Stability of shared appraisal: The role of attachment and implications for relationships and health

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 1581-1603
Author(s):  
Juwon Lee ◽  
Vicki S. Helgeson ◽  
Meredith Van Vleet ◽  
Caitlin S. Kelly ◽  
Robert G. Kent de Grey ◽  
...  

In the context of coping with chronic illness, shared appraisal refers to one person’s perception that the illness is a shared issue. Despite increasing research linking shared appraisal to positive relationship and health outcomes, whether it is static or fluctuates across time has not yet been investigated. Fluctuations in shared appraisal may affect patient and spouse well-being and influence disease management. We investigated the association of daily shared appraisal fluctuations (operationalized as intraindividual standard deviations) to relationship satisfaction, psychological well-being, and diabetes-specific well-being over 2 weeks among 199 couples in which one person had type 1 diabetes. In addition, we examined attachment insecurity as a correlate of shared appraisal fluctuations. Individuals higher in anxiety or avoidance may more frequently reevaluate their relationship. Thus, their shared appraisal may be more reactive to daily events. Actor–partner interdependence models showed greater fluctuations in spouse appraisal were associated with lower patient relationship satisfaction (partner effect) but not with spouse relationship satisfaction and with greater spouse psychological distress (actor effect) but not patient psychological distress. There were no actor or partner effects of patient appraisal fluctuations on these outcomes. In terms of diabetes outcomes, regression analyses showed that greater fluctuations in patient and spouse appraisal were each associated with higher patient diabetes distress, and greater fluctuations in spouse appraisal were associated with lower patient self-care. Higher attachment anxiety was related to greater appraisal fluctuations in the spouse but not the patient. These findings highlight the importance of spouse appraisal stability for spouse relationships and well-being and for patient diabetes outcomes and suggest that attachment insecurity may be implicated in the instability of shared appraisal.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samereh Abdoli ◽  
Monica S. V. M. Silveira ◽  
Mehri Doosti-Irani ◽  
Paulo Fanti ◽  
Katherine Miller-Bains ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health emergency, which presents wide-ranging negative impacts on individuals with diabetes. To examine psychosocial well-being and diabetes outcomes in individuals with type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and investigate how these factors vary in different countries. Methods Between April and June 2020 we employed a cross national comparative research study in the United States (US), Brazil, and Iran to collect data from 1788 adults with type 1 diabetes using web-based survey. Study participants answered questions relevant to diabetes distress, diabetes burnout, depressive symptoms, COVID-19 related changes, and socio-demographic characteristics. They also reported their last Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and daily Time-in-Range (TiR) blood glucose. We analyzed data using comparative tests (Chi-square, Kruskal–Wallis and McNemar test), logistic and linear regression adjusted for fixed effects. Results There were significant changes prior and during the pandemic regarding access to diabetes care, diabetes supplies and medications, healthy food and safe places to exercise in all countries (p < 0.05). Participants in Iran experienced higher levels of diabetes distress (57.1%), diabetes burnout (50%), and depressive symptoms (60.9%), followed by Brazil and US (p < 0.0001). US participants reported better glycemic control (HbA1c = 6.97%, T1R = 69.64%) compared to Brazil (HbA1c = 7.94%, T1R = 51.95%) and Iran (HbA1c = 7.47%, T1R = 51.53%) (p < 0.0001). There were also significant relationships between psychosocial well-being, diabetes outcomes, socio-demographic data, and COVID-19 related challenges in overall sample (p < 0.05). Conclusions Regardless of differences among US, Brazil, and Iran, our findings revealed that different countries may experience similar challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic which can impact negatively diabetes outcomes and psychosocial well-being in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Countries need to consider modifiable variables associated with poor diabetes outcomes and sub optimal psychosocial well-being and target vulnerable population using significant socio-demographic variables.


2021 ◽  
pp. 026540752199645
Author(s):  
Meredith E. David ◽  
James A. Roberts

The ubiquitous and omnipresent smartphone has dramatically altered how people communicate. The present research investigates how partner phubbing (phone snubbing) among romantic partners impacts relationship satisfaction. Study 1 experimentally manipulates partner phubbing and finds it drives romantic jealousy and relationship satisfaction. Study 2 uses an alternative manipulation of partner phubbing and explores the moderating role of interpersonal attachment anxiety in the relationship between partner phubbing, romantic jealousy, and relationship satisfaction. Study 2 finds that partner phubbing and attachment anxiety have an interactive effect on jealousy, which then leads to relationship satisfaction. Study 3 employs a survey and finds that partner phubbing has downstream negative effects on well-being through romantic jealousy, but only among anxiously attached individuals. The heavy use of technology, especially smartphones, in the presence of one’s romantic partner, and the negative outcomes associated with partner phubbing, establishes the importance of research in this area. Directions for future research and study limitations are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria José Ferreira ◽  
Rui Sofia ◽  
David F. Carreno ◽  
Nikolett Eisenbeck ◽  
Inês Jongenelen ◽  
...  

The global COVID-19 pandemic crisis has caused an unprecedented impact on most areas of people’s lives. Thus, framed within the scope of Existential Positive Psychology (PP2.0), this study aimed at assessing the psychological distress of adults living in Portugal during the first national lockdown, how they are coping with stress, as well to contribute to a deeper understanding about the role that positivity, experiential avoidance, and coping strategies have in psychological distress and well-being. For this purpose, 586 Portuguese adults (73% females) ranging between 18 and 78 years old (M = 38.96, SD = 12.20) completed an online survey during the initial phase of the pandemic crisis in Portugal. Findings suggest that experiential avoidance was the strongest predictor of a negative response (depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and negative emotions), whereas positivity was a better predictor of psychological well-being and lower levels of depression. Additionally, self-blame, behavioral disengagement, and emotional venting were strong risk factors for psychological distress, whereas positive reframing, planning, and acceptance were associated with more positive outcomes. These findings highlight the critical role of experiential avoidance on individuals’ psychological distress and the essential contribution of positive life orientation in promoting flourishing. By offering a better understanding of the complex navigation through the dialectics between positive and negative life features, this study provides important and useful cues for psychological interventions directed at promoting a more positive and adaptive human functioning even through such potential adverse and painful life events.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 3875-3886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manja Vollmann ◽  
Sem Sprang ◽  
Femke van den Brink

Previous research indicated that insecure attachment, that is, higher levels of attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety, is negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. The present study investigated the mediating role of gratitude toward the partner in this association. In a cross-sectional design, 362 participants (84% female, age range 18–70 years) involved in a romantic relationship completed an online questionnaire assessing attachment avoidance and anxiety, gratitude toward the partner, and relationship satisfaction. Data were analyzed by means of regression and bootstrap analyses. The regression analysis revealed significant negative total and direct effects of both avoidance and anxiety on relationship satisfaction. The bootstrap analyses revealed a significant negative indirect effect of avoidance, but not anxiety, on relationship satisfaction via gratitude toward the partner. Specifically, higher levels of avoidant attachment were related to less gratitude toward the partner, which in turn was associated with lower relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that it might be valuable applying gratitude interventions to clients high in attachment avoidance attending couples therapy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 621-641
Author(s):  
Luka Jurković

Juggling the responsibilities of work and family domains has become a part of everyday life for most working adults. Research has shown that work-family conflict can potentially have negative effects on general well-being, health, relationship quality and job satisfaction. However, the potential effects of work-family conflict on sexual well-being of working adults is presently unknown. The primary aim of this study is to analyze the association between two directions of work-family conflict (work-to-family conflict – WIF, and family-to-work conflict – FIW) and sexual well-being among working adults, while taking into account the mediating role of relationship satisfaction. Data was collected in an online survey on a sample of 584 Croatian men and women that are currently living with a partner. The data was analyzed within a structural equations modelling framework. The analyses show that WIF conflict was negatively associated with sexual well-being, but only among women. On the other hand, relationship satisfaction mediated the relationship between FIW conflict and sexual well-being for both men and women. This study contributes to sparse and inconsistent knowledge on the relationship between work- -family conflict and sexual well-being among working adults.


2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sacker ◽  
N. Cable

BackgroundLater transitions to adult roles and responsibilities have been linked with better psychological well-being yet psychological distress has risen despite young people making the transition to adulthood at older ages over recent years.MethodWe examine the role of structural constraints and adolescent resources in the relationship between the timing of transitions and psychological distress in early adult life in the 1958 National Child Development Study and the 1970 British Cohort Study. Graphical chain models were used to examine the influences on timing of four key transitions and their relationship with psychological distress (Malaise Inventory). The role of structural factors at birth (gender, social class) and adolescent resources (psychosocial problems, exam grades) were modelled.ResultsAn earlier transition to adult roles was associated with an increased risk for psychological distress but so was failing to make some key transitions. Structural constraints had negative effects on successful development. Persistent social class and gender inequalities in psychological distress were evident in both cohorts. Social class constraints were mediated by educational resources whereas gender constraints were mediated by psychosocial resources. The influence of structural constraints on the timing of transitions to adult roles was more complex with evidence of positive and negative mediation and moderation effects.ConclusionsDelaying transition to adulthood promotes psychological health but failure of transition to independent living is associated with psychological distress. Life-course transitions are constrained by social origin and gender and possibly economic environment. Adolescent resources help young adults to make timely transitions to adult roles.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1831-1852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zara P. Brodie ◽  
Karen Goodall ◽  
Stephen Darling ◽  
Chris McVittie

Attachment insecurity has been associated with dysfunctional strategies for emotion regulation, leading to inflexible or maladaptive responding. Currently, application of the attachment framework to anger is underspecified. This study presents a preliminary investigation of attachment-related differences in the dispositional regulation of anger and aggressive outcomes. Two hundred seventy participants completed measures of adult attachment (attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance), anger regulation processes (anger suppression, unregulated anger, and anger control), and aggressive outcomes (physical aggression, verbal aggression, and hostility). While those high in attachment anxiety have been found to under-regulate other negative emotions, our results postulate that these individuals may implement a suppression strategy when faced with the experience of anger. Mediation models indicate that anger suppression is implicated in the relationship between attachment dimensions and hostility but not physical aggression. This supports the notion that suppression may be useful in reducing the external expression of anger but cannot alleviate the associated internal cognitions. These findings suggest that levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance should be considered when identifying techniques to target specific anger regulatory difficulties that contribute to increased aggression. Further, consideration and exploration of the role of security priming is encouraged as a possible mechanism by which to reduce dispositional hostility in those with high levels of attachment insecurity.


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