Positive and negative aspects of intimate relationships influence mental health and well-being in couples. According to the environmental sensitivity framework, individuals differ in how strongly they are affected by their environment, with some individuals being more or less sensitive to both negative and positive experiences. The present study examined the longitudinal associations between positive and negative relationship dynamics, including marital satisfaction, positive bonding, and negative communication, and psychological distress as well as the extent to which individual differences in genetic and subjective measures of environmental sensitivity moderated the association between relationship dynamics and psychological distress in a sample of couples in the U.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRacism affects Black individuals in the United States through multiple institutional, social, and economic injustices. Relationship scientists have called for greater attention to the potentially harmful effects racism might exert on Black families. A small literature has begun to document negative associations between experiences of racism and romantic relationship functioning.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrenatal depression is a significant health issue associated with increased risk for poor mental and physical health outcomes among for both parents and their children. Having a history of childhood maltreatment is associated with increased risk for prenatal depression. Although research suggests that romantic relationship functioning likely plays a role in the links between childhood maltreatment and prenatal depression, it remains to be tested which aspects of relationship functioning modulate these associations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWomens Health Rep (New Rochelle)
March 2023
Objective: We aimed to evaluate the impact of an antenatal group healthy relationship education program on the postpartum use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).
Materials And Methods: This is a planned subgroup analysis of a larger randomized controlled trial. Pregnant and newly parenting women were randomized to either group healthy relationship education, "MotherWise," or no additional services.