Family solidarity runs strong in Appalachia, where young adults typically settle near their parents in kin-based rural neighborhoods. One child rearing practice that may contribute to this closeness is parent-child co-sleeping. Interviews with 107 mothers in eastern Kentucky focused on the sleeping location history of one child. Most subjects were…

Examined the influence of parent-adolescent intimacy on adolescent functioning. Found no significant differences between males and females on the measures of self-esteem, problem behavior or intimacy; however, mothers shared greater degrees of intimacy than did fathers for both male and female adolescents. Father intimacy was a greater predictor…

Investigations of physical assault have found that a substantial number of women have been victimized within the context of a dating relationship. The present study examined a wide range of interpersonal, attitudinal, personality, past history, and demographic variables for 308 college women in order to understand what factors differentiate women…

A strong majority of clinically distressed individuals are insecure with respect to attachment, and special vulnerabilities are appearing in disorganized-disoriented children. Relations to behavior genetics, family interaction patterns, psychophysiology, and treatment outcome studies are emerging or are anticipated. Discusses these and other…

Examined European-American 19-year-olds' self-defining memories about relationships with parents and/or peers. Found that parent memories emphasized separation more so than peer memories, which emphasized closeness. Parental separation was exemplified by parental divorce experiences, parent closeness by comforting a grieving parent, and peer…

Rebutts claims by Ben Spiecker and Jan Steutel that sex between individuals with mild or moderate mental retardation is morally permissable only with the substitutive consent of caregivers. Reviews historical, empirical, and practical considerations. Concludes that Spiecker and Steutel's arguments are deeply flawed and their proposed policy is…

Argues that Stephen Greenspan's comment is incoherent and that Mal Leichester and Pam Cooke's position has unacceptable practical consequences. Cautions that their positions have disquieting implications for the practice of treating mental retardation as an exempting condition; and the practice of giving them special welfare rights loses their…

Describes Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP), new measure designed to identify the types of interpersonal problems that people experience and the level of distress associated with them before, during, and after psychotherapy. Presents psychometric data from two studies which demonstrated high internal consistency of IIP, high test-retest…

In order to explore factors that influence gender differences in same-sex friendship behaviors, the present study examined how affiliation motive, as measured by thematic apperception to same-sex cues, and affiliation value, obtained from modified Edwards (1957) Personal Preference Scale, determine type of friendship situation and its particular…

One explanation for male sexual aggression implicates certain adverse consequences of male gender socialization. Two studies tested the hypothesis that sexually aggressive men would be more gender stereotyped and would manifest lower capacities for empathy and intimacy. Results were mostly supportive of the hypothesis. (JBJ)

Examined adolescents' perceived levels of intimacy as a function of demographic, family and school, and psychological variables. Students with same-sex friends and greater interest in school reported greater intimacy with mother. Students with higher self-esteem, lower depression, and lower risk-taking scores revealed greater intimacy with both…

Used community samples to determine the effects of childhood family support or dysfunction and the extent of parent drug-use problems on adult intimacy issues, such as sexual satisfaction. Results showed that parent drug-use predicted poor family support; family support correlated strongly with good adult intimate relations. (RJM)

Used specific paths in structural equation models to examine reciprocal effects between constructs of polydrug use and relationship quality for 307 young women and 117 young men over 4-year period. Found eight effects for women and six for men from specific measures of drug use that adversely affected aspects of relationship quality. (Author/NB)

Marriage attitudes were correlated with gender and premarital sexual activity. Females exhibited more favorable attitudes toward marriage than did males. Virgins perceived marriage more positively than did nonvirgins who had multiple sex partners. No significance found between interaction of gender and virginity status. (RJM)

For mysterious reasons only a small proportion of couples with relationship problems seek counseling. This qualitative study included 36 women and 16 men in structured small group discussions. Questions concerned attitudes to relationship counseling. Both groups expressed denial of the problems in the relationship, the seriousness of these…