"No, It's You:" Dyadic perceived need for change predicts relationship education outcomes.

Relationship education (RE) efforts have been shown to help couples and individuals with a variety of family relationships. However, much still needs to be identified in terms of what factors are salient to outcomes. Drawing on therapeutic models of change, we have identified perceived need for change as one such potential factor. Using data from a couple RE course (n = 447 couples), we assessed how dyadic congruence and average ratings of each partner's need for change were associated with change in three RE outcomes: knowledge, communication, and commitment. In general, the more partners perceived that their partner needed to change, above and beyond what their partner thought, the less change occurred. Implications for RE programming and implementation are discussed, as well as the potential role of therapeutic models and techniques in RE.

An Actor-Partner interdependence model of parenting difficulties over time in stepfamilies.

Little research has examined the potential spillover of parenting difficulties in the coparental stepfamily subsystem. Using family systems theory as a guide, we longitudinally examined: (a) whether early parenting difficulties within stepfamilies persist 1 year later and (b) whether the parenting difficulties experienced by one partner impact the parenting difficulties of the other partner within remarriages. Copies of marriage licenses were used to identify remarried individuals. Surveys were mailed out, with follow-up surveys mailed a year later, resulting in a sample of 676 remarried couples (the majority of which were White and college educated). The sample was split into three groups, according to stepfamily constellation: (a) families with a stepfather and biological mother; (b) families with a biological father and a stepmother; and (c) families with both stepfathers and stepmothers. We estimated three different actor-partner interdependence models (APIM), one for each group. Consistent with family systems theory, our findings showed that parenting and stepparenting difficulties were interrelated, though gendered in effect. All parenting and stepparenting difficulties displayed actor effects, suggesting that parenting difficulties persist 1 year later. However, the only cross-spouse influences (partner effects) were such that the mother's parenting difficulties (of her own biological children) were predicted by the father's parenting and stepparenting difficulties, and these differed by stepfamily constellation. Implications regarding gendered expectations, the importance of the coparenting subsystem in stepfamilies, early establishment of parental boundaries, and the (potentially important) inclusion of the stepfather in the parenting dynamics are discussed.

A strong relationality view of mindfulness and flourishing I-Thou relations: A dyadic analysis.

Despite the increasing popularity of mindfulness and research concerning its role in relationships, there is limited strongly relational theoretical discussion explaining the role of mindfulness in intimate couple relationships. In this article, we articulate a strongly relational view of the role of mindfulness in couple relationships. We then empirically test theoretically relevant associations using dyadic data (N = 514 heterosexual couples) from couples in the U.S. and Canada. In Study 1, we evaluated a model with male and female mindfulness predicting couple relational-connectivity (a sense of friendship, intimacy, and belonging) through couple responsible actions (behaviors intentionally enacted to strengthen couple connection), which indicated a fully mediated effect; the influence of male and female mindfulness on couple relational-connectivity was fully accounted for by associations with couple responsible actions (indirect standardized betas of .08). With a subsample of 120 of these couples, in Study 2 we used a daily diary design to explore how mindfulness was associated with ethical responsiveness (a tendency to respond benevolently to a perceived need), responsible actions, and relational-connectivity at the within-person level. Study 1 results were reinforced, showing stronger associations in these within-person analyses (indirect standardized betas of .21 and .23). In conceptualizing individual mindfulness and ethical responsiveness as dimensions of a more relational form of mindfulness, one way by which mindfulness may influence couples' relational-connectivity is through its influence on responsible actions. These results provide initial support for using a strongly relational paradigm to understand the role of mindfulness in intimate couple relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Economic distress and perceptions of sexual intimacy in remarriage.

Introduction: Economic distress and the relationship stability of remarried couples has been subject to some exploration, but less emphasis has been placed on how economic distress among remarried couples impacts other relationship domains, particularly sexual intimacy. Methods: Through the lens of multidimensional family development theory (MFDT), this study utilizes longitudinal data over a three-year period to examine the links between economic distress, couple engagement, relationship satisfaction, and perceptions of sexual intimacy among remarried couples (n = 1,161 couples; 97% White). Results: Through a dyadic structural equation model, results showed that wives' report of economic distress was directly related to their self-rejection of a partner's sexual advances. Findings also revealed gender differences in how both relationship satisfaction and couple engagement influenced one to accept or reject their partner's sexual advances, with couple engagement acting as a significant predictor for wives. Relationship satisfaction was also found to explain (i.e., mediate) the relation between economic distress and sexual intimacy, but only for husbands. Discussion: Implications for further research and interventions designed to strengthen the relationships of remarried couples dealing with economic distress and intimacy issues are offered.