Collaborative imagination synchronizes representations of the future and fosters social connection in the present.

From close friends to people on a first date, imagining a shared future appears fundamental to relationships. Yet, no previous research has conceptualized the act of imagination as a socially constructed process that affects how connected we feel to others. The present studies provide a framework for investigating imagination as a collaborative process in which individuals cocreate shared representations of hypothetical events-what we call collaborative imagination. Across two preregistered studies (N = 244), we provide evidence that collaborative imagination of a shared future fosters social connection in novel dyads-beyond imagining a shared future individually or shared experience in general. Subjective ratings and natural language processing of participants' imagined narratives illuminate the representational features of imagined events shaped by collaborative imagination. Together, the present findings have the potential to shift how we view the structure and function of imagination with implications for better understanding interpersonal relationships and collective cognition.

Distress and quality of life in patient and caregiver dyads facing stem cell transplant: identifying overlap and unique contributions.

PURPOSE: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Allo-HSCT) is a demanding treatment requiring caregiver support. The pre-transplant period is particularly stressful. How patient and caregiver dyads respond to these stressors can impact post-transplant outcomes. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess pre-transplant patient and caregiver distress, patient quality of life (pQoL), and simultaneously investigate relationship between caregiver distress, patient distress, and patient QoL. METHODS: We measured caregiver anxiety, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, sleep quality, caregiver burden, and pQoL in148 dyads compared to clinical thresholds or population norms. To reduce comparisons, we created a composite distress score from affective measures. Associations within dyads were examined via correlation and path analysis. RESULTS: Most dyads scored above norms for psychological measures. Patient distress was positively associated with caregiver distress. Higher caregiver distress significantly predicted poorer pQoL after accounting for the interdependence of patient and caregiver distress. Specifically, patients' physical functioning was the primary driver of this interrelationship. CONCLUSIONS: Allo-HSCT patients and their caregivers reported elevated distress pre-transplant. Both patient and caregiver distress contributed to pQoL, with patients' physical functioning accounting significantly for caregiver well-being. Supporting the patient-caregiver dyad before transplantation is a priority for supportive services.

The role of post-traumatic growth in promoting healthy behavior for couples coping with cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Post-traumatic growth (PTG) could be beneficial to cancer survivors who translate growth cognitions or emotional processes into positive behavior changes. The current study aimed to determine how post-traumatic growth (PTG) is associated with health behaviors in couples coping with cancer. Specifically, five hypothetical models based on PTG domains were created to better understand the dyadic relationship between PTG domain and health behaviors. METHODS: A total of 91 breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer survivor-spouse dyads were collected from the University Hospital Registry in Cleveland, Ohio. Standardized questions regarding PTG and health behaviors including eating and exercise were used. The actor-partner interdependence model with the use of structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze dyadic data. RESULTS: Findings indicated that survivor actor effects of PTG on health behaviors were observed for survivors only. In the spiritual change and appreciation of life PTG models, the survivor or the spouse partner effects were observed, respectively. The spiritual change model produced the best fit of all of the other models, indicating both a survivor actor effect and survivor partner effect of spiritual change PTG on health behaviors. Thus, the relationships between PTG and health behavior at the dyadic level differed by five domains of PTG. CONCLUSIONS: The findings reveal valuable insight into the nature of relationships between PTG and health behaviors at the individual and dyadic levels. The changed philosophies of life for cancer survivor-spouse dyads can specifically encourage healthy behaviors of couples coping with cancer.

Revealing Both Sides of the Story: A Comparative Analysis of Mentors and Protégés Relational Perspectives.

Mentoring continues to be a popular intervention for promoting positive youth development. However, the underlying mechanisms associated with sustainable and successful relationships remain largely unknown. Our study aimed to expand on previous literature by examining characteristics that have previously been linked to mentoring outcomes (e.g., authenticity, empathy), from a process-focused lens. We utilized post program satisfaction scores and interviews to examine the presence of each characteristic in a large sample of dyads (n = 144) as well as dyads' levels of agreement or disagreement about aspects of the relationships. We found that high satisfaction dyads demonstrated greater congruity and detail in their descriptions of their relationships, whereas low satisfaction dyads were highly divergent and inconsistent in their descriptions. In addition, misattunement, a negative relational aspect, was the most powerful distinguisher between high and low satisfaction dyads, which provides support for mentors receiving attunement training in order to reduce instances of misattunement. Findings from this study highlight the importance of examining and assessing mentoring relationships from both the mentor and protégé perspectives, as a single perspective may not present a full picture of the relationship.

A practical guide to the study of social relationships.

Behavioral ecologists have devoted considerable effort to identifying the sources of variation in individual reproductive success. Much of this work has focused on the characteristics of individuals, such as their sex and rank. However, many animals live in stable social groups and the fitness of individuals depends at least in part on the outcome of their interactions with other group members. For example, in many primate species, high dominance rank enhances access to resources and reproductive success. The ability to acquire and maintain high rank often depends on the availability and effectiveness of coalitionary support. Allies may be cultivated and coalitions may be reinforced by affiliative interactions such as grooming, food sharing, and tolerance. These findings suggest that if we want to understand the selective pressures that shape the social behavior of primates, it will be profitable to broaden our focus from the characteristics of individuals to the properties of the relationships that they form with others. The goal of this paper is to discuss a set of methods that can be used to quantify the properties of social relationships.

Health Behavior Patterns and Associated Risk of Memory-Related Disorders Among Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Couples.

Objectives: Studies on the interdependence of couples' health behaviors and subsequent cognitive outcomes remain limited. Methods: Longitudinal data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2018) were used (N = 1869 heterosexual couples). Latent class analysis identified the dyadic pattern of health behaviors in 2011 (i.e., alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical inactivity). Stratified Cox models examined the association of latent classes with risk of developing memory-related disorders in 2013-2018. Results: Three classes were identified: class 1 (21.25%, only husband smoke, and both active), class 2 (47.55%, both inactive, neither drink nor smoke), and class 3 (31.20%, both drink and smoke, and both active). Couples' sedentary lifestyle was associated with an increased risk of memory-related disorders among both husbands and wives. Conclusion: Couples were moderately concordant in their physical activity but weakly in smoking and drinking. Couple-based interventions, especially promoting physical activity, may reduce cognitive aging among middle-aged and older Chinese couples.

Enrichment of dementia caregiving relationships through psychosocial interventions: A scoping review.

Objectives: Enrichment, defined as "the process of endowing caregiving with meaning or pleasure for both the caregiver and care recipient" can support relationships between people living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers. This study aims to explore (1) the types of psychosocial interventions that may enrich relationships between dementia caregiving dyads, and (2) the components within these psychosocial interventions that may contribute to enrichment. Methods: A scoping review was conducted based on the Joanna Briggs Institute framework. We operationalized and contextualized core elements from Cartwright and colleagues' enrichment model, which was also used to guide the review. Five electronic databases were searched. Psychosocial intervention components contributing to enrichment were identified and grouped within each core element. Results: Thirty-four studies were included. Psychosocial interventions generating enrichment among dyads mainly involved supporting dyadic engagement in shared activities, carer education or training, or structural change to the environment around PLWD. Intervention components contributing to the enrichment of dyadic relationships were identified within "acquired symbolic meaning", "performing activity", and "fine tuning". Dyadic communication support and skill-building were common contributors to enrichment. Conclusion: Our findings may inform the planning and development of interventions to enrich dyadic relationships in the context of dementia. In formal caregiving contexts, future interventions may consider dedicating space for relationships to build and grow through positive interactions. In informal caregiving contexts, existing relationships should be considered to better support dyads engage in positive interactions.

Social Isolation and the Use of Technology in Caregiving Dyads Living With Dementia During COVID-19 Restrictions.

Background: People with dementia (PwD) and their informal caregivers (caregiving dyads) face multiple impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including restricted social support services and social isolation. With limited opportunities for caregiving dyads to participate in social activities during the pandemic, the potential of social technology to support social participation and dyadic relationships should be explored. As a part of an ongoing feasibility trial, this study assesses how COVID-19 has impacted community-dwelling dyads in a dementia caregiving context. The dyads' use of social technology and their motivations to invite technology into social interactions are explored. Methods: A pilot case study employing baseline interview data from three community-dwelling caregiving dyads. Each dyad consisted of a husband with a dementia diagnosis and his wife, who performed most caregiving tasks. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to inductive thematic analysis. Two researchers independently coded the data, and collated the codes and themes collaboratively. Results: Two themes and seven subthemes were identified: (i) living with dementia during COVID-19 (subthemes: social and leisure activities, dyadic interactions, adjusting as caregiver); and (ii) the role of technology in a pandemic (subthemes: facilitating social activities, facilitating dementia care-related activities, barriers and facilitators to using social technology, the underlying motivation to invite technology into interactions). Dyads who were socially active pre-COVID-19, and who managed to make good use of technology to facilitate and maintain their social engagement during COVID-19, reported to have been less negatively impacted by COVID-related social restrictions. Conclusion: The dyads differed in how COVID-19 restrictions impacted their lives and how they coped with dementia, revealing different motivations for wanting to invite technology into their social interactions. During and beyond this pandemic, social technology can be a valuable tool for promoting social participation in this population, especially when in-person social contact is restricted. Successful uptake of social technology is dependent on customizing it to the individual's needs and conditions. Therefore, efforts are needed to tackle barriers that exist for older adults in using such technology.

Sustaining Our Relationship: Dyadic Interactions Supported by Technology for People with Dementia and Their Informal Caregivers.

Impaired memory function and challenges in communication affect the ability of people living with dementia to interact with family caregivers socially. The onset of dementia in a family member and the communication challenges that follow can lead to conflict, isolation and loss of closeness in the relationship. I-CARE is a tablet-based technology providing leisure activities specifically designed for people living with dementia to do in tandem with caregivers. The intention is that caregiving dyads engage with I-CARE together, using the activities contained in the system as the basis for positive social interactions. This paper reports on a mixed-methods feasibility study of I-CARE, evaluating the system's usability and assessing the impact on caregiving dyads. We also explored barriers and facilitators to independent use of the technology among community-dwelling people living with dementia and their family caregiver. Results suggest that I-CARE is a feasible tool to facilitate positive experiences in dementia caregiving dyads. Important relationship outcomes for the participating dyads were enrichment in social interactions, facilitated communication, having a shared activity and relationship sustenance. Successful uptake requires continuous proactive support tailored to the needs and preconditions of users over an extended time until they feel confident using the system independently.

Living With Cognitive Impairment in China: Exploring Dyadic Experiences Through a Person-Centered Care Lens.

China has experienced a substantial increase in the number of older adults with dementia and milder forms of cognitive impairment. Being spouses of Persons with cognitive impairment (PWCI) and living with them for several decades does not necessarily mean that it is easier for them to provide person-centered care and maintain a valued and healthy relationship. The current study explored how elements of PCC, as operationalized by the Senses Framework, operate or fail to operate in the dyadic experiences of PWCI and their spousal care partners within the socio-cultural context of China. Our findings suggest that PWCI and their spouses experience the six senses through the person-centeredness in their daily interactions with each other. It also indicated successes and challenges to being person-centered early in the disease and identified their unmet needs as well as barriers and facilitators to improve their well-being.

Family Functioning and Multiple Sclerosis: Study Protocol of a Multicentric Italian Project.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease, which not only affects physical functioning, but is also associated with cognitive impairments and great psychological distress. The combination of those symptoms may have negative consequences on the family functioning of patients with MS, with detrimental effects on both marital relationships and parental bonding. Furthermore, the presence of individual characteristics and of an adequate social support may also contribute to the quality and endurance of family relationships. Particularly, high levels of alexithymia, a personality trait that affects the recognition of a person's own emotions, have been associated with reduced interpersonal communication skills and enhanced anxiety/depressive symptoms. Therefore, the main aim of the present study is to provide an in-depth evaluation of family functioning and related factors in patients with MS and their families. In order to reach this goal, the perceived quality of family functioning, dyadic relationships, and parental bonding will be first investigated. Secondly, the possible associations between the quality of family relationships and the presence of alexithymia, psychological distress, and perceived social support will be examined. Patients with MS and their families who will consent to take part in the study will be asked to provide sociodemographic and clinical information, and to complete a series of questionnaires, presented and uploaded on an online dedicated platform. The final sample will be made up of 300 families, consecutively recruited from the Italian medical centers involved in the project. The results of the present study will shed light on the family functioning of patients with MS, through a comprehensive assessment of the main factors that are associated with family dynamics. A holistic evaluation of those aspects can help clinicians and researchers understand family dynamics in MS population better.

"We are a Team": Couple Identity and Memory Loss.

Couplehood can be an important source of resilience in the face of memory loss, but couple identity has only recently been explored and has rarely been measured. This paper examines older spouses' descriptions of their couple identity and discusses salient themes. Data come from 19 couples from the Couples Life Story Project, a life review intervention where one partner has memory loss. Using baseline data, we analyzed how partners depicted their couple identity using a series of separate and overlapping circles. Almost half of the partners independently chose identical depictions of their relationships. An interpretative phenomenological approach revealed three major themes of couple identity: (1) doing things together and separately; (2) feelings, shared history, and closeness over time and; (3) essence of relationship. This study contributes to the small body of literature that focuses on couple identity and how partners mutually cope with aging-related challenges.

Messages About Abstinence, Delaying Sexual Debut and Sexual Decision-Making in Conversations Between Mothers and Young Adolescents.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the information shared during family discussions about sexuality. From a public health perspective, abstinence is one of the most important sexuality topics parents can talk about with adolescents. We sought to characterize the messages mothers communicate to young adolescents regarding abstinence. DESIGN: Content analysis of dyadic discussions that occurred between June 2011-December 2012 between mothers and their 10- to 14-year-old adolescent sons and daughters. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and a grounded theory approach to content analysis performed. SETTING: Urban city in Western Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one dyads; 15 mother-daughter dyads and 6 mother-son dyads. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: None. RESULTS: Four key themes emerged reflecting the high priority mothers placed on abstinence, delaying their adolescent's sexual debut, and nurturing sexual decision-making skills. Theme 1 focused on ensuring that adolescents understand what abstinence means. In defining abstinence, only 1 mother explained what sex is. The 3 remaining themes emphasized sexual decision-making and emphasized when it is acceptable to stop being abstinent (theme 2), why abstinence is important (theme 3), and mothers' desire to engage in ongoing discussions, particularly when an adolescent was considering becoming sexually active (theme 4). Messages did not vary according to mothers' age or according to adolescent age, gender, or race. CONCLUSION: Mothers convey complex information about abstinence and sexual decision-making to young, non-sexually active adolescents. Message tailoring on the basis of the adolescents' age or sex was not observed.

Two-Wave Dyadic Analysis of Marital Quality and Loneliness in Later Life: Results From the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing.

This study examines dyadic reports of marital quality and loneliness over a two-year period among 932 older married couples resident in Ireland. Data from the first two waves of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (2009-2013) were analyzed to determine whether husbands' and wives' marital quality and loneliness at baseline predicted both spouses' loneliness 2 years later. Two-wave lagged models tested the cognitive perspective on loneliness, the induction hypothesis, and actor-partner interdependence. Results indicated that perceptions of negative marital quality at baseline were related with greater loneliness 2 years later, supporting the cognitive perspective. Further, both spouses' reports of loneliness at baseline were related with loneliness 2 years later, supporting the induction hypothesis. Partners' reports of marital quality were not related with future loneliness, failing to support actor-partner interdependence. I discuss the implications of these findings for theory, practice, and future research concerning intimate relationships and loneliness in later life.

Perception Accuracy of Affiliative Relationships in Elementary School Children and Young Adolescents.

There has been a rapid growth of studies focused on selection and socialization processes of peer groups, mostly due to the development of stochastic actor-based models to analyze longitudinal social network data. One of the core assumptions of these models is that individuals have an accurate knowledge of the dyadic relationships within their network (i.e., who is and is not connected to whom). Recent cross-sectional findings suggest that elementary school children are very inaccurate in perceiving their classmates' dyadic relationships. These findings question the validity of stochastic actor-based models to study the developmental dynamics of children and carry implications for future research as well as for the interpretation of past findings. The goal of the present study was thus to further explore the adequacy of the accuracy assumption, analysing data from three longitudinal samples of different age groups (elementary school children and adolescents). Our results support the validity of stochastic actor-based models to study the network of adolescents and suggest that the violation of the accuracy assumption for elementary school children is not as severe as previously thought.

The Association Between Older Israelis' Quality of Relationships With Their Family and Migrant Live-in Caregivers and Their Loneliness.

OBJECTIVES: (a) To assess the extent to which there are ambivalent dyadic relationships between older care recipients and their primary family caregivers (PFCs) and migrant care workers (MCWs) and (b) to examine the extent to which ambivalence explains loneliness among the care recipients. METHOD: A sample of 279 triads of respondents (care recipients, their PFCs, and their MCWs) was used and interviewed face-to-face. The Dyadic Relationship Scale was used to assess quality of relationships and ambivalence. The de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale was used to assess loneliness. RESULTS: Mean scores for dyadic ambivalence between the care recipients and both types of caregivers were moderate. Lower levels of ambivalence in dyadic relationships with PFCs were associated with decreased loneliness. Ambivalent dyadic relationships explained 6% of the variance in loneliness. DISCUSSION: Some degree of ambivalent relationship exists between care recipients and both types of caregivers. The vigor of ambivalence was significantly associated with the level of loneliness reported by functionally disabled older adults.