Risk transmission between equity market of China and its trading partners: new evidence from various financial crises

PurposeThe authors examine the volatility connections between the equity markets of China and its trading partners from developed and emerging markets during the various crises episodes (i.e. the Asian Crisis of 1997, the Global Financial Crisis, the Chinese Market Crash of 2015 and the COVID-19 outbreak).Design/methodology/approachThe authors use the GARCH and Wavelet approaches to estimate causalities and connectedness.FindingsAccording to the findings, China and developed equity markets are connected via risk transmission in the long term across various crisis episodes. In contrast, China and emerging equity markets are linked in short and long terms. The authors observe that China leads the stock markets of India, Indonesia and Malaysia at higher frequencies. Even China influences the French, Japanese and American equity markets despite the Chinese crisis. Finally, these causality findings reveal a bi-directional causality among China and its developed trading partners over short- and long-time scales. The connectedness varies across crisis episodes and frequency (short and long run). The study's findings provide helpful information for portfolio hedging, especially during various crises.Originality/valueThe authors examine the volatility connections between the equity markets of China and its trading partners from developed and emerging markets during the various crisis episodes (i.e. the Asian Crisis of 1997, the Global Financial Crisis, the Chinese Market Crash of 2015 and the COVID-19 outbreak). Previously, none of the studies have examined the connectedness between Chinese and its trading partners' equity markets during these all crises.

EVALUATING THE ETHICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS OF MODELLING PANDEMIC CRISES: EXPERIENCES FROM A WORKSHOP

This paper describes a hybrid (virtual and online) workshop held as part of the EU STAMINA project that aimed to engage project partners to explore ethics and simulation modelling in the context of pandemic preparedness and response. The purpose of the workshop was to consider how the model's design and use in specific pandemic decision-making contexts could have broader implications for issues like transparency, explainability, representativeness, bias, trust, equality, and social injustices. Its outputs will be used as evidence to produce a series of measures that could help mitigate ethical harms and support the greater possible benefit from the use of the models. These include recommendations for policy, data-gathering, training, potential protocols to support end-user engagement, as well as guidelines for designing and using simulation models for pandemic decision-making. This paper presents the methodological approaches taken when designing the workshop, practical concerns raised, initial insights gained, and considers future steps. © SW 2023.All rights reserved

Understanding relationship satisfaction during covid-19: Assessing unstable work experiences and negative communication

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in economic concerns and disruptions in daily life for many families, which may amplify relational strains and create new tensions between romantic partners. Economic stressors may be particularly salient to later relationship quality in the context of more negative relationship functioning. This study investigated dyadic trajectories of relationship satisfaction in 116 different-sex couples over a 6-month period during the pandemic. We explored the impact of unstable work experiences on later relationship satisfaction, and if this effect was exacerbated by higher levels of negative communication. Men and women had different initial levels of relationship satisfaction, but indistinguishable rates of change in satisfaction. For men, reports of unstable work experiences early in the pandemic were positively associated with declines in relationship satisfaction, but this was not the case for women. The consequential impact of unstable work experiences did not differ based on levels of negative communication, nor was negative communication early in the pandemic related to either partner's change in satisfaction over time. We conclude by highlighting the importance of accounting for the context in which relationships develop. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Dangerous liaisons? Applying the social harm perspective to the social inequality, housing and health trifecta during the Covid-19 pandemic

Global rates of excess mortality attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic provide a fresh impetus to make sense of the associations between income inequality, housing inequality and the social gradient in health, suggesting new questions about the ways in which housing and health are treated in the framing and development of public policy. The first half of the paper uses a social harm lens to examine the threefold associations of the social inequality, housing and health trifecta and offers new insights for policy analysis which foregrounds the production, transmission, and experience of various types of harm which occur within the home. The main body of the paper then draws upon the outcomes of an international systematic literature mapping review of 213 Covid-19 research papers to demonstrate three specific harms associated with stay-at-home lockdowns: (i) intimate partner and domestic violence, (ii) poor mental health and (iii) health harming behaviours. The reported findings are interpreted using a social harm perspective and some implications for policy analysis are illustrated. The paper concludes with a reflection on the efficacy of social harm as a lens for policy analysis and suggests directions for further research in housing studies and zemiology.

Positive Relationships have Shades of Gray: Age is Associated with More Complex Perceptions of Relationship Quality During the COVID-19 Lockdown.

Drawing on socioemotional selectivity theory, we examined the effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on perceptions of romantic relationships quality among older, compared to younger, adults. During the first lockdown in Israel which involved strict restrictions on movement and association with others, 280 adults aged 25-81 reported positive and negative qualities of their romantic relationship. Of these, 105 participants completed the survey again once lockdown restrictions were lifted. Contrary to our hypotheses, no evidence for age differences in the effect of the lockdown on positive or negative perceptions of relationship quality was detected. In addition, the lockdown did not influence participants' positive and negative perceptions of their romantic partners. However, we did find that, whereas people of all ages represent positive and negative qualities of their romantic partners as separate constructs, the negative association between the two is weaker for older adults compared to younger adults during (but not after) the lockdown. This finding suggests that in stressful times, older adults are better able to avoid negative perceptions clouding positive perceptions and see positive aspects of relationships with romantic partners in the face of negative ones. Findings extend evidence for age associations with complex emotional experiences to emotional aspects of interpersonal relationships. Findings enrich the theoretical understanding of age-related advantages in emotional well-being and may inform potential interventions for improving emotional health and well-being during times of crisis. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10804-022-09431-6.

Mixed-status informal couples in a cascading crisis. Immobilisation, mobilisation, and normalisation?

In France, the COVID-19 pandemic was experienced as a cascading crisis, with its effects rippling out beyond its initial health domain. Due to the lockdown and ban on travel, the closure of borders, and the slowdown of administrative services, the pandemic had an unanticipated effect on transnational French/foreign couples lacking formal legal relationship status, causing separation and uncertainty. Overlapping health and migration concerns generated a new specific border regime, which reinforced the already existing 'deservingness' criteria for seeking to move to and integrate into the nation. The imposed geographical and administrative immobilisation led to some couples creating online self-help communities, which offered emotional support and shared coping strategies for couples caught in the deadlock. These communities have given the challenges faced by mixed-status couples fresh visibility. Drawing on an ethnography conducted in four online communities, in-depth interviews with transnational couples, and an analysis of politico-juridical materials and grey literature, this article focuses on marriage becoming the option for French/foreign couples seeking the right to reunite in France during an uncertain period. More precisely, by using crisis studies to frame the impact of the pandemic and articulating the scholarship on socio-legal and intimate citizenship, the experiences of such couples can be understood as specific processes in legal consciousness, producing acts of intimate citizenship. This perspective helps demonstrate how the pandemic emphasised the policing of migrant couples, and how institutional and legal opportunities narrowed the choices available to such couples, reducing the potential of change that is generally inherent in crises.

Coping with global uncertainty: Perceptions of COVID-19 psychological distress, relationship quality, and dyadic coping for romantic partners across 27 countries

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 39(1) of Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (see record 2022-18336-005). Three new authors (Adnan Adil, Emmanuel Asampong, and Rahmattullah Khan Abdul Wahab Khan) were not initially listed in the Epub ahead of print. Table 1 also contained some errors. The corrections are given in the erratum.] Following the global outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, individuals report psychological distress associated with the "new normal"-social distancing, financial hardships, and increased responsibilities while working from home. Given the interpersonal nature of stress and coping responses between romantic partners, based on the systemic transactional model this study posits that perceived partner dyadic coping may be an important moderator between experiences of COVID-19 psychological distress and relationship quality. To examine these associations, self-report data from 14,020 people across 27 countries were collected during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-July, 2020). It was hypothesized that higher symptoms of psychological distress would be reported post-COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 restrictions (Hypothesis 1), reports of post-COVID-19 psychological distress would be negatively associated with relationship quality (Hypothesis 2), and perceived partner DC would moderate these associations (Hypothesis 3). While hypotheses were generally supported, results also showed interesting between-country variability. Limitations and future directions are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Erratum to coping with global uncertainty: Perceptions of COVID-19 psychological distress, relationship quality, and dyadic coping for romantic partners across 27 countries

Reports an error in "Coping with global uncertainty: Perceptions of COVID-19 psychological distress, relationship quality, and dyadic coping for romantic partners across 27 countries" by Ashley K. Randall, Gabriel Leon, Emanuele Basili, Tamas Martos, Michael Boiger, Michela Baldi, Lauren Hocker, Kai Kline, Alessio Masturzi, Richmond Aryeetey, Eran Bar-Kalifa, Susan D. Boon, Luis Botella, Tom Burke, Katherine B. Carnelley, Alan Carr, Arobindu Dash, Mimi Fitriana, Stanley O. Gaines, Sarah Galdiolo, Claire M. Hart, Susanna Joo, Barani Kanth, Evangelos Karademas, Gery Karantzas, Selina A. Landolt, Louise McHugh, Anne Milek, Eddie Murphy, Jean C. Natividade, Alda Portugal, Alvaro Quinones, Ana Paula Relvas, Pingkan C. B. Rumondor, Petruta Rusu, Viola Sallay, Luis Angel Saul, David P. Schmitt, Laura Sels, Sultan Shujja, Laura K. Taylor, S. Burcu Ozguluk, Leslie Verhofstadt, Gyesook Yoo, Martina Zemp, Silvia Donato, Casey J. Totenhagen, Rahel L. van Eickels, Adnan Adil, Emmanuel Anongeba Anaba, Emmanuel Asampong, Sarah Beauchemin-Roy, Anna Berry, Audrey Brassard, Susan Chesterman, Lizzie Ferguson, Gabriela Fonseca, Justine Gaugue, Marie Geonet, Neele Hermesch, Rahmattullah Khan Abdul Wahab Khan, Laura Knox, Marie-France Lafontaine, Nicholas Lawless, Amanda Londero-Santos, Sofia Major, Tiago A. Marot, Ellie Mullins, Pauldy C. J. Otermans, Ariela F. Pagani, Miriam Parise, Roksana Parvin, Mallika De, Katherine Peloquin, Barbara Rebelo, Francesca Righetti, Daniel Romano, Sara Salavati, Steven Samrock, Mary Serea, Chua Bee Seok, Luciana Sotero, Owen Stafford, Christoforos Thomadakis, Cigdem Topcu-Uzer, Carla Ugarte, Wah Yun Low, Petra Simon-Zambori, Ching Sin Siau, Diana-Sinziana Duca, Cornelia Filip, Hayoung Park, Sinead Wearen, Guy Bodenmann and Claudia Chiarolanza (Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 2022[Jan], Vol 39[1], 3-33). Three new authors (Adnan Adil, Emmanuel Asampong, and Rahmattullah Khan Abdul Wahab Khan) were not initially listed in the Epub ahead of print. Table 1 also contained some errors. The corrections are given in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2022-18336-001). Following the global outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, individuals report psychological distress associated with the "new normal"-social distancing, financial hardships, and increased responsibilities while working from home. Given the interpersonal nature of stress and coping responses between romantic partners, based on the systemic transactional model this study posits that perceived partner dyadic coping may be an important moderator between experiences of COVID-19 psychological distress and relationship quality. To examine these associations, self-report data from 14,020 people across 27 countries were collected during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-July, 2020). It was hypothesized that higher symptoms of psychological distress would be reported post-COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 restrictions (Hypothesis 1), reports of post-COVID-19 psychological distress would be negatively associated with relationship quality (Hypothesis 2), and perceived partner DC would moderate these associations (Hypothesis 3). While hypotheses were generally supported, results also showed interesting between-country variability. Limitations and future directions are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Student voice in higher education: the importance of distinguishing student representation and student partnership

Student representation and student partnership differ and the difference matters. To further scholarly understanding of, and appreciation for, the important difference between the two, we examine these two commonly evoked conceptions for student voice in higher education. We draw on two points of difference—responsibility and access—to illuminate conceptualisations and discourses of each in the current literature. In doing so, we clarify the unique contributions of each, shaped by differing contexts of interaction, and articulate issues arising by confounding and conflating partnership and representation in the name of student voice. Advancing an argument for an ecosystem of student participation grounded in student voice, we warn of the harm in positioning student partners as speaking for other students and the risk of diminishing the importance of elected student representation systems in favour of staff selected student partner models of student representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Higher Education (00181560) is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

SEXTING DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: ANALYSIS OF THE CONNECTION OF SEXTING WITH THE NEED FOR SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AND THE NUMBER OF SEXUAL PARTNERS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE

Due to the risk of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as due to limited opportunities for intimate and sexual contact, primarily among singles and couples who live separately, there arises an increased interest in various forms of sexual interaction mediated by technology, including sexting. Previous research on this topic were mostly conducted on convenient samples and focused on the first phases of the isolation measures. This research relies on the assumption that consensual sexting can serve young people as a kind of substitute for real intimate contact during a period marked by restrictions due to the pandemic, given that young people less often live with intimate partners, have a more pronounced desire for sexual exploration, and more often have short-term relationships. The first goal of this research is to understand whether the partner relationship plays a role in the connection between the self-assessed change in the need for sexual relations and the frequency of sexting during the pandemic. The second goal is to analyze the role of the change in the need for sexual relations in the connection between the frequency of sexting and the number of sexual partners since the beginning of the pandemic. The data was collected at the beginning of February 2021 on a random sample of young people aged 18 to 25 (N=607), selected from a national Internet panel. The analysis was conducted on a sub-sample of singles and couples living separately (N=500). By controlling the socio-demographic, psycho-social and sexual characteristics of the respondents, the assumed moderating roles of the partner relationship and changes in the need for sexual relationships were not determined in the analyzes of the frequency of sexting. The obtained results do not support the assumption that sexting was a substitute for real intimate contact during the period of the coronavirus pandemic. © 2022, Croatian Sociological Association. All rights reserved.

Practice note: Domestic violence advocacy and response to intimate partner homicide in the COVID-19 era

The global pandemic has changed how frontline service providers respond to domestic violence (DV). Advocates see an increase in the severity and complexity of DV cases, with COVID-19 complicating decisions of DV survivors to seek help. Domestic Violence High Risk Teams (DVHRT) include police, probation and parole officers, prosecutors, medical professionals, and DV advocates uniquely poised to respond collaboratively to increased DV case numbers and escalating risk of lethality for DV survivors. Adapting intervention and advocacy to the online sphere carries challenges but also opportunities to help DV survivors and their communities find safety. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Self-silencing in romantic relationships: Is it related to worse relationship conflict outcomes

Self-silencing (i.e., withholding one's true thoughts and feelings) is a behavior that romantic partners engage in to minimize conflict in their relationships, yet previous research has not directly examined its prevalence nor its effectiveness. Across four studies using multiple methods (total N = 1,601), we found evidence that self-silencing is a common relationship behavior, and one that may be associated with more and worse conflict. Specifically, we established that contrary to widespread lay beliefs in self-silencing's adaptiveness, it is associated with more frequent and more negatively-valenced conflict as well as lower conflict resolution. Furthermore, our findings suggest that lower subjective feelings of relational authenticity may help explain the counterintuitive association between self-silencing and worse conflict outcomes, but also that self-silencing and conflict may be bidirectionally linked. In our final, pre-registered study, we used a longitudinal dyadic approach to investigate couples during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that both actor's and partner's self-silencing were positively associated with conflict in the moment and that partner's self-silencing predicted greater conflict over time. Throughout our studies, we examined the effects of self-silencing alongside related constructs and processes (e.g., self-disclosure, emotional suppression) and found that self-silencing is uniquely associated with conflict. Taken together, these results suggest that when individuals withhold their thoughts and feelings from a romantic partner to avoid arguing in the moment, or when their partners do so, this may be associated with lower relational authenticity and worse conflict outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

"Test run or one and done": Gender differences in lgbtq+ hookup experiences

This dissertation explores queer individuals' participation within hookup culture, the goals and motivations of those taking part in queer hookup encounters, and the ways queer individuals make sense of their hookup experiences. I analyze data from 24 semi-structured qualitative in-person and online interviews to examine LGBTQ+-identified individuals' experiences with queer hookup encounters. This dissertation offers several major contributions to the scholarship of LGBTQ+ hookup experiences. First, I find that participants talk about three discrete levels of intimacy: noncommittal hookups, "catching feelings," and third, "real relationships" or emotional connections. Second, both men and women define hookups as noncommittal sexual encounters, but in practice many are worried about or have already caught feelings. Men and women were also similar in viewing LGBTQ+ hookups as distinct from heterosexual hookups. For example, most participants note that it is more difficult for them to find hookup partners on campus. Third, I also find gender differences among by LGBTQ+ participants. Most men did not talk about forging romantic relationship out of their hookups, whereas women are more likely to discuss moving from hookup encounters to relationships. Men also talk about their partners' physical aesthetics, whereas women are more likely to value an emotional connection and are less likely to discuss their partners' physical attributes. Finally, women are more likely to discuss difficulty in knowing how and when to initiate hookups with other women. The second part of this dissertation focuses on participants' experience with hookups during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few have yet to explore LGBTQ+ hookup culture through a pandemic-focused lens. I examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has restructured dating and hookup experiences among LGBTQ+-identified college students. I find that sexual minority college students have begun to shift the type of connections they make on dating and hookup apps. These connections are less centered on sexual encounters and now focus on building relationships online that may not lead to a hookup or sexual experience. These findings suggest that dating apps have become a way for individuals to form social connections as opposed to merely a vehicle for organizing hookup encounters. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Lockdown life - experiences of partners of individuals with an acquired brain injury during the covid-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

Objectives: The present study sought to investigate the experience of individuals living with their partner with an acquired brain injury (ABI) during the first lock down period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven partners of individuals who had sustained a range of ABIs. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was carried out by two of the researchers exploring the unique narratives. Results: ABI occurs within a relational framework, which means that it has repercussions not only for the individual but also the entire family system. COVID-19 prevented family systems (living separately) from coming together which negatively impacted them;however, it also slowed life down, with many people working from home with flexible arrangements in place which participants found to be beneficial. Three main themes emerged from the interview data: partner focus, slowing down and support networks. The narratives identified the struggles of having to continue their partner's rehabilitation when face to face services could not visit the home, the importance of establishing routine, the positives of a slower paced life (due to COVID-19) that enabled them to build stronger relationships with their partners, and the difficulties of being separated from family and loved ones. Conclusion: This research suggests that it is imperative to consider individual experiences and choices. Some families benefited from reduced treatment and a slowed pace of life, whilst others may find this overwhelming and burdensome. The study makes recommendations for supporting couples after an ABI during the ongoing pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Affiliative responses to external stress in couples

Can stress ever be good for romantic relationships? Although it is well-established that stress can harm relationships (Karney & Bradbury, 1995;Randall & Bodenmann, 2009), stress may also bring people closer together (Taylor, 2011b). Specifically, recent research and theory suggest that when people experience acute and chronic stress that originates outside of the couple (i.e., external stress) and is moderate in intensity, they may show affiliative responses toward their partner (Clavel et al., 2017;Donato et al., 2018). Moreover, stressed women may be more likely to show affiliative responses toward their partner than stressed men (Taylor et al., 2000. Importantly, how much a person displays affiliative responses may not only depend on their own stress but also their partner's stress. However, there is currently little research examining both partners' stress and affiliative responses. Thus, the current dissertation examines affiliative responses in couples experiencing acute and chronic external stress. This research aims to understand (1) when external stress may be associated with more affiliative responses and (2) who may show more affiliative responses to external stress. In three studies, I examined stress and affiliation during the COVID-19 pandemic, during a laboratory stressor, and during a dyadic caregiving interaction with an infant simulator. I found that moderate acute stress may be associated with greater affiliation in women and lower affiliation in men, shared acute and chronic stressors may be associated with greater affiliation, and people may respond to their partner's stress by affiliating with their simulated infant. This work contributes important new information about how external stress may affect men and women in romantic relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Nonmarital relationships: Introduction

In the United States today, adults live in a variety of nonmarital relationships and situations, ranging from committed partners who cohabit, to people who cohabit with differing levels of commitment,1 to committed partners who live apart. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of these relationship forms differently. The coming years will reveal the extent to which these impacts will alter the social and legal landscape around nonmarital relationships. These relationships have produced a range of responses in both existing law and law reform efforts. Meanwhile, scholars from various disciplines are studying nonmarital relationships, including polyamorous arrangements and other communities of choice. The Uniform Law Commission has developed a new proposal for uniformity in this area that addresses property rights and equitable claims, but not the many other legal rights and obligations that might accrue. Although the resolution of property disputes between nonmarital partners remains a critical concern, scholars have become interested in exploring the availability of other types of legal rights and the impact of demographic variations that the law has previously overlooked or oversimplified. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Adapting implementation support from in-person to virtual: An experimental evaluation of the efficacy and satisfaction of a virtual coaching program used during the COVID-19 pandemic

Intervention fidelity is crucial in ensuring efficient and quality support for students in need. Several coaching strategies have evidenced positive impacts on intervention fidelity and virtual approaches of coaching have been developing rapidly, especially during the pandemic. However, current literature is still limited in examining the effects of virtual coaching. Collaborating with community partners, this applied community-driven study adapted an evidence-based set of in-person coaching materials and procedures coaching into a virtual format. A multiple baseline design and surveys were used to evaluate the efficacy of this virtual coaching program in supporting interventionists with implementing an online small-group reading intervention. Both visual analysis and nonparametric analysis demonstrated considerable improvement of interventionists' implementation fidelity (i.e., adherence and quality). Additionally, surveys from interventionists indicated high feasibility of the reading intervention and positive perceptions toward the coaches and the coaching process. Practical implications of virtual coaching and future directions of related research studies are discussed at the end. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The effect of COVID-19 on community-engaged homicide research

COVID-19 transformed society, affecting how every sector conducted work. Researchers, law enforcement, and social service agencies had to adapt procedures to a virtual space-moving participant recruitment, warrant requests, and protection orders online. Researcher-practitioner partnerships also altered, halting in-person data collection and agencies having limited time to support guests, regardless of interest. While some COVID-19-related challenges will likely subside, the future of these partnerships seems to have permanently shifted. In this research note, we reflect on these shifts using an example of an intimate partner homicide study to discuss research adaptions to COVID-19 and the future of community-engaged homicide research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Distress and satisfaction in women whose male partners use pornography: The roles of attitude, religiosity, and meanings

Approximately 40% of U.S. women in married or cohabitating heterosexual relationships have a partner who uses pornography more than once a month. Some studies demonstrate a negative association between the frequency of male partners' pornography use (PU) and women's sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction, while others find no association. These mixed findings may be due to moderating influences of women's religiosity, attitudes, and diverse meanings given to PU (e.g. addiction, gendered norm, inspiration), which have not been adequately studied.The current study included a sample of 625 women (mean age=44, diverse SES, 86% White), recruited through a Qualtrics research panel, who were married or cohabitating with a man who had used pornography in the prior 3 months. Study aims were to investigate (1) pornography-related distress, attitudes and meanings given to a partner's PU, (2) the relationship between perceived frequency of partners' solitary PU (PFREQ) and women's pornography-related distress, relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction, (3) contributions of attitude and religiosity (commitment and conservatism) to distress and satisfaction, and (4) associations among attitudes, religiosity and meanings, and among meanings, distress and satisfaction. Self-report measures included the Partner's Pornography Use Scale, Pornography Distress Scale, Couples Satisfaction Index, Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction, Multidimensional Religious Ideology Scale, Religious Commitment Inventory, Biblical Literalism Measure, Pornography Meaning Scales, and an item measuring attitudes towards pornography. Participants endorsed a range of PFREQ (median frequency=1-2 times/week) and attitudes (28% negative, 34% neutral, 38% positive). Partial correlations and multiple regressions, controlling for demographic variables and COVID-19-related stress, indicated that higher PFREQ was significantly associated with women's higher pornography-related distress, lower relationship satisfaction, and lower sexual satisfaction. Attitude and PFREQ made independent contributions to distress and satisfaction. Negative attitude amplified the negative association between PFREQ and relationship satisfaction, and religious conservatism amplified the positive association between PFREQ and pornography-related distress. Findings support and extend previous research regarding the associations of higher PFREQ and negative attitude with greater distress and lower relationship and sexual satisfaction, the contribution of religiosity to greater distress, and the role of meanings of infidelity, sin, addiction and inadequacy in predicting greater distress and lower satisfaction. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Now for the good news: Self-perceived positive effects of the first pandemic wave on romantic relationships outweigh the negative

Media attention has highlighted the COVID-19 pandemic's negative effects on romantic relationships (e.g., increased partner aggression). The current mixed-method study also explored potential positive effects, and how the relative balance of positive versus negative effects might have changed over time during the first pandemic wave. Individuals (N = 186) who participated in a pre-COVID study were recruited through MTurk to participate in a four-wave longitudinal follow-up, every 2 weeks from mid-April to late May 2020. Participants completed an 8-item self-report measure assessing perceived negative and positive effects of the pandemic on their romantic relationship. Multi-level models revealed that perceived positive effects were substantially higher than perceived negative effects at each timepoint, even amongst those who reported being more heavily impacted by the pandemic. Both positive and negative effects were stable across time. Open-ended questions at the final time point were coded for common themes. Positive themes were more frequent than negative themes. The most common negative theme centered on increased stress or tension in the relationship, while the most common positive theme discussed the importance of focusing on and appreciating the relationship, including taking advantage of the gift of increased time together the pandemic had brought. Amongst all of the pandemic's bad news, it is refreshing to consider the possibility of pandemic-related benefits for people's romantic relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)