Identifying the strongest self-report predictors of sexual satisfaction using machine learning

Sexual satisfaction has been robustly associated with relationship and individual well-being. Previous studies have found several individual (e.g., gender, self-esteem, and attachment) and relational (e.g., relationship satisfaction, relationship length, and sexual desire) factors that predict sexual satisfaction. The aim of the present study was to identify which variables are the strongest, and the least strong, predictors of sexual satisfaction using modern machine learning. Previous research has relied primarily on traditional statistical models which are limited in their ability to estimate a large number of predictors, non-linear associations, and complex interactions. Through a machine learning algorithm, random forest (a potentially more flexible extension of decision trees), we predicted sexual satisfaction across two samples (total N = 1846; includes 754 individuals forming 377 couples). We also used a game theoretic interpretation technique, Shapley values, which allowed us to estimate the size and direction of the effect of each predictor variable on the model outcome. Findings showed that sexual satisfaction is highly predictable (48–62% of variance explained) with relationship variables (relationship satisfaction, importance of sex in relationship, romantic love, and dyadic desire) explaining the most variance in sexual satisfaction. The study highlighted important factors to focus on in future research and interventions.

The association between financial strain and volatility in daily relationship uncertainty: A dyadic investigation

Prior research suggests that financial strain negatively impacts relational outcomes and that fluctuations (i.e., volatility) in daily reports of relationship aspects may be detrimental for relational outcomes. Daily relational uncertainty may also be associated with financial stressors; however, little is known about the association between financial strain and levels of daily relational uncertainty, as well as the volatility in day-to-day relational uncertainty. The current study includes both members of 100 adult different-sex couples (relationship length M = 7.0 years, SD = 7.1) who completed 14 days of daily diaries. We examined whether greater baseline financial strain is associated with higher levels of daily relational uncertainty and greater day-to-day volatility in relational uncertainty among actors and partners. Individuals who reported greater financial strain also reported higher overall levels of daily relationship uncertainty, as well as greater volatility in daily relationship uncertainty. The association between actor financial strain and volatility in daily relationship uncertainty was moderated by gender and marital status, such that financial strain was only associated with greater volatility in daily relationship uncertainty for men (but not for women) and for unmarried (but not married) individuals. Evidence for partner effects were also found, where partners’ higher levels of financial strain was associated with less volatility in actors’ daily relational uncertainty; however, this relationship was moderated by income, gender, and marital status. Individuals with lower income levels (versus high income levels) reported less volatility in their daily relationship uncertainty when their partners reported higher financial strain. Males rather than women reported lower volatility in daily relational uncertainty when their partners reported greater financial strain. In addition, unmarried rather than married individuals reported greater volatility in daily relationship uncertainty when their partners reported higher financial strain. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

A Dyadic Latent Profile Analysis of Older Couples’ Psychological, Relational, and Physical Health

The present study explored the heterogeneity of older couples’ psychological, relational, and physical health using a sample of 535 couples above the age of 62. A dyadic latent profile analysis was conducted to identify and predict unique clusters of couples’ relative psychological (depressive symptoms and daily hassles), relational (problematic affective communication and marital satisfaction), and physical health (number of health problems and self-reported health satisfaction). Predictors of class membership included relationship length, age, income, and hours worked outside the home. Results revealed 4 distinct classes: Happy & Healthy Together (63.5%), Individually & Relationally Strained (14.7%), Relationally Happy with Strained Wives (12.3%), and Relationally Happy with Strained Husbands (9.3%). Typology descriptions and predictors of class membership will be discussed. These findings highlight that health promotion efforts should be tailored to the specific psychological, relational, and physical health concerns of both partners rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

THREE SPOT GOURAMI (Trichogaster trichopterus) FOOD HABITS IN THE KOMERING RIVER'S DOWNSTREAM, SOUTH SUMATERA

One of the downstream areas of the Komering River with potential for capture fisheries is Sungai Dua Village. One of the types of fish caught by fishermen in Sungai Dua is the three spot gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus). The three spot gourami fish is a type of freshwater consumption fish that has high economic value. But the fishes only rely on catches from nature. If the fishing is carried out continuously, without domestication and cultivation, it will cause a decline in the fish population. The research about the biological aspects of red-eye septic fish (Trichogaster trichopterus) which include food habits, relationship length and weight, condition factors and stomach fullness index. This research was conducted from April to June 2017. Sampling was carried out in the downstream waters of the Komering River in Sungai Dua Village, Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra. Fish samples were analyzed at the Animal Taxonomy Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Sriwijaya University. The determination of stations in sampling was carried out using multiple sampling methods, namely purposive sampling and quota sampling. The result of this research showed that (1) the Cyanophyta is the main food for the three spot gourami, Diatomae and Desmidiacae as a complementary food, while the additional foods are Rhizopoda, Chlorophyta, Ostracoda, and Entomostraca, (2) The growth pattern of red-eyed fish is negative allometric with a b value of -2 (b <3), the increase in length is faster than the weight gain, (3) The highest condition factor value is found in the size range 6.01-7.00 cm of 23.25 gr / cm and the lowest condition factor value is in the size range 5.01-6.00 cm of 0.62 gr / cm, and (4) The highest hull fullness index value of the red eye sepat fish hull is in the size range 7.01-8.00 cm at 32.86% and the lowest hull fullness index value at the size range 8.01-9.00 cm is 2.05% .

Influence of Demographic Characteristics and Emotional State of NAFLD in Patients and their Caregivers on Caregiver Burden in China

Objective: This study examines the demographic characteristics of patients and caregivers hospitalized with NAFLD and the impact of patient anxiety and depression on caregiver burden. Methods ： One hundred and forty-five patients with NAFLD and their caregivers were studied. Both patients and family members were required to complete a general information questionnaire, patients were required to complete the Generalized Anxiety Scale (GAD-7), the Patient Health Depression Questionnaire Scale (PHQ-9), and caregivers were required to complete the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, and multiple stepwise regression were used to analyze the effects of each factor on caregiver burden.Results: The results of the univariate analysis showed that patients' marital status, chronic illness, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scores, and caregivers' literacy, relationship with patients, full-time caregiving, recreational activities, daily caregiving hours, and monthly economic income were influential factors of caregiver burden (P < 0.05). The multiple stepwise regression analysis results showed that the four factors of concluding patient's PHQ-9 score, caregiver-patient relationship, daily caregiving hours, and monthly economic income significantly influenced caregiver burden (P < 0.05). Conclusion: caregiver-patient relationship, length of caregiving per day, and monthly financial income affect caregiver burden. In addition, depression in patients hospitalized with NAFLD is one of the main influencing factors of caregiver burden and should be taken seriously.

Parent couple conflict and emotional and behavioral problems in youth with autism: Longitudinal investigation of bidirectional effects

Families of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are vulnerable to maladaptive psychosocial experiences, including elevated youth emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) and poor parent couple relationship outcomes. Yet, the extent to which these family psychosocial experiences are intertwined has been given little research attention. The present study longitudinally investigated the bidirectional associations between parent couple conflict (PCC) and youth EBPs in 188 families of children and adolescents with ASD (initially aged 5 to 12 years) across four time points (T1, T2, T3, T4), each spaced 12 months apart. Mother- and father-report of youth EBPs and PCC were entered into a cross-lagged panel model. After adjusting for youth age and intellectual disability status and parent education and couple relationship length, the results indicated that father-report of PCC predicted increased youth EBPs 12 months later (T1→T2 and T2→T3). In addition, father-report of youth EBPs predicted increased PCC 12 months later (T3→T4). Mother-report did not demonstrate cross-lagged effects. The findings suggest that fathers’ perceptions of PCC and youth emotional and behavioral functioning are transactionally related, highlighting the need for family-wide interventions.

One size does not fit all: the role of mentoring context in proactive individuals' scholarly impact

PurposeMentoring relationships have been proposed as a potential intervention to alleviate gender disparities in scholarly output. Yet, previous research has not provided a systematic understanding of the relationship between mentoring and scholarly output. The authors propose that individuals with a proactive personality are especially suited to leverage mentoring relationships to enhance scholarly outcomes. Structural features of mentoring relationships – gender composition, mentor supervisory status, and mentoring relationship length – provide cues that encourage the expression of proactive personality and result in higher scholarly impact.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via surveys from faculty members in a US university and were matched with objective scholarly impact data. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used for hypothesis testing.FindingsThe impact of proactive personality on scholarly impact was more positive for women protégés with women mentors than for all other mentor-protégé pairings. Results also showed support for two hypothesized three-way interactions with mentor status and mentoring relationship length.Originality/valueThis research provides insights into the contexts where mentorship makes the most difference in protégés' scholarly achievement. Gender composition of mentoring dyads and mentor status are important boundary conditions that impact the effect of proactive personality on scholarly output.

Handler familiarity helps to improve working performance during novel situations in semi-captive Asian elephants

Working animals spend hours each day in close contact with humans and require training to understand commands and fulfil specific tasks. However, factors driving cooperation between humans and animals are still unclear, and novel situations may present challenges that have been little-studied to-date. We investigated factors driving cooperation between humans and animals in a working context through behavioural experiments with 52 working semi-captive Asian elephants. Human-managed Asian elephants constitute approximately a third of the remaining Asian elephants in the world, the majority of which live in their range countries working alongside traditional handlers. We investigated how the familiarity and experience of the handler as well as the elephant’s age and sex affected their responses when asked to perform a basic task and to cross a novel surface. The results highlighted that when novelty is involved in a working context, an elephant’s relationship length with their handler can affect their cooperation: elephants who had worked with their handler for over a year were more willing to cross the novel surface than those who had a shorter relationship with their handler. Older animals also tended to refuse to walk on the novel surface more but the sex did not affect their responses. Our study contributes much needed knowledge on human-working animal relationships which should be considered when adjusting training methods and working habits.

Mindfulness, perceived partner responsiveness, and relationship quality: A dyadic longitudinal mediation model

General and domain-specific (e.g., relationship-specific) mindfulness frequently predict salutary relationship outcomes. The present preregistered study examined whether general and relationship mindfulness predicted longitudinal change in positive and negative relationship quality via greater perceived partner responsiveness (PPR). One hundred couples completed a baseline lab session (Phase 1), a 14-day diary period (Phase 2), and a 2-month follow-up survey (Phase 3). Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model analyses revealed that actors’ Phase 1 relationship mindfulness—but not general mindfulness—predicted increases in their own positive relationship quality from Phase 1–3 and decreases in their own negative relationship quality from Phase 1–3 indirectly via their own Phase 2 PPR. An exploratory alternate model testing if Phase 1 PPR predicted changes in Phase 1–3 relationship quality via Phase 2 relationship mindfulness did not reveal significant indirect effects. All results held when controlling for gender, age, and relationship length, and no partner effects emerged in any analysis. These findings further elucidate the relationship-enhancing role of mindfulness in couples and highlight PPR as a critical mediator explaining the link between domain-specific mindfulness and relationship quality. Implications for mindfulness-based training programs for couples are discussed.

Mindfulness, Perceived Partner Responsiveness, and Relationship Quality: A Dyadic Longitudinal Mediation Model

General and domain-specific (e.g., relationship-specific) mindfulness frequently predict salutary relationship outcomes. The present preregistered study examined whether general and relationship mindfulness predicted longitudinal change in positive and negative relationship quality via greater perceived partner responsiveness (PPR). One hundred couples completed a baseline lab session (Phase 1), a 14-day diary period (Phase 2), and a 2-month follow-up survey (Phase 3). Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model analyses revealed that actors’ Phase 1 relationship mindfulness—but not general mindfulness—predicted increases in their own positive relationship quality from Phase 1-3 and decreases in their own negative relationship quality from Phase 1-3 indirectly via their own Phase 2 PPR. An exploratory alternate model testing if Phase 1 PPR predicted changes in Phase 1-3 relationship quality via Phase 2 relationship mindfulness did not reveal significant indirect effects. All results held when controlling for gender, age, and relationship length, and no partner effects emerged in any analysis. These findings further elucidate the relationship-enhancing role of mindfulness in couples and highlight PPR as a critical mediator explaining the link between domain-specific mindfulness and relationship quality. Implications for mindfulness-based training programs for couples are discussed.