The romantic relationships of adopted adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: There is a gap in the literature on the romantic relationships of adopted adolescents. To address this issue, the present study has three aims: (1) to explore differences between adopted and non-adopted adolescents in terms of their involvement in and the length of their romantic relationships; (2) to explore the quality of these relationships; and (3) to analyze associations between affective relationships and well-being in both groups. METHOD: The sample comprised 276 adopted (64.5% girls; mean age 16.3 years, 73.9% international adoptees) and 276 non-adopted (48.3% girls; mean age 16.3 years) adolescents, all of whom participated in the Spanish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey. RESULTS: Similar romantic relationship rates and lengths were found among adoptees and non-adoptees, as well as between international and domestic adoptees. Adoptees reported more emotional support and conflicts in their romantic relationships than their non-adopted peers. Finally, associations between the quality of the romantic relationships and well-being were similar for both groups, with more conflicts being linked to lower levels of well-being, and more emotional support and affection correlating with higher levels of well-being. DISCUSSION: The data suggest more similarities than differences between adopted and non-adopted adolescents. However, although this indicates that romantic relationships are yet another example of recovery for adopted boys and girls, further research is required, with larger and more diverse samples from multiple countries, to explore the differences observed in more detail.

Factors explaining the job satisfaction of home care workers who left their older care recipients in Israel.

There are high levels of turnover among home care workers. The study goal was to examine factors connected with job satisfaction of home care workers who resigned from their jobs. A survey (self-administered questionnaire) was conducted of 197 home care workers who resigned from their jobs with a home care agency in Jerusalem. Overall job satisfaction of the home care workers was low to moderate. Memory impairment of the care recipient and quality of the relationship between the care worker and the care recipient were significant in explaining overall and intrinsic job satisfaction of the workers. Functional status (activities of daily living) and the impact of the care recipient's cognitive status on the care worker were significant in explaining job benefit satisfaction. Home care workers who provide care to severely disabled and cognitively impaired older persons experience great work stress. They need ongoing support and training as well as better job benefits.

Cybersex and Attachment Styles: Proposal of the Emotional and Relational Aspects in Cybersex Activities (ERACA) Questionnaire.

The current study presents the development and the initial validation of a new questionnaire to assess individual differences in emotional and relational aspects related to cybersex activities (i.e., the ERACA). A total of 246 adults (105 females, mean age = 31.89 years, SD = 10.03) coming from the general adult population participated in the study. The items of the ERACA were developed considering the extant literature, and an exploratory factor analysis approach indicated a three-factor structure (i.e., the gratification of the Self through the objectification of other people, the gratification of the Self through relational aspects, betrayal, and infidelity). The associations between the dimensions of the ERACA and dimensional measures of both attachment styles and online sexual behaviors indicated that different aspects related to the quality of the relationships play a different role in individual differences concerning emotional and relational aspects of cybersex activities. The discussion emphasizes the potential usefulness of the ERACA questionnaire for both research purposes and from a health-promoting point of view.

YES, WE COPE: Dyadic Coping as a Mediator Between Perceived Relationship Quality and Emotional Representation of COVID-19.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about social changes that have impacted the functioning and dynamics of couples in a romantic relationship, arising from the overwhelming amount of added stress they have endured. Specifically, the divorce rate in Portugal has increased after lockdown, which underscores the adverse consequences of COVID-19 on couples. A lower quality of the couple's relationship may worsen the emotional representation of COVID-19; however, the literature suggests that perceived partner dyadic coping responses have a great influence on adverse events. The aim of the present study was to assess the mediating role of partner coping in the association between relationship quality and emotional representation of COVID-19. We also sought to observe whether the length of the relationship moderates this association. Methods: Participants (N = 528) were adults living in Portugal (84.7% female) currently in a romantic relationship with their current partner for at least 1 year. Online data collection. Results: We found that relationship quality predicted COVID-19 emotional representation, but this association was fully mediated by total dyadic coping. This association was especially significant in couples with a shorter length of time in the relationship. Conclusions: We point out the importance of dyadic coping as a protective factor against emotional distress to cope with the ongoing stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. These data suggest the need for relationship education programs that promote positive coping between partners. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10608-023-10379-4.

The change in children's subjective relational social cohesion with family and friends during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multinational analysis.

As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social-distancing measures have been implemented worldwide, including school closures. Previous studies indicated that children's relational social cohesion with family (RSC-Fa) and friends (RSC-Fr) may have decreased during the pandemic, but some children described that positive experiences were gained from the confinement measures of social distancing. Mostly, these studies are qualitative or capture a single country and have an exploratory character. Using data collected in 2021 of more than 20,000 children primarily aged 9-13 years as part of the International Children's Worlds COVID-19 Supplement Survey from 18 countries (Germany, Turkey, Bangladesh, Italy, Albania, Romania, Chile, Wales, Taiwan, Belgium, Algeria, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Indonesia, Estonia, Finland, and Spain), this study aimed to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected children's RSC-Fa and RSC-Fr and explore the role of relational factors. RSC-Fa and RSC-Fr are measured through satisfaction in relationships with family members and friends before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. We employed descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis. Our analyses confirmed the decrease in RSC-Fa and RSC-Fr, with a noticeably bigger decrease in RSC-Fr. Five profiles of change in RSC emerged: (1) gainers in both RSC; (2) gainers in RSC-Fa and decliners in RSC-Fr; (3) no change in either RSC; (4) decliners in RSC-Fa and gainers in RSC-Fr; and (5) decliners in both RSC. The quantity and quality of children's relationships differ by their profiles of change in RSC. For example, it was significantly more likely that "decliners in both RSC" had to be at home all day because of COVID-19 than "gainers in both RSC" or "no changers." Mainly, the quantity of relationship factors, and among different quality factors, only autonomy perceptions, help to explain the children belonging to the "gainers in both RSC" profile compared to the "no changers." Meanwhile, almost all the quantity and quality of relationships factors help to explain children's belonging to the "decliners in both RSC" profile compared to "no changers." In conclusion, our study confirmed the importance of keeping schools open to protect the RSC of children.

Predictors of Quality-of-Care Provided by Migrant Live-In Caregivers of Frail older Persons: A Cross-Sectional Study.

We examined the association between employment-related characteristics and the quality-of-care migrant live-in caregivers provide to older care-recipients. Structured interviews were conducted with 115 migrant live-in caregivers, 72 older care-recipients, and 117 relatives of care-recipients. We conducted correlations among dependent (quality-of-care), independent (quality of relationship between caregiver and informant, caregiver perception of work, and problematic employment conditions), and demographic variables, and performed a path analysis by conducting a series of multiple regressions. Quality-of-care was most highly correlated with quality of relationship between informant and caregiver. Quality of relationship was predicted by caregiver perceptions of work, which was negatively predicted by problematic employment conditions. In the relatives-based model, quality of relationship was significantly better when the care-receiver was female and the care-recipient needed more assistance with activities of daily living. The study clarifies the role of caregiver work characteristics for quality-of-care and highlights the crucial role of the relationship with the care-recipient.

Link between Financial Management Behaviours and Quality of Relationship and Overall Life Satisfaction among Married and Cohabiting Couples: Insights from Application of Artificial Neural Networks.

BACKGROUND: To explain the link between household finances and the quality of the relationship between married or cohabitating partners and their life satisfaction, the Family Stress Model (FSM) was used and placed within the theoretical framework of the Couples and Finances Theory (CFT). METHODS: The measures used to examine the relationship between partners were the Financial Management Behaviour Scale, the Marriage Questionnaire (KDM-2) adapted to a version for cohabitating couples, The Shared Goals and Values Scale, Harsh Start-up Scale, and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). In order to find out the relationship between variables, artificial neural networks (ANN) were applied. The research was conducted on a sample of 500 couples living in Poland (384 married and 116 cohabitating couples). RESULTS: The results indicate that overall life satisfaction is most influenced by fundamental, direct, current ways of dealing with the daily financial routine and by saving and investing behaviours. Credit management and insurance behaviours are the most important for the quality of the relationship between partners. CONCLUSIONS: The research shows that financial management behaviours have an impact on the quality of relationships as well as on the subjective well-being of people in a relationship, and their relationship dynamics. This finding may be used to highlight the psychological importance of financial management behaviours.