Postfeminist Versions of Equality? An Analysis of Relationship and Sex Counseling Practices in Finland

Relationship and sex counseling are pivotal components of the “therapeutization of society,” which has been identified and widely examined as a key transformation of 21st-century modern Western societies. The particular understandings of gender and sexuality that circulate in those practices contribute to the wider everyday conceptions of intimate life and are thus important to investigate from a feminist perspective. Combining insights from studies on therapeutic cultures, research on intimate relationships, scholarship on postfeminism, and affect theory, this article taps into the often ambivalent ways in which gender equality and sexual rights are articulated in relationship and sex counseling practices. My data are derived from an ethnographic investigation of relationship enhancement events in Finland. Equality was widely supported at these events, but there was no consensus regarding what desirable equality actually looked like. My analysis identifies several contradictory patterns in the data. First, there are statements to the effect that equality has “gone too far.” Second, many experts express tokenized critiques yet remain invested in depoliticizing views. Third, there are acts of resistance that embrace diversity and expand everyday understandings of gender and sexuality. I argue that these patterns constitute a postfeminist sensibility, thus complicating the belief that Nordic countries are exceptionally supportive of equality.

More Experience, Less Loneliness? Exploring the Effect of Experiential Purchases on the Alleviation of Loneliness

Over the past few decades, researchers have explored the effects of experiential purchases and material purchases on happiness and provided a range of evidence that consumers yield greater happiness from experiential purchases compared with material purchases. However, limited research is known about the relationship between these two types of purchases within the broader context of negative emotion. Specifically, the current research focuses on the effect of experiential purchases on loneliness alleviation to replenish this research stream. Three experiments were conducted to explore the effect of experiential purchases (vs. material purchases) on alleviating loneliness. The results showed that experiential purchases have a stronger effect on loneliness alleviation than material purchases, which is mediated by relationship enhancement. In addition, purchases of social nature moderate the effect of experiential purchases on loneliness. Social experiential purchases lead to a higher degree of relief of loneliness. On the contrary, for the solitary experiential purchases, the effect of experiential purchases on loneliness is less tight. The current research supplements the research on negative emotions of experiential purchases and expands the research area of experiential purchases, which also provides new insights into coping strategies of loneliness.

Integrated CARE: Adaptation of Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) Model for Use in Integrated Behavioral Pediatric Care

The authors adapted the established Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) interaction model for use in integrated behavioral health clinics. CARE was modified for delivery in the examination room, during routine primary care visits. Adopting a real-world implementation approach, clinical social workers were trained in the new model—IntegratedCARE—and provided the brief, 3-session treatment to 30 different parent-child dyads. Measurements included the Parental Stress Index–4 Short Form (PSI 4-SF), the Eyberg Childhood Behavior Inventory (ECBI), and the Therapy Attitude Inventory (TAI). There was a statistically significant mean score decrease on the both subscales of the ECBI at pre- and posttreatment. Scores on the TAI indicated that participants were satisfied with the treatment. Attrition rates were somewhat lower than similar studies. Findings indicate the IntegratedCARE model is feasible for sustainable delivery by trained behavioral health professionals in primary care.