Does Web-Based Relationship Education Improve Sexual Intimacy? Initial Examination, Replication, and Exploration of Moderation in a Low-Income Sample.

Sexual intimacy, characterized as the experience between individuals of sharing general affection and sexual activity with one another within the Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships inventory, is positively related to relationship satisfaction and stability. However, many studies of couple therapy have shown that it only results in small-sized (and often non-significant) improvements in sexual intimacy. Furthermore, there are numerous financial, logistical, and psychological barriers to couple therapy. Thus, the current study sought to examine whether two brief online relationship education programs (OurRelationship and ePREP) could overcome these barriers and yield similar-sized effects to more intensive couple therapy. In two independently collected samples of low-income couples (NSample 1 = 742 Couples; M AgeSample 1 = 33.19; NSample 2 = 671 Couples; M AgeSample 2 = 33.48), the current study found that: OurRelationship (d = 0.24-0.28) and ePREP (d = 0.26-0.34) produced small-sized changes in sexual intimacy relative to a waitlist control condition in both samples, the magnitude of the effect size replicated in a second sample and, with rare exception, these changes were generally not moderated by key variables of interest. Given that web-based relationship education is significantly shorter, less expensive, and more accessible than in-person couple interventions, web-based relationship education could be considered a viable candidate for couples experiencing concerns with sexual intimacy.

Profiles of Low-Income Help-Seeking Couples and Implications for Intervention Gains: A Couple-Centered Approach.

Using a couple-centered approach, the current study seeks to understand (a) the specific ways in which help-seeking couples vary in how their relationship satisfaction changes over time, (b) whether there are important differences in relationship characteristics at the beginning of the interventions, and (c) whether couples with distinct relationship characteristics benefit equally from effective online relationship programs. Mixed-gender low-income couples (Ncouple = 659) seeking help for their relationship were randomly assigned to one of two online relationship programs (n = 432) or the wait-list control group (n = 227). Latent profile analyses were conducted to identify (a) trajectory profiles with both partners' relationship satisfaction assessed at baseline, during, and postprogram, and at 2- and 4-month follow-ups; and (b) baseline couple profiles with indicators of baseline communication, commitment, emotional support, and sexual satisfaction reported by both partners. Four unique satisfaction trajectories were identified: women-small-men-medium improvement (39%), men-only decline (25%), large improvement (19%), and women-only improvement (17%). Five unique baseline couple profiles were identified: conflictual passionate (30%), companionate (22%), men-committed languishing (22%), satisfied (16%), and languishing (10%). Compared to control couples, intervention couples' odds of following the large improvement trajectory increased and their odds of following the men-only decline trajectory decreased; the odds of following the other two intermediate trajectories did not differ by intervention status. Moreover, couples with more distressed baseline profiles were more likely to follow trajectories characterized by greater satisfaction gains regardless of their intervention status. However, program effects did not differ based on baseline couple profiles, suggesting that a universal approach may be sufficient for delivering online relationship programs to improve relationship satisfaction in this population.

Effects of online relationship programs for low-income couples during the perinatal period.

Low-income couples experience increased stress and declines in relationship quality during the perinatal period. They also encounter many barriers to accessing relationship services. Using a subsample of low-income perinatal couples (n = 180) from two randomized controlled trials, the current study examined the impact of online relationship interventions, OurRelationship (OR) and ePREP, in a Bayesian framework. From pre to post, relative to waitlist control couples, couples in OR and ePREP experienced improvements in relationship quality (Mean d = 0.51) and psychological distress (Mean d = 0.28); OR couples, relative to waitlist control couples, also experienced improvements in perceived stress (Mean d = 0.33). These improvements were maintained through four-month follow-up and did not differ across gender. These findings suggest brief online relationship interventions may be an important resource for low-income perinatal couples.

Evaluation of S201086/GLPG1972, an ADAMTS-5 inhibitor, for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis in ROCCELLA: a phase 2 randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the anti-catabolic ADAMTS-5 inhibitor S201086/GLPG1972 for the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN: ROCCELLA (NCT03595618) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging, phase 2 trial in adults (aged 40-75 years) with knee osteoarthritis. Participants had moderate-to-severe pain in the target knee, Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 or 3 and Osteoarthritis Research Society International joint space narrowing (grade 1 or 2). Participants were randomized 1:1:1:1 to once-daily oral S201086/GLPG1972 75, 150 or 300 mg, or placebo for 52 weeks. The primary endpoint was change from baseline to week 52 in central medial femorotibial compartment (cMFTC) cartilage thickness assessed quantitatively by magnetic resonance imaging. Secondary endpoints included change from baseline to week 52 in radiographic joint space width, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index total and subscores, and pain (visual analogue scale). Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were also recorded. RESULTS: Overall, 932 participants were enrolled. No significant differences in cMFTC cartilage loss were observed between placebo and S201086/GLPG1972 therapeutic groups: placebo vs 75 mg, P = 0.165; vs 150 mg, P = 0.939; vs 300 mg, P = 0.682. No significant differences in any of the secondary endpoints were observed between placebo and treatment groups. Similar proportions of participants across treatment groups experienced TEAEs. CONCLUSIONS: Despite enrolment of participants who experienced substantial cartilage loss over 52 weeks, during the same time period, S201086/GLPG1972 did not significantly reduce rates of cartilage loss or modify symptoms in adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

Web-Based Relationship Education and Pornography-Related Behaviors: A Single-Group Design During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Research surrounding pornography and its impact on individual and relationship functioning is a frequent and ongoing debate in the current literature. However, recent meta-analyses and aggregated studies suggest that relationship distress is associated with higher levels of general pornography use. This may be a reason why a significant number of men and women view pornography and seek help for their use. In the present study, we explored whether participation in the OurRelationship program, a web-based relationship education program that has been empirically shown to reduce relationship distress but is not tailored to reduce general pornography use, was associated with reliable changes in pornography-related behaviors. In a sample of low-income and diverse couples (N = 314 couples; 628 individuals), we observed high completion rates (64.3%) as well as reliable, small-sized decreases in the frequency and duration of pornography use for the average couple (d = 0.12-0.13). Furthermore, post hoc analyses found that individuals who began the program viewing pornography daily reported reliability-larger decreases in pornography-related behaviors (d = 0.32-0.90) than those who viewed pornography less frequently. However, we did not see reliable changes in couples' arguments about pornography use or perceptions of problematic use. The findings were generally not moderated by gender or lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinicians struggling to reduce their client's general pornography use may consider including a focus on improving general romantic relationship functioning.

Developing and testing a case-management intervention to support the return to work of health care workers with common mental health disorders.

BACKGROUND: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of conducting a trial of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a new case-management intervention to facilitate the return to work of health care workers, on sick leave, having a common mental disorder (CMD). METHODS: A mixed methods feasibility study. RESULTS: Systematic review examined 40 articles and 2 guidelines. Forty-nine National Health Service Occupational Health (OH) providers completed a usual care survey. We trained six OH nurses as case managers and established six recruitment sites. Forty-two out of 1938 staff on sick leave with a CMD were screened for eligibility, and 24 participants were recruited. Out of them, 94% were female. Eleven participants received the intervention and 13 received usual care. Engagement with most intervention components was excellent. Return-to-work self-efficacy improved more in the intervention group than in the usual care group. Qualitative feedback showed the intervention was acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was acceptable, feasible and low cost to deliver, but it was not considered feasible to recommend a large-scale effectiveness trial unless an effective method could be devised to improve the early OH referral of staff sick with CMD. Alternatively, the intervention could be trialled as a new stand-alone OH intervention initiated at the time of usual OH referral.

Telomere length correlates with physiological and behavioural responses of a long-lived seabird to an ecologically relevant challenge.

Determinants of individual variation in reallocation of limited resources towards self-maintenance versus reproduction are not well known. We tested the hypothesis that individual heterogeneity in long-term 'somatic state' (i) explains variation in endocrine and behavioural responses to environmental challenges, and (ii) is associated with variation in strategies for allocating to self-maintenance versus reproduction. We used relative telomere length as an indicator of somatic state and experimentally generated an abrupt short-term reduction of food availability (withdrawal of food supplementation) for free-living seabirds (black-legged kittiwakes, Rissa tridactyla). Incubating male kittiwakes responded to withdrawal by increasing circulating corticosterone and losing more weight compared to continuously supplemented controls. Males with longer telomeres increased time in directed travel regardless of treatment, while experiencing smaller increases in corticosterone. Males with longer telomeres fledged more chicks in the control group and tended to be more likely to return regardless of treatment. This study supports the hypothesis that somatic state can explain variation in short-term physiological and behavioural responses to challenges, and longer-term consequences for fitness. Male kittiwakes with longer telomeres appear to have prioritized investment in self over investment in offspring under challenging conditions.

Local Mapping of Polar Ionospheric Electrodynamics.

An accurate description of the state of the ionosphere is crucial for understanding the physics of Earth's coupling to space, including many potentially hazardous space weather phenomena. To support this effort, ground networks of magnetometer stations, optical instruments, and radars have been deployed. However, the spatial coverage of such networks is naturally restricted by the distribution of land mass and access to necessary infrastructure. We present a new technique for local mapping of polar ionospheric electrodynamics, for use in regions with high data density, such as Fennoscandia and North America. The technique is based on spherical elementary current systems (SECS), which were originally developed to map ionospheric currents. We expand their use by linking magnetic field perturbations in space and on ground, convection measurements from space and ground, and conductance measurements, via the ionospheric Ohm's law. The result is a technique that is similar to the Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics (AMIE) technique, but tailored for regional analyses of arbitrary spatial extent and resolution. We demonstrate our technique on synthetic data, and with real data from three different regions. We also discuss limitations of the technique and potential areas for improvement.

Does coparenting improve during the OurRelationship program? Explorations within a low-income sample during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Low-income couples are at an increased risk for relationship instability and divorce, which can have residual impacts on coparenting between the two partners. Growing evidence suggests that brief online relationship education programs can be an effective tool for alleviating relationship distress among low-income couples. However, findings remain mixed when it comes to whether benefits from relationship-focused programs not explicitly addressing coparenting spillover to coparenting among those with children. This preregistered study sought to investigate whether couples participating in an evidence-based online relationship-focused intervention, the OurRelationship program, experienced improvements in coparenting during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To expand on the existing literature, coparenting outcomes assessed included partners' gatekeeping behaviors in addition to coparenting satisfaction, given their important implications for partner involvement in parenting. We also examined the extent to which changes in coparenting were moderated by pre-post gains in relationship satisfaction, child gender, division of childcare, and pandemic disruptions. In a sample of 136 low-income couples (N = 272 individuals) and a one-group/pre-post design, we found medium-sized gains in relationship satisfaction (Cohen's d = .76) and small-sized improvements in all coparenting aspects assessed (|d|s = .29-.39). Couples with greater gains in relationship satisfaction experienced greater improvements in coparenting; further, coparenting changes were robust to other moderators. Taken together, findings suggested that brief online relationship education programs, such as the OurRelationship program, may be a promising option to improve coparenting among relationally distressed low-income couples with children during a global health crisis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

What is Normal Pornography Use in a Highly Religious Area? Exploring Patterns of Pornography Use in Utah.

BACKGROUND: Pornography has become mainstream in society, including in the state of Utah, which is a highly religious, conservative state. AIM: The purpose of this study is to gather basic descriptive norms for pornography use in the state of Utah (given its unique religious profile), establish clinical cutoffs based on frequency and duration of pornography consumption, and begin to establish a clinical picture of problematic pornography use in a regionally representative sample. METHODS: We recruited a representative sample of 892 Utahns via CloudResearch.com. Participants completed the following measures: Consumption of Pornography - General (COPS); Problematic Pornography Use Scale; Clear Lake Addiction to Pornography Scale; The Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (Second Version). OUTCOME: Documentation of pornography use norms among Utahns. RESULTS: In our sample, 79% reported viewing pornography in their lifetime (85% of men, 75% of women). The most common frequency of pornography viewing was weekly or monthly among men, and monthly or every 6 months among women, which is comparable to national averages. Men and women showed significantly different pornography use frequencies. We demonstrate a relationship between higher levels of pornography use and higher perceived levels of pornography use as a problem or "addiction" and depression scores and explore the typical demographics of our highest pornography users. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: This study will aid clinicians in using the COPS to derive normal pornography use compared to above average pornography use among pornography users from a religious background, especially for clinicians who seek to provide normative data to clients presenting with problematic pornography use like in motivational interviewing interventions. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Strengths include our measures generally demonstrated strong validity, we provide the beginnings of sound clinical implementation of the COPS for benchmarking pornography use in a clinical setting in Utah, and that our sample was representative of the state of Utah according to current census data. Limitations include those commonly seen in survey-based data collection methods, and that findings from our unique Utah sample may not be as relevant among other religious or cultural samples. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide an updated picture of pornography use in the state of Utah and suggest that even those high in religiosity continue to use pornography. Our results can provide a spectrum of pornography use, aiding a pornography user in treatment to be able to compare his or her use to this norm. Esplin CR, Hatch SG, Ogles BM, et al. What is Normal Pornography Use in a Highly Religious Area? Exploring Patterns of Pornography Use in Utah. J Sex Med 2022;19:823-833.

Online relationship education for help-seeking low-income couples: A Bayesian replication and extension of the OurRelationship and ePREP programs.

Low-income couples are at increased risk for relationship instability and divorce. In response, online relationship education programs such as ePREP and OurRelationship have been developed to more easily reach this population. A previous trial indicated that these programs promote relationship functioning (Doss et al., 2020) and individual well-being (Roddy et al., 2020a). However, given that these effects were notably larger than previous studies of in-person relationship education and approached effect sizes observed in couple therapy, it is possible that the magnitude of these effects was somewhat spurious; therefore, these findings need replication. The current manuscript seeks to replicate these programs' previous effects on relationship functioning and determine whether these effects are stable. Using a sample of 671 low-income couples seeking relationship help (N = 1337 individuals) and Bayesian estimation, the current study replicated previous findings that the OurRelationship and ePREP programs offered with four coaching calls produced reliable improvements in relationship functioning relative to a 6-month waitlist control group. There were no statistically reliable differences between the two active interventions. Bayesian analyses indicated that the effects of the two online programs were larger than the average effects of in-person relationship education for low-income couples reported in previous studies, roughly equivalent to efficacy studies of in-person relationship education reported in previous studies, smaller than those that resulted from the OurRelationship program delivered to distressed couples without an income requirement and smaller than couple therapy.

Las parejas de bajos recursos tienen mayor riesgo de inestabilidad en las relaciones y de divorcio. En respuesta a esto, se han desarrollado programas de educación sobre las relaciones, como ePREP y OurRelationship, con el fin de llegar más fácilmente a esta población. Un ensayo previo indicó que estos programas promueven el funcionamiento de las relaciones (Doss et al., 2020) y el bienestar individual (Roddy et al., 2020a). Sin embargo, teniendo en cuenta que estos efectos fueron notablemente mayores que los de estudios previos de la educación presencial sobre las relaciones y que abordaron tamaños del efecto observados en la terapia de pareja, es posible que la magnitud de estos efectos fuera de alguna manera falsa, por lo tanto, estos resultados necesitan repetirse. En el presente manuscrito se busca reproducir los efectos previos de estos programas en el funcionamiento de la relación y determinar si estos efectos son estables. Utilizando una muestra de 671 parejas de bajos recursos que buscaban ayuda para las relaciones (N = 1337 personas) y el cálculo bayesiano, el presente estudio reprodujo los resultados anteriores que ofrecieron los programas OurRelationship y ePREP con cuatro llamados de capacitación, generando mejoras fiables en el funcionamiento de la relación respecto de un grupo de referencia en lista de espera de seis meses. No hubo diferencias estadísticamente fiables entre las dos intervenciones activas. Los análisis bayesianos indicaron que los efectos de los dos programas virtuales fueron mayores que los efectos promedio de la educación presencial sobre las relaciones para parejas de bajos recursos informados en estudios previos, aproximadamente equivalentes a los de los estudios de eficacia de la educación presencial sobre las relaciones informados en estudios previos, menores que los obtenidos del programa OurRelationship impartido a parejas con distrés sin requisitos de ingresos, y menores que los de la terapia de pareja.

Examining the Problematic Pornography Use Model: A Quantitative Exploration of Dysregulated Pornography Use.

BACKGROUND: Questions concerning problematic pornography consumption have been widely discussed, but longitudinal data examining the relationships implicated by problematic pornography use models are rare. To date, two models have been proposed that have sought to elucidate the causal mechanisms involved in a problematic pornography use model, the I-PACE model and the Pornography Problems Due to Moral Incongruence Model. AIM: We sought to clarify this issue by investigating the prospective association between variables integral to previously proposed addiction models. METHODS: Using a longitudinal TurkPrime.com sample (N = 317), and a newly developed measure of pornography consumption, we asked participants to answer questions related to their pornography usage, their distress levels, and individual differences over a six-month time frame during 2017. MAIN OUTCOME: Pornography consumption only led to distress when an individual possessed certain individual differences. Moreover, there was no evidence that pornography use mediated or suppressed the relationship between pornography consumption and distress. RESULTS: Using a series of mediation/suppression models, we found evidence to support the structure of existing theoretical models; specifically, pornography consumption amplifies the relationship between individual differences (ie, sexual compulsivity and sexual sensation seeking) and distress (ie, depression and sexual esteem) over a six-month time period. However, we failed to observe an association between pornography consumption and distress when sexual compulsivity and sexual sensation seeking were left unaccounted for within the model, suggesting pornography use likely only results in distress in those with certain individual differences. Moreover, there was no evidence that perceptions of problematic pornography use suppressed or mediated the relationship between pornography consumption and distress. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggest that targeting specific individual differences -a la Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-rather than pornography consumption attitudes may be a more effective strategy to reduce problematic pornography use. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: One strength of the current study was that we were able to corroborate previously hypothesized models of problematic pornography consumption. Furthermore, this was done using a newly designed measurement of pornography consumption. However, the study was not without some shortcoming. We were unable to test the pornography problems due to moral incongruence arm of the study, something that previous research has indicated may lead to distress. CONCLUSION: This paper sought to empirically examine models investigating problematic pornography use. Our findings indicate that pornography consumption will only lead to certain sorts of distress in the presence of specific individual differences ie, sexual compulsivity and sexual sensation seeking. Hatch HD, Hatch SG, Henderson E, et al. Examining the Problematic Pornography Use Model: A Quantitative Exploration of Dysregulated Pornography Use. J Sex Med 2022;19:132-143.

Optimizing Coaching During Web-Based Relationship Education for Low-Income Couples: Protocol for Precision Medicine Research.

BACKGROUND: In-person relationship education classes funded by the federal government tend to experience relatively high attrition rates and have only a limited effect on relationships. In contrast, low-income couples tend to report meaningful gains from web-based relationship education when provided with individualized coach contact. However, little is known about the method and intensity of practitioner contact that a couple requires to complete the web-based program and receive the intended benefit. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to use within-group models to create an algorithm to assign future couples to different programs and levels of coach contact, identify the most powerful predictors of treatment adherence and gains in relationship satisfaction within 3 different levels of coaching, and examine the most powerful predictors of treatment adherence and gains in relationship satisfaction among the 3 levels of coach contact. METHODS: To accomplish these goals, this project intends to use data from a web-based Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial of the OurRelationship and web-based Prevention and Relationship Enhancement programs, in which the method and type of coach contact were randomly varied across 1248 couples (2496 individuals), with the hope of advancing theory in this area and generating accurate predictions. This study was funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (grant number 90PD0309). RESULTS: Data collection from the Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial of the OurRelationship and web-based Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program was completed in October of 2020. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the direct benefits of this study include benefits to social services program administrators, tailoring of more effective relationship education, and effective delivery of evidence- and web-based relationship health interventions. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/33047.

Hemispheric asymmetry in ocean change and the productivity of ecosystem sentinels.

Climate change and other human activities are causing profound effects on marine ecosystem productivity. We show that the breeding success of seabirds is tracking hemispheric differences in ocean warming and human impacts, with the strongest effects on fish-eating, surface-foraging species in the north. Hemispheric asymmetry suggests the need for ocean management at hemispheric scales. For the north, tactical, climate-based recovery plans for forage fish resources are needed to recover seabird breeding productivity. In the south, lower-magnitude change in seabird productivity presents opportunities for strategic management approaches such as large marine protected areas to sustain food webs and maintain predator productivity. Global monitoring of seabird productivity enables the detection of ecosystem change in remote regions and contributes to our understanding of marine climate impacts on ecosystems.

Make up or break up? Charting the well-being of low-income help-seeking couples through the breakup process.

Divorce or separation concerns have typically been identified as a common reason why couples seek treatment for their relationship. However, to our knowledge, no study has investigated the breakup process in a help-seeking sample. Using a low-income sample of individuals who broke up with their partner during a large randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of two web-based relationship education programs (NBroke up = 286), and a matched sample of individuals who did not break up (NMatched = 286; NTotal = 572), the current study sought to: (a) examine changes in individual functioning and co-parenting among those who broke up; (b) examine post-breakup differences in changes between those who did and did not break up; and (c) identify moderators of any differential post-breakup functioning between those who did and did not break up. Results revealed that web-based relationship education leads to decreases in psychological and perceived stress prior to the breakup. After matching on pre-breakup characteristics, no post-breakup differences in individual functioning or co-parenting were found between those who did and did not break up. Furthermore, few variables moderated individuals' adjustment to breaking up. Therefore, breaking up may not be as detrimental to individual well-being as once anticipated. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Variation in rates of self-harm hospital admission and re-admission by ethnicity in London: a population cohort study.

PURPOSE: To compare sex-specific rates of hospital admission and repeat admission following self-harm between ethnic groups in London and test whether differences persist after adjustment for socio-economic deprivation. METHODS: A population-based cohort of all individuals aged over 11 admitted to a general hospital for physical health treatment following self-harm between 2008 and 2018, using administrative Hospital Episode Statistics for all people living in Greater London. RESULTS: There were 59,510 individuals admitted to the hospital following self-harm in the 10 year study period, ethnicity data were available for 94% of individuals. The highest rates of self-harm admission and readmission were found in the White Irish group. Rates of admission and readmission were lower in Black and Asian people compared to White people for both sexes at all ages and in all more specific Black and Asian ethnic groups compared to White British. These differences increased with adjustment for socio-economic deprivation. People of Mixed ethnicity had higher rates of readmission. Rates were highest in the 25-49 age group for Black and Mixed ethnicity men, but in under-25 s for all other groups. There were substantial differences in rates within the broader ethnic categories, especially for the Black and White groups. CONCLUSION: In contrast to earlier UK studies, self-harm rates were not higher in Black or South Asian women, with lower self-harm admission rates seen in almost all ethnic minority groups. Differences in rates by ethnicity were not explained by socio-economic deprivation. Aggregating ethnicity into broad categories masks important differences in self-harm rates between groups.

Heteronormative Relationship Education for Same-Gender Couples.

In recent years, same-gender group-based relationship education has emerged as a viable intervention to prevent relationship distress among same-gender couples. However, many of these programs are conducted in metropolitan areas and lack the ability to reach rural populations. The current study sought to investigate whether two wide-reaching web-based heteronormative relationship education programs could positively impact same-gender relationships. In a sample of 49 same-gender couples, heteronormative relationship education had small (Cohen's d = 0.16-0.39) but reliably positive effects on key areas of relationship functioning and perceived stress relative to a waitlist control group. Additionally, when same-gender couples were matched with different-gender individuals with similar baseline characteristics, no reliable differences between the two groups emerged even though the program effects were sometimes half as large for same-gender couples. Finally, same-gender participants were as satisfied with the program as the matched different-gender individuals. Though the results of the present study indicate that heteronormative relationship education can be helpful for same-gender couples, additional tailoring should be undertaken to ensure that same-gender couples experience as much benefit as possible. Estimates from the current study could be used in future studies to detect what might be small-sized differences.

En los últimos años, la capacitación en relaciones grupal y del mismo sexo ha surgido como una intervención viable para prevenir el distrés relacional entre parejas del mismo género. Sin embargo, muchos de estos programas se realizan en áreas metropolitanas y no pueden llegar a las poblaciones rurales. El presente estudio tuvo como finalidad investigar si dos programas de capacitación heteronormativa en relaciones, por Internet y de amplio alcance podrían tener un efecto positivo en las relaciones del mismo género. En una muestra de 49 parejas del mismo género, la capacitación heteronormativa en relaciones tuvo efectos pequeños (d de Cohen = 0.16-0.39) pero fiablemente positivos en áreas clave del funcionamiento relacional y del estrés percibido respecto de un grupo control en lista de espera. Además, cuando las parejas del mismo género se igualaron con personas de diferente género con características iniciales similares, no surgieron diferencias fiables entre los dos grupos, aunque los efectos del programa fueron a veces de la mitad para las parejas del mismo género. Finalmente, los participantes del mismo género estuvieron tan satisfechos con el programa como las personas de diferente género con quienes se las igualó. Aunque los resultados del presente estudio indican que la capacitación heteronormativa en relaciones puede ser útil para parejas del mismo género, deberían realizarse más adaptaciones para garantizar que las parejas del mismo género tengan todos los beneficios posibles. En futuros estudios podrían usarse cálculos del presente estudio para detectar las posibles diferencias pequeñas.

Sexual Assault Among Women in College: Immediate and Long-Term Associations With Mental Health, Psychosocial Functioning, and Romantic Relationships.

The current study sought to examine immediate and long-term consequences of college sexual assault (C-SA) among women with no prior sexual assault history. While much is known regarding the short-term negative impact of C-SA, the current study examines whether C-SA is associated with immediate academic and psychosocial consequences as well as long-term poorer mental health (depression, posttraumatic stress [PTS], anxiety) and interpersonal functioning (relationship quality, sexual and emotional intimacy). In addition, the current study explores potential moderators of these associations, including race, the nature of the assault, resulting injury, relation to perpetrator, and whether the assault was reported. A stratified design was used comparing women who experienced C-SA (n = 201) to women with no C-SA history (n = 203) controlling for age, education, race, and ethnicity. Results from a series of repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) demonstrated that across race and ethnicity, women with a history of C-SA reported lower grade-point averages, more missed classes, and fewer serious romantic relationships in college following the assault. Furthermore, results from a series of linear and logistic regression revealed that approximately 9 years later, women who experienced C-SA reported greater symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTS as well as lower emotional and sexual intimacy. These associations differed by a number of assault variables (assault type, relation to perpetrator, amount of fear reported, physical injuries sustained, whether the assault was reported, whether medical treatment was sought). The current study further confirms the significant and pervasive impact of C-SA associated with women's health and functioning, warranting further intervention to both reduce the incidence of C-SA and expand the reach of existing mental health interventions to survivors.

Trajectories of Sexual Satisfaction and Frequency During and After Couple Therapy for Relationship Distress.

Using a sample of 134 distressed, different-sex couples, this study investigated the effects of Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy and Traditional Behavioral Couple Therapy on sexual dissatisfaction and sexual frequency both during treatment and in the five years following treatment. Therapy effects depended on treatment type, gender, and whether sexual distress was identified as a presenting problem; while couple therapy may initially improve some aspects of the sexual relationship, impacts tend to fade over follow-up. Couple therapy may benefit from incorporating a greater emphasis on sex and inclusion of techniques from sex therapy.

Mechanisms of improvements and maintenance in online relationship programs for distressed low-income couples.

OBJECTIVE: Web-based relationship interventions have been shown to improve relationship functioning for low-income couples, with gains maintained up through 12 months (Doss et al., 2020; Roddy et al., 2020). However, little is known about mechanisms of improvements and maintenance for these programs. METHOD: A sample of 742 low-income couples (Mage = 33; 55% non-Hispanic White; 52% married; Mdn annual household income = $27,000) were randomly assigned to the OurRelationship (OR) program, the ePREP program, or a waitlist control group. Couples were repeatedly assessed over 6 months on two relationship outcomes (satisfaction and breakup potential) and five relationship mechanisms (positive and negative communication, relationship problem intensity and confidence, and emotional support) with self-report measures. RESULTS: Intervention couples, compared with the control couples, experienced significantly greater improvements in all mechanisms by the end of the program (Mean |d| = 0.58). Those with greater improvements in mechanisms also reported greater improvements in both relationship outcomes. From post- to 4-months follow-up, only prepost improvements in negative communication significantly predicted maintenance of gains in satisfaction. In contrast, prepost improvements in all mechanisms significantly predicted maintenance of reductions in breakup potential, with the largest effect via improvements in emotional support. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that both programs improve targeted mechanisms during the intervention period and support the role of these constructs as mechanisms of improvements in broader relationship functioning. Moreover, findings on mechanisms of maintenance highlighted the importance of including an emphasis on communication and emotional support to better maintain program gains. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).