Matching Items (14)
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- All Subjects: Counseling psychology
- Creators: Randall, Ashley K.
Description
Individuals in a romantic relationship may avoid discussing certain topics with their partner, often to avoid relational and emotional risk. This strategy is known as topic avoidance and may be an important factor for individuals in turbulent romantic relationship to consider due to the importance of communicating with a partner. The associations between characteristics such as openness, relationship satisfaction, and perceived partner unresponsiveness, and topic avoidance have not been directly studied within dogmatism literature. However, dogmatism, defined as a person’s relative openness (or closedness) to new information, may be an important construct associated with topic avoidance that strengthens the associations between perceived partner unresponsiveness, and topic avoidance, and weakens the association between openness, relationship satisfaction, and topic avoidance. Using data from 334 individuals in romantic relationships, results revealed that perceived partner unresponsiveness was positively associated with State of the Relationship, relationship satisfaction was positively associated with Conflict-Inducing and Negative Life Experiences, such that as scores on relationship satisfaction and perceived partner unresponsiveness increased, topic avoidance scores also increased. Openness was not associated with Topic Avoidance. Additionally, as predicted, dogmatism moderated the association between relationship satisfaction and State of the Relationship Topic Avoidance, the associations between perceived partner unresponsiveness and State of the Relationship Topic Avoidance and Negative Life Experiences Topic Avoidance. This research has important implications for clinicians working with individuals who present with relational concerns
and exhibit dogmatic behavior. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
and exhibit dogmatic behavior. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
ContributorsMikel, Lindsay (Author) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis advisor) / Bludworth, James (Committee member) / Guerrero, Laura (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
Intercultural couples -partners from two different countries- may face increased levels of stress within their relationship (internal stress). Internal stress can negatively impact relationship satisfaction, whereas developing healthy ways to cope (dyadic coping; DC) can lower stress levels and improve relationship satisfaction (e.g., Bodenmann, 2005). Specifically, it may be important for partners to perceive that their partner as supporting them during times of stress through engaging in DC. This study examined whether intercultural couples experience internal stress and what effects, if any, perceived partner engagement in DC had on their reported relationship satisfaction. Cross-sectional data was gathered from 85 couples and was analyzed using Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIMs; Kenny & Cook, 1999). Separate APIMs were conducted to examine the association between the independent variables (perceived partner engagement in: positive DC, negative DC, delegated DC, and supportive DC) and the outcome variables of internal stress and relationship satisfaction, while controlling for years each partner lived in their country of birth, average and differences on identification with individualism-collectivism values and behaviors, and if partners did or did not identify as the same race and/or ethnicity. Additionally, APIMs of internal stress on relationship as moderated by perceived partner positive and negative DC were conducted. Results showed significant associations of all independent variables on internal stress and relationship satisfaction. There were no signification interactions between internal stress and DC on relationship satisfaction. Implications for relationship researchers and mental health professionals working with intercultural couples are discussed.
ContributorsHolzapfel, Jennifer L (Author) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis advisor) / Tran, Giac-Thao (Committee member) / Spanierman, Lisa (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
Descriptions of gray divorce often include consequences for young adult children who are increasingly being left to cope with their parents’ decision. Adult children of divorce may experience different stressors and reactions than younger children especially during holidays; moreover, their increased social awareness leaves their parental relationship vulnerable to rupture as a result of pressure to choose sides. Interventions for helping young adults cope with their parents’ break-up are rarely described, much less evaluated. An online delivery format would be especially well-suited given the possibility of in-home participation at any time of day with privacy assured and negligible cost. We thus developed and experimentally evaluated Transitions, a two week internet-based program organized around a classic stress inoculation framework. The goals of Transitions are to foster stress-coping skills and to improve parent-child relationships throughout the divorce process. Our study was restricted to young adult college students (N = 95) who had experienced parental separation or divorce within the past year, and who were not receiving psychological services elsewhere. Participants were screened and randomly assigned to experimental and delayed-treatment control conditions; a priori analyses indicated sufficient power to detect large effects. During the first week of Transitions, participants received psychoeducation, training in progressive muscle relaxation, and a cognitive restructuring curriculum derived from Ellis and Beck. The second week began with a review and then introduced mindfulness meditation and communication skills. Practice sessions were embedded throughout the curriculum and simulations were specific to experiences of parental divorce. Videos of young college graduates sharing personal stories about their parents’ divorce were streamed between each module. Comprehension of the content presented in Transitions was monitored and coded for partial or full completion of the program. Outcome measures were keyed to the nature of the clinical problem and interventions deployed. A repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance (RM-MANOVA) yielded a significant interaction. Univariate follow-up ANOVAs showed significant improvement relative to controls on stress but not on relationship variables. Neither moderator nor intent-to-treat analyses altered this outcome pattern. Future research will focus on refining the stress reduction components of Transitions and improving its impact on relationships with parents.
ContributorsShanholtz, Caroline (Author) / Horan, John J (Thesis advisor) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis advisor) / Homer, Judith (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
With the establishment of the emerging adult developmental period and the rise of helicopter parents, attachment theory provides foundation for conceptualizing the continued involvement of helicopter parents in their emerging adults’ emotion regulation processes. This study utilized dyadic data from 66 emerging adult children and their helicopter parents to examine the association of helicopter parent-emerging adult communication in mitigating the associations between experiences of affect and stress. Specifically, the purpose of the present study was to use dyadic data to examine how communication within the helicopter parent-emerging adult relationship associates with emerging adults’ ability to regulate experiences of negative and positive affect. Both associations within the emerging adult and helicopter parent individually (actor effects) and how helicopter parents impact construct associations for emerging adults’ (partner effects) were considered.
Two multilevel mediation models using Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were conducted to assess the relations between affect, stress, and helicopter parent-emerging adult communication quality for negative and positive affect separately. The positive direct effect between negative affect and stress was statistically significant for emerging adults, but not for helicopter parents, suggesting that, for emerging adults, higher perceptions of negative affect were associated with higher levels of stress. The direct and indirect effects for the mediation model examining actor and partner effects between negative affect, communication quality, and stress were non-significant for both emerging adults and helicopter parents. The direct effect between positive affect and stress was statistically significant for helicopter parents but not for emerging adults; however, the directionality of the significant association was positive and not as hypothesized. Finally, the direct and indirect effects for the mediation model examining actor and partner effects between positive affect, communication quality, and stress were non-significant for emerging adults and helicopter parents. Considerations for future studies examining aspects of attachment within emotion regulation for the helicopter parent-emerging adult relationship and the importance of considering relationship characteristics, such the relational characteristics of social support and conflict, are discussed.
Two multilevel mediation models using Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were conducted to assess the relations between affect, stress, and helicopter parent-emerging adult communication quality for negative and positive affect separately. The positive direct effect between negative affect and stress was statistically significant for emerging adults, but not for helicopter parents, suggesting that, for emerging adults, higher perceptions of negative affect were associated with higher levels of stress. The direct and indirect effects for the mediation model examining actor and partner effects between negative affect, communication quality, and stress were non-significant for both emerging adults and helicopter parents. The direct effect between positive affect and stress was statistically significant for helicopter parents but not for emerging adults; however, the directionality of the significant association was positive and not as hypothesized. Finally, the direct and indirect effects for the mediation model examining actor and partner effects between positive affect, communication quality, and stress were non-significant for emerging adults and helicopter parents. Considerations for future studies examining aspects of attachment within emotion regulation for the helicopter parent-emerging adult relationship and the importance of considering relationship characteristics, such the relational characteristics of social support and conflict, are discussed.
ContributorsWalsh, Kelsey J (Author) / Robinson Kurpius, Sharon E. (Thesis advisor) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis advisor) / Pereira, Jennifer K. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Stress in romantic relationships is an all-too-common phenomenon that has detrimental effects on relationship well-being. Specifically, stress can increase partners’ negative interactions, ultimately decreasing effective communication and overall relationship functioning. Positive dyadic coping (DC) occurs when one partner assists the other in coping with stress (e.g. empathizing or helping the partner problem-solve solutions to their stress), and has been proposed as a method of buffering the deleterious effect of stress on interaction quality. One possible mechanism between the positive associations between DC and interaction quality could be how partners verbally express their support (e.g., more we-talk) during discussions about external stress. Using real-time interaction data from 40 heterosexual couples, this project examined whether observed positive and negative DC was associated with greater (or lesser) levels of perceived interaction quality. Further, language use (i.e., pronouns, emotion words, cognition words) was assessed as mediators in the associations between DC and interaction quality. Overall, results suggested that language did not mediate the effect of DC on interaction quality; however, there were several interesting links between DC, language, and interaction quality. Implications of these findings for relationship researchers and mental health clinicians working with couples are discussed.
ContributorsLau, Kin Hang (Author) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis advisor) / Duran, Nicholas (Committee member) / Pereira, Jennifer (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) individuals are exposed to specific stressors due to their sexual minority status. One such stressor may result from the negative family reactions to one’s romantic partner. Encountering this stress may be especially harmful for LGB individuals’ emotional well-being, as it could be considered a “double rejection”: that of their partner and possibly their own sexual orientation. The stress surrounding family members’ negative attitudes about their partner may affect how one feels about their partner. Furthermore, there may be individual differences that affect how an individual may perceive and respond to this stress. Specifically, one’s attachment style could either exacerbate (anxious) or weaken (avoidant) the experiences of stress, which may influence the emotions they feel about their partner. Using 14-day daily diary data from 81 same-sex couples, the purpose of this study was to examine whether there was an association between daily perceptions of stress via negative family reactions to partner and negative partner-related emotions, and whether attachment insecurity (anxiety and avoidance) moderated this association. Individuals’ perceptions of stress via negative family reactions was found to be positively associated with their reports of negative emotions about one’s partner. Anxious and avoidant attachment did not moderate the association between perceptions of stress and negative emotions due to one’s partner. The finding suggests this specific stressor on negative emotions due to partner may be an intrapersonal process, in which case couple therapists can increase clients’ awareness of this stress and how it impacts their feelings towards their romantic partner.
ContributorsBorders, Jessica (Author) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis advisor) / Pereira, Jennifer K (Committee member) / Mendoza, Natasha S (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
As women enter STEM fields they are often presented with chilly climates. The chilly climate refers to incidents of sexism, isolation, and pressure to prove themselves to peers and higher level academics (Callister, 2006; Hall & Sandler, 1982). For women of color, the status of being a double minority can intensify the psychological distress experienced by students (Joseph, 2012; Ong, 2011; Malcom, Hall, & Brown, 1976). For minority populations in STEM, loneliness is experienced due to lack of belonging and social isolation (Morris & Daniel, 2008; Walton & Cohen, 2007). This study sought to investigate whether social support could serve as a protective factor in the negative relationship between loneliness and psychological well-being (Cohen, 2004; Lawson, 2001; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) for those who hold a minority status. In addition, this study explored differences in the associations between loneliness, social support, and psychological well being and whether or not the moderation relationships were different for sub-groups based on gender or ethnic minority status. Cross-sectional data from 205 STEM graduate students was collected through an online study. A hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the buffering effects (Barron & Kenny, 1986) of global social support (total support from friends, family, and significant others) and family social support specifically. Model results suggested that global social support buffers the negative associations between loneliness and psychological well-being for less lonely minority participants in the study. Family social support buffered the associations of loneliness on psychological well-being for men with less loneliness. An unexpected finding in the present study revealed that for men and non –minority participants with high loneliness, psychological well-being decreased as family support increased. These results highlight the need for further research exploring through which mechanisms social support works as a buffer against loneliness in the sub-groups within STEM graduate student populations. The findings of this study could inform practices focused on the recruitment and retention of underrepresented STEM graduate students.
ContributorsAnderson, Mercedes (Author) / Bernstein, Bianca L. (Thesis advisor) / Randall, Ashley K. (Committee member) / Tracey, Terence (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
The demands and expectations of graduate school can be stressful for any student. Graduate students in a romantic relationship, in particular, contend with both individual and dyadic effects of graduate school stress, as stress has been found to be negatively associated with both individual and relational well-being. Asymmetrical graduate student couples, wherein one partner is in graduate school and the other is not, may be particularly vulnerable to relationship strain because of differences in their experience of graduate school. However, non-student partners can help the graduate student cope with stress through dyadic coping. This study sought to examine whether: a) there were associations between graduate school stress on individual (life satisfaction) and relational (relationship satisfaction) well-being, and b) whether these associations were moderated by positive and negative dyadic coping behaviors. Cross-sectional data from 62 asymmetrical graduate student couples were gathered using an online survey. Data were analyzed using Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (Kenny, Kashy, & Cook 2006). Separate models were conducted to examine overall associations between graduate stress and well-being, and additional analyses were conducted to examine potential moderation effects of perceptions of partner dyadic coping (actor effects) and partner self-reported dyadic coping (partner effects) on the overall associations between stress and life- and relationship satisfaction mentioned above. Results for the overall model suggested that graduate stress is associated with both individual- and relational well-being. Surprisingly, and against prior literature, positive dyadic coping did not buffer the negative association between graduate stress and well-being, and negative dyadic coping did not exacerbate the association. Implications of the findings for future research and for mental health counselors are discussed.
ContributorsSegraves, Megan C (Author) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis advisor) / Bernstein, Bianca (Committee member) / Kurpius, Sharon (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Being married as an undergraduate student is uncommon, considering the average age people marry in the U.S. is 28-years-old. Given that the “traditional” undergraduate student is unmarried, being a married undergraduate student may be associated with the anticipation of stigma due to their marital status, which may be a stressful experience (hereafter-anticipated stigma stress) and have harmful effects on one’s well-being, particularly symptoms of anxiety. As such, it is important to identify ways in which romantic partners can help one another cope with this unique stressor by engaging in positive or negative dyadic coping (DC). Using cross-sectional data from 151 married undergraduate students, this project examined whether perceptions of partner’s positive and negative DC moderated the association between anticipated stigma stress and symptoms of anxiety. There was a significant main effect of anticipated stigma stress on anxiety, such that higher anticipated stigma stress was associated with greater symptoms of anxiety. Delegated DC moderated this association, such that when participants reported high levels of anticipated stigma stress, those who reported higher partner’s use of delegated DC also reported higher symptoms of anxiety as compared to those who reported low partner’s use of delegated DC. Implications for future research and mental health counselors are discussed.
ContributorsMesserschmitt, Shelby (Author) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis advisor) / Pereira, Jennifer (Committee member) / Kinnier, Richard (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Applying interdependence and critical consciousness theories, this study adopted a two-phase sequential explanatory mixed-methods design with dyadic data to examine three overarching research questions on Asian-White interracial heterosexual couples’ well-being, in particular, psychological distress and relationship satisfaction. First, as part of Phase 1, this study examined actor and partner associations between perceived blatant or subtle racism against the Asian partner and well-being. Second, whether critical consciousness moderated the associations between perceived racism and well-being was examined. Third, as part of Phase 2, this study engaged participants to interpret how critical consciousness may have shaped their own and their partner’s well-being in the face of racism.
In Phase 1, 191 self-identified Asian-White interracial heterosexual couples (N = 382 individuals) completed an online survey. In Phase 2, a subsample of eight couples (n = 16 individuals) purposefully selected from Phase 1 completed semi-structured individual interviews (Mlength = 79 minutes). Results from Actor-Partner Interdependence Models revealed positive actor associations between perceived blatant and subtle racism with psychological distress for both Asian and White partners, and a negative actor association between perceived subtle racism and relationship satisfaction for White partners. Asian partners’ higher critical consciousness placed them at risk for greater psychological distress and lower relationship satisfaction if they perceived more frequent blatant racism; however, White partner’s critical consciousness mitigated the positive associations between Asian partners’ perceived blatant or subtle racism and psychological distress. Thematic analysis for multiple perspective interviews from Phase 2 highlighted that both Asian and White partners perceived racism as intersectional and manifesting at interpersonal, relational, and systemic levels. Participants highlighted the eroding effects of subtle racism in comparison to blatant racism and how higher critical consciousness facilitated White partners to empathize with and support Asian partners to cope with the negative impact of racism.
This study offers an empirical understanding of Asian-White interracial heterosexual couples’ well-being in a relationship context. Counseling psychologists and other mental health professionals working with couples can draw from this study’s implications to promote critical consciousness in White partners and enhance communication on racism-related topics to promote both Asian and White partners’ well-being.
In Phase 1, 191 self-identified Asian-White interracial heterosexual couples (N = 382 individuals) completed an online survey. In Phase 2, a subsample of eight couples (n = 16 individuals) purposefully selected from Phase 1 completed semi-structured individual interviews (Mlength = 79 minutes). Results from Actor-Partner Interdependence Models revealed positive actor associations between perceived blatant and subtle racism with psychological distress for both Asian and White partners, and a negative actor association between perceived subtle racism and relationship satisfaction for White partners. Asian partners’ higher critical consciousness placed them at risk for greater psychological distress and lower relationship satisfaction if they perceived more frequent blatant racism; however, White partner’s critical consciousness mitigated the positive associations between Asian partners’ perceived blatant or subtle racism and psychological distress. Thematic analysis for multiple perspective interviews from Phase 2 highlighted that both Asian and White partners perceived racism as intersectional and manifesting at interpersonal, relational, and systemic levels. Participants highlighted the eroding effects of subtle racism in comparison to blatant racism and how higher critical consciousness facilitated White partners to empathize with and support Asian partners to cope with the negative impact of racism.
This study offers an empirical understanding of Asian-White interracial heterosexual couples’ well-being in a relationship context. Counseling psychologists and other mental health professionals working with couples can draw from this study’s implications to promote critical consciousness in White partners and enhance communication on racism-related topics to promote both Asian and White partners’ well-being.
ContributorsTao, Chun (Author) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis advisor) / Tracey, Terence JG (Committee member) / Yoo, Hyung Chol (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020