Women and Men are the Barometers of Relationships: Testing the Predictive Power of Women's and Men's Relationship Satisfaction.

There is a longstanding belief in relationship science and popular opinion that women are the barometers in mixed-gender relationships such that their perceptions about the partnership carry more weight than men's in predicting future relationship satisfaction, but this idea has yet to be rigorously tested. We analyze data from two studies to test within-person links between men's and women's relationship satisfaction on their own and their partner's next-day and next-year satisfaction. Study 1 combined nine daily diary datasets from Canada and the United States with 901 mixed-gender couples who provided 29,541 daily reports of relationship satisfaction. Study 2 analyzed five annual waves of data from the German Family Panel (pairfam) that surveyed 3,405 mixed-gender couples who provided 21,115 relationship satisfaction reports. Latent curve models with structured residuals (LCM-SR) revealed that in both studies, men's and women's relationship satisfaction significantly predicted their own and their partner's relationship satisfaction, with no gender differences in the magnitude of these effects. Results underscore the interdependence of romantic partners' satisfaction and indicate that both men and women jointly shape romantic relationship satisfaction.

Predictors of change in relationship satisfaction among Black postpartum mothers.

The transition to parenthood can be a challenging time for the relationships of new parents and result in declines in relationship satisfaction. Although a robust literature has identified characteristics that predict changes in relationship satisfaction during this period, the relationships of Black mothers postpartum remain understudied. To address this gap, we examined a set of relational, individual, and external characteristics as predictors of relationship satisfaction trajectories over the first four months postpartum. First-time Black mothers (N = 93, 22.6% married, 52.7% cohabiting, 24.7% not cohabiting) reported on relational, individual, and external characteristics at 1 week postpartum and their relationship satisfaction at 1, 8, and 16 weeks postpartum. Mothers who reported more commitment and partner support were higher in initial satisfaction, as were mothers who were married or cohabiting with a partner (relative to mothers who were not cohabiting with their partner). Mothers with clinically significant depressive symptoms at 1 week postpartum had lower initial relationship satisfaction than mothers without clinically significant depressive symptoms. Mothers' sleep difficulties and experiences of racial discrimination were associated with changes in relationship satisfaction over time; mothers experiencing more sleep difficulties and racial discrimination experienced larger declines in satisfaction. These findings offer new insights into risk and protective factors associated with relationship satisfaction among Black mothers during the early postpartum period and can inform multicomponent interventions to enhance their relationship functioning.

Mental health profiles of depressive symptoms and personal well-being among active-duty military families.

Although some research has examined the mental health of individual family members in military families, additional research is needed that considers mental health among multiple members of the family system simultaneously and that characterizes subsets of families with distinct patterns. Mental health patterns of depressive symptoms and well-being in and among families were identified using latent profile analysis with a community sample of 236 military families with a service member (SM) parent, civilian partner, and adolescent. Drawing from the Family Adjustment and Adaptation Response model, we examined several military-related family demands (e.g., relocations, deployments) and capabilities (e.g., family cohesion, social support outside the family) as correlates of the family profiles. Three profiles emerged: thriving families (62.3% of the sample where all three family members reported relatively low depressive symptoms and high personal well-being), families with a relatively distressed SM (24.2%), and families with a relatively distressed adolescent (13.5%). Overall, there were no differences between the groups of families regarding military-related demands, yet there were differences between the groups regarding their capabilities, namely family cohesion and social support. In general, families in the thriving profile tended to have higher family cohesion and social support as reported by multiple family members compared to the other two profiles. Findings can inform the development of family needs assessments and tailored interventions (and intervention points) based on family profiles and current capabilities.

The benefits of nurturant-involved parenting for children's internalizing symptoms and cardiometabolic health in high-risk contexts.

Despite evidence that nurturant-involved parenting is linked with children's social, psychological, and physiological development, less is known about the specific contexts in which nurturant-involved parenting is most beneficial for children's mental and physical health. The present study examined how associations between nurturant-involved parenting and children's internalizing symptoms and cardiometabolic risk varied as a function of children's stress and discrimination. Participants included 165 Black and Latinx children (Mage = 11.5 years) and their guardians. Children reported on their ongoing stress, experiences of discrimination, and internalizing symptoms (depression and anxiety). Guardians provided information about their nurturant-involved parenting practices. Children's cardiometabolic risk was assessed as a composite reflecting a high level of systolic or diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, HbA1c, triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol. Regression analyses indicated that among youth who reported high levels of stress and discrimination, nurturant-involved parenting was negatively associated with cardiometabolic risk. Although children's stress and discrimination were significantly associated with their internalizing symptoms, neither stress nor discrimination moderated the relation between nurturant-involved parenting and internalizing symptoms. Results highlight the significant role that parents play in shaping children's health, particularly among youth experiencing high levels of stress and discrimination.

Shift-and-persist coping and health among rural African American adolescents.

This study examines whether shift-and-persist coping, a coping strategy defined by accepting challenges and remaining hopeful for the future, is associated with psychosocial and physical health and/or moderates the effects of contextual stress (i.e., racial discrimination, financial strain) on health among African American adolescents living in the rural Southeastern United States. Participants (N = 299, 56% boys, Mage = 12.91) completed measures of shift-and-persist coping, contextual stress, and psychosocial and physical health. Shift-and-persist coping was generally associated with better health but did not buffer the effects of contextual stress. Results suggest that shift-and-persist coping may serve as a source of resilience among African American adolescents living in a context where many experience heightened contextual stress.

Sexual minority youth in romantic relationships: Associations with youth well-being.

This study investigated differences in depressive symptoms, loneliness, and self-esteem for monosexual (lesbian, gay) and plurisexual (bisexual, pansexual, queer) sexual minority youth (SMY) by relationship status (single, partnered) and relationship configuration (same-gender partner, different-gender partner). Participants included 338 SMY (Mage = 19.10 years) who reported on their relationship status, partner's gender identity, well-being, and ability to confide in partner about LGBTQ issues. Results indicated that for plurisexual youth, single status was associated with greater loneliness; plurisexual youth with same-gender partners reported fewer depressive symptoms and marginally greater ability to confide in their partner about LGBTQ issues than those with different-gender partners. Findings reveal similarities across SMY while also highlighting some unique challenges among plurisexual youth with different-gender partners.

Racial Discrimination and Private Regard Among Black Early Adolescents: Testing Between- and Within-Person Associations Over Time.

The current study examined concurrent and longitudinal associations between experiences of racial discrimination and private regard (i.e., feelings about being Black and other Black people) among 346 Black early adolescents who completed four assessments over two years. Between-person (interpersonal) and within-person (intrapersonal) effects were tested to provide a rigorous and comprehensive examination of these associations. There was minimal evidence of significant between-person effects in which youth experiencing varying levels of racial discrimination differed in their private regard. However, at the within-person level, there were significant negative concurrent associations between racial discrimination and private regard, indicating that youths' positive racial identity was undermined at times when they were encountering higher levels of racial discrimination than they typically did. Results highlight significant intrapersonal links between racial discrimination and private regard and underscore the continued need for interventions to eliminate racial discrimination and to support Black youth experiencing it.

Sleep SAAF responsive parenting intervention improves mothers' feeding practices: a randomized controlled trial among African American mother-infant dyads.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Parents shape children's early experiences with food, influencing what is served, children's food choices, and how much children eat. Responsive parenting (RP) interventions such as INSIGHT have improved maternal infant feeding practices, but have only been tested among predominantly White families. This secondary analysis of data from the Sleep SAAF (Strong African American Families) RCT tests the effects of an RP intervention designed to prevent rapid infant weight gain on African American mothers' infant feeding practices. METHODS: Primiparous African American mother-infant dyads (n = 194) were randomized to an RP or safety control intervention delivered by community research associates at infant age 3 and 8 weeks. At 16 weeks, mothers completed the Babies Need Feeding questionnaire, the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire, and the Babies Need Soothing questionnaire. Logistic regression and general linear models examined the effect of study group on infant feeding practices. Moderation analyses explored whether effects varied by feeding mode (any breast milk versus exclusive formula), maternal age (≥ 20 years versus < 20 years), and maternal pre-pregnancy BMI (with obesity versus not). RESULTS: RP mothers reported more responsive feeding (p = 0.005, partial η2 = 0.02), lower likelihood of using beverages other than breast milk/formula to soothe their infant (p = 0.01, OR = 0.42, 95% CI [0.2-0.8]), and less pressure with cereal than control mothers (p = 0.09, partial η2 = 0.02). RP mothers also reported less pressure to finish/soothe than controls (p = 0.007, partial η2 = 0.04); feeding mode (B = 0.74, p = 0.003) and maternal age (B = 0.53, p = 0.04) moderated this effect. There were no significant group differences in bottle-feeding practices (e.g., adding cereal to bottle, using an appropriate nipple/bottle size), or in context-based or emotion-based food to soothe. CONCLUSIONS: Responsive parenting education influenced some feeding practices of African American mothers. Mothers reported using less pressure, a control-based feeding practice, and more responsive feeding than controls. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Sleep SAAF: A Strong African American Families Study. www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov NCT03505203. Registered 3 April 2018.

Childhood adversity predicts black young adults' DNA methylation-based accelerated aging: A dual pathway model.

We expand upon prior work (Gibbons et al., ) relating childhood stressor effects, particularly harsh childhood environments, to risky behavior and ultimately physical health by adding longer-term outcomes - deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation-based measures of accelerated aging (DNAm-aging). Further, following work on the effects of early exposure to danger (McLaughlin et al., ), we also identify an additional pathway from harsh childhood environments to DNAm-aging that we label the danger/FKBP5 pathway, which includes early exposure to dangerous community conditions that are thought to impact glucocorticoid regulation and pro-inflammatory mechanisms. Because different DNAm-aging indices provide different windows on accelerated aging, we contrast effects on early indices of DNAm-aging based on chronological age with later indices that focused on predicting biological outcomes. We utilize data from Family and Community Health Study participants (N = 449) from age 10 to 29. We find that harshness influences parenting, which, in turn, influences accelerated DNAm-aging through the risky cognitions and substance use (i.e., behavioral) pathway outlined by Gibbons et al. (). Harshness is also associated with increased exposure to threat/danger, which, in turn, leads to accelerated DNAm-aging through effects on FKBP5 activity and enhanced pro-inflammatory tendencies (i.e., the danger/FKBP5 pathway).

Effects of the Sleep SAAF responsive parenting intervention on rapid infant weight gain: A randomized clinical trial of African American families.

Responsive parenting (RP) interventions reduce rapid infant weight gain but their effect for underserved populations is largely unknown. The Sleep SAAF (Strong African American Families) study is a two-arm randomized clinical trial for primiparous African American mother-infant dyads that compares an RP intervention to a child safety control over the first 16 weeks postpartum. Here we report on intervention effects on rapid infant weight gain and study implementation. Families were recruited from a mother/baby nursery shortly after delivery. Community Research Associates (CRAs) conducted intervention home visits at 3 and 8 weeks postpartum, and data collection home visits at 1, 8, and 16 weeks postpartum. To examine rapid infant weight gain, conditional weight gain (CWG) from 3 to 16 weeks, the primary outcome, and upward crossing of 2 major weight-for-age percentile lines were calculated. Among the 212 mother-infant dyads randomized, 194 completed the trial (92% retention). Randomized mothers averaged 22.7 years, 10% were married, and 49% participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Adjusting for covariates, mean CWG was lower among RP infants (0.04, 95% CI [-0.33, 0.40]) than among control infants (0.28, 95% CI [-0.08, 0.64]), reflecting non-significantly slower weight gain (p = 0.15, effect size d = 0.24). RP infants were nearly half as likely to experience upward crossing of 2 major weight-for-age percentile lines (14.1%) compared to control infants (24.2%), p = 0.09, odds ratio = 0.52 (95% CI [0.24, 1.12]). Implementation data revealed that participating families were engaged in the intervention visits and intervention facilitators demonstrated high fidelity to intervention materials. Findings show that RP interventions can be successfully implemented among African American families while suggesting the need for modifications to yield stronger effects on infant weight outcomes.

Childhood adversity is linked to adult health among African Americans via adolescent weight gain and effects are genetically moderated.

Identifying the mechanisms linking early experiences, genetic risk factors, and their interaction with later health consequences is central to the development of preventive interventions and identifying potential boundary conditions for their efficacy. In the current investigation of 412 African American adolescents followed across a 20-year period, we examined change in body mass index (BMI) across adolescence as one possible mechanism linking childhood adversity and adult health. We found associations of childhood adversity with objective indicators of young adult health, including a cardiometabolic risk index, a methylomic aging index, and a count of chronic health conditions. Childhood adversities were associated with objective indicators indirectly through their association with gains in BMI across adolescence and early adulthood. We also found evidence of an association of genetic risk with weight gain across adolescence and young adult health, as well as genetic moderation of childhood adversity's effect on gains in BMI, resulting in moderated mediation. These patterns indicated that genetic risk moderated the indirect pathways from childhood adversity to young adult health outcomes and childhood adversity moderated the indirect pathways from genetic risk to young adult health outcomes through effects on weight gain during adolescence and early adulthood.

Can Interventions that Strengthen Couples' Relationships Confer Additional Benefits for their Health? A Randomized Controlled Trial with African American Couples.

This study examined the effects of the Protecting Strong African American Families (ProSAAF) prevention program on adults' self-reported health outcomes 25 months after enrollment. ProSAAF is a couple-focused prevention program specifically designed to meet the needs of African-American families residing in the rural South. African-American couples (N = 346) with an early adolescent child participated in a randomized controlled trial of the program. Dyadic data analyses indicated significant direct effects on changes in couple functioning post-intervention as well as significant indirect effects of ProSAAF on changes in health through post-intervention improvements in couple functioning. These benefits were documented for men's and women's general health, depressive symptoms, and problematic sleep. There were no significant direct effects of ProSAAF participation on changes in health. Findings provide tempered optimism regarding the potential benefits of couple-focused programming for adults' physical, mental, and behavioral health.

Racial discrimination, depressive symptoms, and sleep problems among Blacks in the rural South.

OBJECTIVES: Experiences of racial discrimination are common for Black Americans and have been associated with depression and sleep disturbance, factors likely involved in the insidious development of health disparities. The current study replicates these associations and examines longitudinal linkages. METHOD: Black American couples (men: N = 248, Mage = 40, SD = 9; women: N = 277, Mage = 37, SD = 7) and their children, aged 9 to 14 (N = 276, Mage = 11, SD = 1), completed measures of experiences of racial discrimination, depressive symptoms, and sleep problems at baseline and 8-month follow-up. In separate analyses for men, women, and youth, we examined concurrent and prospective associations of racial discrimination with depressive symptoms and sleep problems, then used longitudinal indirect effect models to examine whether depressive symptoms in response to racial discrimination led to increased sleep problems, or vice versa. RESULTS: Racial discrimination was associated concurrently with depressive symptoms and sleep problems for all family members. Prospective associations were also found with depressive symptoms and sleep problems in fathers and youth, and sleep problems in mothers. Longitudinal models showed significant indirect effects of racial discrimination on change in sleep problems through depressive symptoms for fathers and mothers, and a similar, but nonsignificant, pattern in youth. There were no indirect effects on change in depressive symptoms through sleep problems. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent associations of racial discrimination with depressive symptoms and sleep problems reflect a lasting impact of racial discrimination. Because discrimination's effects on depression may contribute to increased sleep problems over time, interventions that buffer the effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms may also reduce sleep problems. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Trajectories of relationship and individual functioning among waitlisted couples for an online relationship intervention.

To inform research and practice with distressed couples, the current study was designed to examine patterns of change among distressed, help-seeking couples prior to receiving an intervention. Data from this study originate from 221 couples assigned to the waitlist control condition of a randomized controlled trial for couples seeking online help for their relationship. All couples self-selected into the online program and agreed to withhold seeking additional services for their relationship during the waitlist period. In contrast with prior findings, results from the current study indicated a general pattern of mean improvement in both self-reported relationship functioning (e.g., increased relationship satisfaction, partner emotional support) and self-reported individual functioning (i.e., decreased psychological distress, anger) over the six-month waitlist period. Nonetheless, the majority of couples continued to remain relationally distressed despite these improvements. Findings from the study indicate that distressed couples can, in fact, exhibit some degree of improvement absent of intervention. At the same time, overall levels of distress remained elevated, indicating that these improvements are not sufficient to result in high levels of functioning and suggesting that many distressed couples may benefit from empirically supported programs to realize greater gains. These results also highlight and underscore the importance of including control conditions in studies examining the efficacy of relationship interventions with distressed couples to ensure that any observed improvements in relationship functioning are attributable to the intervention rather than to naturally occurring changes.

Con el fin de orientar la investigación y la práctica con parejas con distrés, se diseñó el presente estudio para analizar patrones de cambio entre parejas con distrés que buscan ayuda antes de recibir una intervención. Los datos de este estudio surgen de 221 parejas asignadas al grupo comparativo de lista de espera de un ensayo controlado aleatorizado para parejas que buscaban ayuda virtual para su relación. Todas las parejas eligieron ellas mismas estar en el programa virtual y acordaron dejar de buscar otros servicios para su relación durante el periodo de lista de espera. A diferencia de los resultados anteriores, los de este estudio indicaron un patrón general de mejoría promedio tanto en el funcionamiento relacional autoinformado (p. ej.: mayor satisfacción con la relación y apoyo emocional de la pareja) como en el funcionamiento individual autoinformado (p. ej.: menos distrés psicológico y enfado) durante el periodo de seis meses en lista de espera. Sin embargo, a pesar de estas mejorías, la mayoría de las parejas continuó teniendo distrés relacional. Los resultados del estudio indican que las parejas con distrés pueden, de hecho, mostrar algún grado de mejoría sin intervención. Al mismo tiempo, los niveles generales de distrés se mantuvieron elevados, lo cual indica que estas mejorías no son suficientes para dar como resultado niveles altos de funcionamiento, y sugiere que muchas parejas con distrés pueden beneficiarse de programas basados en la experiencia para lograr mayores avances. Estos resultados también destacan y subrayan la importancia de incluir grupos comparativos en los estudios que analizan la eficacia de las intervenciones en las relaciones de parejas con distrés a fin de garantizar que las mejorías observadas en el funcionamiento relacional sean atribuibles a la intervención en lugar de a los cambios que se producen naturalmente.

Gay-Specific and General Stressors Predict Gay Men's Psychological Functioning Over Time.

Gay men experience various stressors, including gay-specific stressors such as discrimination and internalized homonegativity as well as general stressors such as occupational and financial strain. While a robust literature has examined how gay-specific stressors are associated with negative mental health outcomes among gay men, less attention has been paid to the association between general stress and gay men's psychological functioning or to how different types of stressors may interact to affect functioning. The current study sought to address this gap by examining the unique and combined associations between gay-specific external stress (discrimination), gay-specific internal stress (rejection sensitivity, internalized homonegativity, sexual identity concealment), and general stressors (e.g., academic difficulties) and negative affect and alcohol use over time. A total of 147 self-identified gay men living in the greater New York City area participated in a baseline assessment and a 7-week diary study. Univariate and multivariate results revealed that gay-specific external stress, gay-specific internal stress, and general stress were each positively and uniquely associated with higher mean levels of and greater fluctuations in negative affect over time, and general stress was positively associated with greater fluctuations in alcohol use over time. Multiplicative analyses indicated that individuals reporting high levels of stress in multiple domains experienced particularly high mean levels of negative affect. These findings highlight the unique contribution of general stress to gay men's functioning over time and underscore the importance of considering multiple forms of stress (i.e., gay-specific and general stress) and their interactions to better understand gay men's psychological functioning.

Moderators of the Association Between Community Connectedness and Internalizing Symptoms Among Gay Men.

Sexual minorities are exposed to various gay-related and general stressors that increase risk of mental and physical health problems. Yet, less attention has been paid to positive factors such as ameliorative coping strategies and social supports that reduce risk of mental health difficulties in this population. The current study sought to address this gap by examining the association between gay community connectedness and internalizing symptoms (i.e., general psychological distress, anxiety, and depression) in a sample of 147 self-identified gay men living in the greater New York City area, as well as the conditions under which gay community connectedness is associated with better mental health. Data were collected between 2013 and 2014. Findings indicated that gay community connectedness was associated with lower levels of internalizing symptoms among gay men, consistent with minority stress theory and other work examining the benefits of community coping resources. This association was strongest for non-White gay men, those whose gay identity was more central to their overall identity, and those with higher levels of femininity. These findings underscore the need to consider multiple aspects of gay men's identity (e.g., race/ethnicity, centrality, femininity) in order to fully understand the factors associated with mental health outcomes in this population.

Sleep SAAF: a responsive parenting intervention to prevent excessive weight gain and obesity among African American infants.

BACKGROUND: Responsive parenting interventions that shape parenting behaviors in the areas of sleep and soothing, appropriate and responsive feeding, and routines represent a promising approach to early obesity prevention and have demonstrated effectiveness in our previous trials. However, this approach has yet to be applied to the populations most at-risk for the development of early obesity, including African Americans. The Sleep SAAF (Strong African American Families) study is a two-arm randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating whether a responsive parenting intervention focused on promoting infant sleeping and self-soothing can prevent rapid weight gain during the first 16 weeks postpartum among first-born African American infants. The responsive parenting intervention is compared to a child safety control intervention. METHODS: Three hundred first-time African American mothers and their full-term infants will be enrolled from one mother/baby nursery. Following initial screening and consent in the hospital, mothers and infants are visited at home by Community Research Associates for data collection visits at 1 week, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks postpartum and for intervention visits at 3 weeks and 8 weeks postpartum. The primary study outcome is a between-group comparison of infant conditional weight gain (CWG) scores from 3 weeks to 16 weeks; additional weight-related outcomes include differences in change in infants' weight for age over time and differences in infants' weight outcomes at age 16 weeks. Several other outcomes reflecting infant and maternal responses to intervention (e.g., sleeping, soothing, feeding, maternal self-efficacy, maternal depressive symptoms) are also assessed. DISCUSSION: The Sleep SAAF trial can inform efforts to prevent rapid weight gain and reduce risk for obesity early in the lifespan among African Americans. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03505203 . Registered April 3, 2018 in clinicaltrials.gov .

Sexual orientation-related stigma and relationship functioning among female same-sex couples.

This article discusses how sexual orientation-based stigma serves to undermine functioning in female same-sex relationships. We particularly focus on the unique roles of interpersonal stigma (e.g., victimization, microaggressions) and structural stigma (e.g., institutional forms of discrimination), highlighting critical limitations and gaps in this literature and offering suggestions for future studies. We also discuss the need for future work on sexual orientation-related stigma and relationship functioning to consider the unique experiences of bisexual women, intersecting identities, and couple-level perspectives on stigma.

Coparental Affect, Children's Emotion Dysregulation, and Parent and Child Depressive Symptoms.

Children's emotion dysregulation and depressive symptoms are known to be affected by a range of individual (parent, child) and systemic (parent-child, marital, and family) characteristics. The current study builds on this literature by examining the unique role of coparental affect in children's emotion dysregulation, and whether this association mediates the link between parent and child depressive symptoms. Participants were 51 mother-father-child triads with children aged 7 to 12 (M age = 9.24 years). Triads discussed a time when the child felt sad and a time when the child felt happy. Maternal and paternal displays of positive affect were coded, and sequential analyses examined the extent to which parents were congruent in their displays of positive affect during the emotion discussions. Results indicated that interparental positive affect congruity (IPAC) during the sadness discussion, but not the happiness discussion, uniquely predicted parent-reported child emotion dysregulation, above and beyond the contributions of child negative affect and parental punitive reactions. The degree of IPAC during the sadness discussion and child emotion dysregulation mediated the association between maternal, but not paternal, depressive symptoms and child depressive symptoms. Findings highlight the unique role of coparental affect in the socialization of sadness in youth and offer initial support for low levels of IPAC as a risk factor for the transmission of depressive symptoms in youth.