that competence in close relationship skills is more important during adolescence than preadolescence. Findings suggest the importance of the ability to establish close friendships increases during…

Analysis showed that fathers' payment of child support was positively associated with measures of children's well-being. The frequency of contact with nonresident fathers was not related to child outcomes in general. Reports that feelings of closeness and authoritative parenting were positively associated with children's academic success and…

Investigates whether sports involvement is related to social and psychological well being in American adolescents as it has found to be in Icelandic adolescents. High school students (N=89) provided data concerning sports involvement, depression, intimacy with parents and friends, and grade point average. Results show that moderate sports…