Matching Items (7)
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- All Subjects: Relationships
- All Subjects: Adolescence
- Creators: Ha, Thao
- Creators: Burleson, Mary H
Description
This study investigated reasons for romantic dissolution in 235 participants, ranging from 18-55 years of age, who had experienced a breakup in the past 12 months. Through an online survey on Amazon Mechanical Turk, participants were asked to briefly describe their relationship, then rate how true a variety of statements were in regards to the characteristics of their relationship. Participants were then asked to rate how much each characteristic contributed as a reason for their breakup. Pairwise Pearson correlations were used to determine the variance in breakup factors with participant age. A significant positive correlation was found between age and participants attributing their breakup to a lack of intimacy, demonstrating that older participants were more likely to attribute their breakups to this factor. A marginally significant negative correlation was found between age and loss of independence as a reason for dissolution, showing that younger participants were more likely to attribute their breakup to losing their independence than were older participants. The correlation between age and participants' attributing breakups to a partner cheating was marginally significant, such that older participants were more likely to attribute their breakup to cheating than were younger participants. Due to the lack of significant correlations found between the 15 coded breakup factors and age, it was determined that age does not have a major effect on what factors may lead partners to end a romantic relationship.
ContributorsGrassel, Savannah (Author) / Shiota, Lani (Thesis director) / Ha, Thao (Committee member) / Yee, Claire (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Prior studies have demonstrated the positive impact of touch on both individualand relational well-being. In contrast, a history of trauma is associated with reductions
in well-being. Post-traumatic stress disorder caused by prior interpersonal trauma (IPT)
may cause individuals to avoid interpersonal touch, which may lead to many negative
outcomes. Additionally, prior studies found that experiencing more post-traumatic stress
symptoms (PTSS) is linked with worse romantic relationship quality. Accordingly, higher
PTSS may be a pathway through which more IPT leads to fewer touch behaviors, more
touch aversion, and worse relationship quality. Participants were 543 English-speaking females (64.8% White; mean age 30.3 years) recruited through online survey systems Sona and Prolific. The following
measures were used: Cumulative Stress and Trauma Scale (IPT); Brennan Touch Scale
(touch aversion); the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PTSS); CSE Scale for Trauma (CSET);
Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (expressive suppression); and Perceived Relationship
Quality Component Index (relationship quality). Mediation and moderated mediation
models were analyzed using the PROCESS macro v.3.4 in SPSS v. 27. The major hypotheses were that 1) more IPT would lead to fewer touch behaviors, greater touch aversion, and worse relationship quality through its links to greater PTSS; and 2) the pathways between PTSS and the outcome variables would be moderated by
expressive suppression (strengthening the association) and trauma coping self-efficacy
(weakening the association). The results showed that the overall associations between IPT and touch behaviors
and between IPT and relationship quality were not significant, but the indirect links via
PTSS were significant. The association between IPT and touch aversion was significant,
but the addition of PTSS as a mediator made that association nonsignificant. When moderators were added, there were mixed outcomes. The moderation term for CSET on the PTSS to touch behaviors pathway was significant. Because touch is important for healthy relationships, therapies should focus on reducing touch aversion for people with a history of IPT and high PTSS. Furthermore, therapy focusing on improving CSET and reducing expressive suppression may help increase touch behaviors, reduce touch aversion, and improve relationship quality in individuals with IPT.
ContributorsMunson, Aubrie A (Author) / Burleson, Mary H (Thesis advisor) / Roberts, Nicole A (Committee member) / Hall, Deborah L (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Due to the prevalence of digital communication, the importance of digital communication for romantic relationship formation and maintenance, and the associations between online behavior and romantic conflict, it is important to investigate conflict enabled by and conducted through digital communication platforms. Additionally, because of the overrepresentation of self-report measures in studying online relational behavior, it is not known whether current methods of studying in-person conflict apply to digital conflict. The present study thus aimed to examine 1) the efficacy of participant-uploaded screenshots for observing online relationship experiences, and 2) the applicability of the adapted SPAFF coding system (D-SPAFF) to romantic dyadic digital communication. We found acceptable participant compliance and rich data was acquired using this method. We also found affective behavior in screenshots was related to similar concurrent and prospective relationship outcomes as found in the literature. Finally, there were a few unexpected affective behaviors related to relationship outcomes. Our study supports a nuanced theoretical framework for the investigation of online relationship interactions. Future research should continue to validate this method and investigate the unique affordances and mechanisms of digital interactions.
ContributorsTrimble, Ava (Author) / Mukarram, Maheeyah (Co-author) / Ha, Thao (Thesis director) / Quiroz, Selena (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
The current dissertation focused on the risks and rewards of the digital context in adolescent romantic relationships. Adolescent romantic relationships are a pivotal developmental milestone and a foundation for future relationship functioning. Thus, it is vital to understand how adolescents function within their romantic relationships to identify potential intervention points that can improve adolescents’ relationship skills. Adolescents frequently utilize technology within their relationships, with positive and negative implications. Thus, the digital context is an important area of research for adolescent romantic relationship functioning. The neo-ecological theory and the transformation framework help contextualize the digital context's impact on adolescent romantic relationships. The first study utilized two experiments to test the effects of an adolescent’s romantic partner hypothetically ”liking” a digital relationship threat’s Instagram post on their feelings of jealousy and digital dating abuse behaviors. Adolescents reported greater feelings of jealousy and engagement in digital dating abuse behaviors when their romantic partner “liked” a post from a different-gendered individual, and effects were exacerbated when that individual was high on attractiveness. While the digital context may serve as a risk context for adolescent relationships, the risk conferred may depend on the couple's functioning. Thus, the second study examined how sexting among adolescent couples was associated with their daily affect. Results demonstrate that while sexting may boost an adolescent’s affect on the same day, it is related to worse affect as the days pass. Lastly, the digital context can also be an external stressor that impacts the relationship. Thus, the third study examined how daily digital stress exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with late adolescent romantic couples’ substance use and mental health. This study examined actor and partner effects to assess the dyadic nature of stress contagion between romantic partners. This dissertation advances the current literature on associations between the digital context, adolescent development, and adolescent romantic relationship functioning.
ContributorsQuiroz, Selena (Author) / Ha, Thao (Thesis advisor) / Corbin, William R (Committee member) / McNeish, Daniel (Committee member) / Iida, Masumi (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
Prophylactic bilateral mastectomy (PBM) is the current recommended course of action for women with increased genetic risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Nevertheless, many receive negative feedback from family and friends surrounding the decision to undergo this surgery because they do not have cancer when the decision is made; this results in a limited support network for coping with their PBM. Low social support is associated with depression, negativity, and anxiety. Women who had a PBM, were currently undergoing or had completed reconstruction, and were in a committed romantic relationship at the time of the surgery were surveyed (N = 53). The hypotheses that women who received negative feedback about their decision to have a PBM would have poorer individual well-being, and that the use of a couples-based team approach would moderate these adverse effects were tested. Data analyses support the hypotheses that women in couples taking a team approach to PBM have better individual well-being. The effects of negative feedback from others about the decision to undergo a PBM on personal mental health were moderated by use of a couples-based team approach. Women who received negative feedback from multiple sources had better outcomes if they used a couples-based team approach. Many women have a preventative oophorectomy around the same time as their PBM. Menopause is associated with side effects such as increased vasomotor symptoms and decreased sexual functioning. The hypothesis that surgical menopause is related to declines in sexual satisfaction following PBM was also tested. Regression analysis revealed no relationship. This study indicates that women who experience social disapproval and lack collaborative support from their significant other may be at increased risk for poor individual well-being following PBM.
ContributorsGaytán, Jenelle A (Author) / Burleson, Mary H (Thesis advisor) / Roberts, Nicole A. (Committee member) / Mickelson, Krisitin D (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
Intimate relationship functioning and mental well-being are inherently linked; thus, for those with mental illness, such as social anxiety, intimate relationship functioning may be impaired. Research on the intimate relationships of those with social anxiety has often focused on emotion regulation, as emotions play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships and are a clear area of deficit among those with social anxiety. The current thesis had three primary aims: 1a) to examine individual emotion expressivity and 1b) interpersonal emotion regulation processes among individuals with varying levels of social anxiety; 2) to examine individual and interpersonal emotion regulation within romantic relationships; and, 3) to examine how individual emotion expressivity and interpersonal emotion regulation influence relationship health and intimacy among those with varying levels of social anxiety. For Aim 1, differences in individual emotion expressivity and interpersonal emotion regulation were analyzed using regression analyses with social anxiety as a continuous predictor. Analyses were also conducted using a dichotomous grouping (i.e., non-socially anxious and socially anxious) and conducting a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).
For Aim 2, the impact of individual and interpersonal emotion regulation processes on relationship health was examined using a series of regression analyses. Finally, Aim 3 was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results suggest those with social anxiety show specific, but not general, deficits in individual emotion expressivity and interpersonal emotion regulation, and both individual and interpersonal emotion regulation had positive effects on relationship health. Regarding the primary analyses, interpersonal emotion regulation fully mediated the association between individual emotion expressivity and relationship health. Further, although the strength of these paths varied between groups, the valence and general pattern of these findings were similar for both those with social anxiety and those without. The study provided novel insights into the role of interpersonal emotion regulation in relationship health, and extended previous findings on emotion regulation and relationship health among those with social anxiety.
For Aim 2, the impact of individual and interpersonal emotion regulation processes on relationship health was examined using a series of regression analyses. Finally, Aim 3 was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results suggest those with social anxiety show specific, but not general, deficits in individual emotion expressivity and interpersonal emotion regulation, and both individual and interpersonal emotion regulation had positive effects on relationship health. Regarding the primary analyses, interpersonal emotion regulation fully mediated the association between individual emotion expressivity and relationship health. Further, although the strength of these paths varied between groups, the valence and general pattern of these findings were similar for both those with social anxiety and those without. The study provided novel insights into the role of interpersonal emotion regulation in relationship health, and extended previous findings on emotion regulation and relationship health among those with social anxiety.
ContributorsSchodt, Kaitlyn Beatrice (Author) / Mickelson, Kristin D (Thesis advisor) / Burleson, Mary H (Committee member) / Roberts, Nicole A. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
In two complementary studies, I used an innovative ecological momentary assessment (EMA) design to examine associations between adolescents’ daily interactions with parents and peers and their mood states during two developmentally normative, yet demanding contexts: romantic relationships and the transition to college. The first study examined how adolescents’ daily romantic relationship experiences (e.g., romantic emotionality, conflict, affiliation) were related to negative affective states. Eighty-eight adolescent romantic couples (Mage = 16.74 , SD = 0.96; 44% Latina/o, 42% White) completed short electronic surveys twice-weekly for 12 weeks, which assessed their affective states and their relationship processes (24 total possible surveys). Results indicated that greater conflict and negative romantic emotionality predicted greater within-person fluctuations in same-day negative affect. Greater daily affiliation with a romantic partner predicted slightly lower levels of same-day negative affect; positive romantic emotionality did not significantly predict negative affect.
Study 2 examined first-year college students’ growth trajectories in positive and negative affect across the transition to college (i.e., spanning the entire first semester), predicted said trajectories and daily affective states. Participants were 146 first-year college students from a large southwestern university entering their first semester of college (Mage = 17.8, SD = 0.5). Electronic diary surveys were administered to students twice weekly between July and December of 2014, so as to span the transition to college and the entire first semester, and assessed daily affective states and interpersonal interactions. Results indicated that students decreased in their positive affect gradually across the first semester, but remained stable in their negative affect. Significant variability emerged around these average trends, and was predicted by indices of conflict and involvement with parents and friends. Generally, greater involvement with friends and parents was associated with greater positive and less negative affect, whereas greater conflict with these important social groups predicted greater negative affect. Together, these studies underscore the importance of positive attachments during developmentally-challenging contexts experienced in adolescence.
Study 2 examined first-year college students’ growth trajectories in positive and negative affect across the transition to college (i.e., spanning the entire first semester), predicted said trajectories and daily affective states. Participants were 146 first-year college students from a large southwestern university entering their first semester of college (Mage = 17.8, SD = 0.5). Electronic diary surveys were administered to students twice weekly between July and December of 2014, so as to span the transition to college and the entire first semester, and assessed daily affective states and interpersonal interactions. Results indicated that students decreased in their positive affect gradually across the first semester, but remained stable in their negative affect. Significant variability emerged around these average trends, and was predicted by indices of conflict and involvement with parents and friends. Generally, greater involvement with friends and parents was associated with greater positive and less negative affect, whereas greater conflict with these important social groups predicted greater negative affect. Together, these studies underscore the importance of positive attachments during developmentally-challenging contexts experienced in adolescence.
ContributorsRogers, Adam A (Author) / Updegraff, Kimberly A (Thesis advisor) / Ha, Thao (Committee member) / Iida, Masumi (Committee member) / Dishion, Thomas J (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017