National Couples' Health and Time Study: Sample, Design, and Weighting.

The National Couples' Health and Time Study (NCHAT) is the first fully powered, population-representative study of couples in America containing large samples of sexual, gender, and racial and ethnic diverse individuals. Drawn from the Gallup Panel and the Gallup Recontact Sample, when weighted, the data are population representative of individuals in the United States who (1) are married or cohabiting, (2) are between 20 and 60, (3) speak English or Spanish, and (4) have internet access. The data were collected between September 2020 and April 2021 in the midst of a global pandemic as well as racial and political upheaval. NCHAT includes surveys of 3,642 main respondents and 1,515 partners along with time diaries. We describe the sampling process, challenges weighting a diverse population-representative samples, and sociodemographic characteristics of the NCHAT study. These data will provide opportunities for new research on the health and well-being of American families.

The helping older people engage (HOPE) study: Protocol & COVID modifications for a randomized trial.

Objectives: Evidence-based strategies to reduce loneliness in later life are needed because loneliness impacts all domains of health, functioning, and quality of life. Volunteering is a promising strategy, as a large literature of observational studies documents associations between volunteering and better health and well-being. However, relatively few studies have used randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to examine benefits of volunteering, and none have examined loneliness. The primary objective of the Helping Older People Engage (HOPE) study is to examine the social-emotional benefits of a social volunteering program for lonely older adults. This manuscript describes the rationale and design of the trial. Methods: We are randomly assigning adults aged 60 or older (up to 300) who report loneliness to 12 months of either AmeriCorps Seniors volunteering program or an active control (self-guided life review). Co-primary outcomes are assessed via self-report-loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale) and quality of life (WHOQOL-Bref). Enrollment was completed in May 2022 and follow-up assessments will continue through May 2023, with completion of primary outcomes soon thereafter. Conclusions: Since older adults who report loneliness are less likely to actively seek out volunteering opportunities, if results support efficacy of volunteering for reducing loneliness, dissemination and scaling up efforts may involve connecting primary care patients who are lonely with AmeriCorps Seniors through aging services agencies.This RCT is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03343483).

Community-Driven Identification and Adaptation of a Cancer Caregiving Intervention for LGBTQIA Populations.

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other LGBTQIA cancer patients experience significant disparities in cancer-related outcomes. Their relationships may not be acknowledged in care systems designed to serve primarily heterosexual and cisgender (H/C) patients, and resources for partners and caregivers of H/C patients may not address the needs of LGBTQIA caregivers. Tailored interventions are needed to address disparities in LGBTQIA patients and caregivers. Methods: To address this gap, researchers from Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, MI and Wilmot Cancer Institute in Rochester, NY worked with a cancer action council (CAC) of LGBTQIA stakeholders with lived experience of cancer in a community-academic partnership. This group used the ADAPT-ITT model to guide their process of assessing needs in this community, identifying evidence-based interventions that could be adapted to meet those needs, and beginning the process of adapting an existing intervention to meet the needs of a new population. Results: In the Assessment phase of the model, CAC members shared their own experiences and concerns related to cancer and identified cancer caregiving as a priority area for intervention. In the Decision-Making phase of the model, researchers and CAC members performed a review of the literature on interventions that reported outcomes for cancer caregiver, identifying 13 promising interventions. Each of these interventions was evaluated over a series of meetings using a scoring rubric. Based on this rubric, the FOCUS intervention was established as an appropriate target for adaptation to the LGBTQIA population. In the first stage of the Adaptation phase, CAC members reacted to the intervention content and identified principal components for adaptation. Conclusion: While the FOCUS intervention adaptation is still in process, this manuscript can serve as a guide for others establishing community-academic partnerships to adapt interventions, as well as those developing interventions and resources for LGBTQIA persons coping with cancer.

Family-of-origin rejection on suicidal ideation among a sexual minority sample.

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. Among sexual minority populations, suicide risk is elevated; this can be explained by minority stress. One such source of minority stress is family-of-origin rejection, a known risk factor for suicide among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents; however, less is known about this association among sexual minority adults. While navigating the intersection of minority stress theory and the interpersonal theory of suicide, this study sought to evaluate the impact of family-of-origin rejection distress on suicidal ideation among a sample of adults with marginalized sexual orientations. Recruited for two larger studies, 325 LGB participants (64.3% cisgender, 35.7% transgender or nonbinary) completed an online survey concerning minority stressors, depressive symptoms, and suicide. Using cross-sectional mediation analysis, family-of-origin rejection distress was indirectly associated with suicidal thoughts through depressive symptoms. Clinical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Progress monitoring with couple clients.

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to assess differences in treatment progress in couple who were in a treatment as usual condition or a progress monitoring condition. Previous research has suggested that progress monitoring is useful for couples, but that research did not include change in relationship satisfaction over time. Method: Using a sample of 130 couples who sought services at an on-campus training clinic, treatment satisfaction, progress, alliance and relationship satisfaction data over the first four sessions of treatment were analyzed with couples in two conditions. In the treatment as usual condition, neither the couple nor their therapist were provided with that information. In the feedback condition, the therapist shared the after-session feedback data in the form of graphs with the couple. Results: The results were mixed. There was little evidence that the feedback condition resulted in clients staying in treatment longer or ending treatment with agreement more often than clients in the TAU condition. Increases in relationship satisfaction, especially for female partners, were decreased in the feedback condition when male partners had higher trauma scores.. Conclusion: It may be important for clinicians to consider what information they share with couple clients when using progress monitoring.

A Primer for the Use of Multilevel Models in Couple and Family Therapy Research.

This article serves as a primer for understanding how to use multilevel modeling (MLM) techniques in couple and family therapy outcome and process research. It outlines the use of HLM and Mplus-two of many software programs that can perform multilevel modeling-and provides an applied example of using MLM to investigate the use of postsession feedback on couple satisfaction and change, as well as the influence of trauma on the use of postsession feedback. Two graduate students in COAMFTE accredited PhD programs read the primer and provided questions to the first author that arose. Answers to these questions have been incorporated throughout the explanation of this methodological approach in hopes of addressing common stuck points for those using MLM.

Differentiation: Moderator or mediator for change in satisfaction in the early sessions of couple therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether differentiation served as a moderator or a mediator for the association between initial levels of distress in couple members and change in satisfaction in the early sessions of couple therapy. Based on the call for more process research in couple and family therapy completed in naturalistic settings, the data from this study came from a larger ongoing data collection at an on-campus training clinic. METHOD: One hundred and seven couples completed intake questionnaires and after-session questionnaires for the first four sessions of couple therapy. RESULTS: Using a latent profile analysis for couple differentiation scores and then using a group comparison procedure to test the associations between initial levels of depressive symptoms and stress and change in relationship satisfaction, some evidence of moderation was demonstrated. Using an Actor Partner Interdependence model with mediation, there was no evidence of mediation. CONCLUSIONS: Findings are discussed in the context of Bowen Family Systems Theory and extant process literature.

Simulation of multiple personalities: a review of research comparing diagnosed and simulated dissociative identity disorder.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) has long been surrounded by controversy due to disagreement about its etiology and the validity of its associated phenomena. Researchers have conducted studies comparing people diagnosed with DID and people simulating DID in order to better understand the disorder. The current research presents a systematic review of this DID simulation research. The literature consists of 20 studies and contains several replicated findings. Replicated differences between the groups include symptom presentation, identity presentation, and cognitive processing deficits. Replicated similarities between the groups include interidentity transfer of information as shown by measures of recall, recognition, and priming. Despite some consistent findings, this research literature is hindered by methodological flaws that reduce experimental validity.

A review of published research on adult dissociative identity disorder: 2000-2010.

The purpose of this study was to assess the scientific and etiological status of dissociative identity disorder (DID) by examining cases published from 2000 to 2010. In terms of scientific status, DID is a small but ongoing field of study. The review yielded 21 case studies and 80 empirical studies, presenting data on 1171 new cases of DID. A mean of 9 articles, each containing a mean of 17 new cases of DID, emerged each year. In terms of etiological status, many of the central criticisms of the disorder's validity remain unaddressed. Most cases of DID emerged from a small number of countries and clinicians. In addition, documented cases occurring outside treatment were almost nonexistent. Finally, people simulating DID in the laboratory were mostly indistinguishable from individuals with DID. Overall, DID is still a topic of study, but the research lacks the productivity and focus needed to resolve ongoing controversies surrounding the disorder.