Sexual behavior and risk of HIV/AIDS among adolescents in public secondary schools in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.

PubMed

Bamidele, James Olusegun; Abodunrin, Olugbemiga Lanre; Adebimpe, Wasiu Olalekan

2009-01-01

Young people are particularly vulnerable to unplanned sexual activities. This study sought to identify the sexual behaviors and risk of HIV among public secondary schools students in Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey of 521 students in eight randomly selected public secondary schools. Respondents were selected by a multistage sampling technique from amongst the study population. Using a self-administered, semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire, data were obtained concerning their sexual behaviors and influencing factors. Most respondents (n = 387, 74.3%) were in late adolescence. Many knew the consequences of premarital sex as unplanned pregnancy, STI/HIV/AIDS, incomplete schooling, and guilt feelings. About 40% of the respondents had been involved in sexual activities with partners who were classmates, neighbors, 'sugar daddies', teachers, or strangers (party-mates or prostitutes). Heterosexual, oral, and anal forms of sex were practiced respectively by 78.1%, 13.3%, and 12.4% of those who were sexually active. Sexual debut was 15.2 +/- 1.62 years. About 36% of those sexually active had more than one partner, and about 14.8% were aware that their partners had other partners. Only 8.6% used a condom on a consistent basis, whereas 41.9% had never used a condom at all. More than half the sexual activities were not pre-planned. The reasons given for engaging in such practices were peer influence, financial reward, drug influence, fun, or experimentation. Despite their 'above average' level of knowledge of the consequences, the students were still involved in risky sexual behaviors. Behavioral change communications should be intensified among these adolescents.

Limits of selection against cheaters: birds prioritise visual fruit advertisement over taste.

PubMed

Wang, Zhen; Schaefer, H Martin

2014-04-01

The concept of biological markets aims to explain how organisms interact with each other. Market theory predicts that organisms choose the most rewarding partner in mutualisms. However, partner choice may also be influenced by advertisement which may not be reliable. In seed dispersal mutualism, we analysed whether seed dispersers prioritise taste cues over visual advertisement to select the most rewarding fruits and whether they select against partners with unreliable advertisement. We conducted experiments on black elder (Sambucus nigra), a species of which the colours of the peduncles match the sugar content of their fruits. We created infructescences the colours of which matched or mismatched the sugar content of their fruits. There was no selection against cheaters in the field or by captive blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) as seed dispersers. Blackcaps were constrained to select against unreliable advertisement because they swallowed fruits entirely and thus did not obtain an immediate feedback by taste. Instead, blackcaps selected fruits according to the colour variation of red peduncles. Overall, we suggest that the concept of constraints should be incorporated into biological markets. We further contend that biological markets can be more complex than currently acknowledged because a moderate degree of reliability occurred in black elder even in the absence of selection against cheaters.

Public information influences sperm transfer to females in sailfin molly males.

PubMed

Nöbel, Sabine; Witte, Klaudia

2013-01-01

In animals, including humans, the social environment can serve as a public information network in which individuals can gather public information about the quality of potential mates by observing conspecifics during sexual interactions. The observing individual itself is also a part of this information network. When recognized by the observed conspecifics as an audience, his/her presence could influence the sexual interaction between those individuals, because the observer might be considered as a potential mate or competitor. One of the most challenging questions in sexual selection to date is how the use of public information in the context of mate choice is linked to the fitness of individuals. Here, we could show that public information influences mate-choice behaviour in sailfin molly males, Poecilia latipinna, and influences the amount of sperm males transfer to a female partner. In the presence of an audience male, males spent less time with the previously preferred, larger of two females and significantly more time with the previously non-preferred, smaller female. When males could physically interact with a female and were faced with an audience male, three audience females or no audience, males transferred significantly more sperm to a female partner in the presence of an audience male than with female audience or no audience and spent less time courting his female partner. This is the first study showing that public information use turns into fitness investment, which is the crucial factor to understand the role of public information in the dynamic processes in sexual selection.

Female homosexual behavior and inter-sexual mate competition in Japanese macaques: possible implications for sexual selection theory.

PubMed

Vasey, Paul L; Leca, Jean-Baptiste; Gunst, Noëlle; VanderLaan, Doug P

2014-10-01

In this paper, we review research related to female homosexual behavior in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), including our 20-year program of research on this species. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that female homosexual behavior in this species is sexually motivated. In contrast, many sociosexual hypotheses have been tested in relation to female homosexual behavior in Japanese macaques, but none have been supported. Female Japanese macaques sometimes engage in same-sex sexual activity even when motivated opposite-sex alternatives are available. Within this context of mate choice, males compete inter-sexually for opportunities to copulate with females above and beyond any intra-sexual competition that is required. Anecdotal evidence suggests that inter-sexual competition for female sexual partners has been observed in a number of other species, including humans. At present it is unclear whether inter-sexual competition for sexual partners influences patterns of reproduction. Our understanding of sexual selection and the evolution of mating systems may be improved by investigating whether inter-sexual mate competition influences the acquisition and maintenance of reproductive partners in those species in which such interactions occur. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oral contraceptive use in women changes preferences for male facial masculinity and is associated with partner facial masculinity.

PubMed

Little, Anthony C; Burriss, Robert P; Petrie, Marion; Jones, Benedict C; Roberts, S Craig

2013-09-01

Millions of women use hormonal contraception and it has been suggested that such use may alter mate preferences. To examine the impact of oral contraceptive (pill) use on preferences, we tested for within-subject changes in preferences for masculine faces in women initiating pill use. Between two sessions, initiation of pill use significantly decreased women's preferences for male facial masculinity but did not influence preferences for same-sex faces. To test whether altered preference during pill use influences actual partner choice, we examined facial characteristics in 170 age-matched male partners of women who reported having either been using or not using the pill when the partnership was formed. Both facial measurements and perceptual judgements demonstrated that partners of women who used the pill during mate choice have less masculine faces than partners of women who did not use hormonal contraception at this time. Our data (A) provide the first experimental evidence that initiation of pill use in women causes changes in facial preferences and (B) documents downstream effects of these changes on real-life partner selection. Given that hormonal contraceptive use is widespread, effects of pill use on the processes of partner formation have important implications for relationship stability and may have other biologically relevant consequences. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HIV transmission risk among HIV seroconcordant and serodiscordant couples: dyadic processes of partner selection.

PubMed

Eaton, Lisa A; West, Tessa V; Kenny, David A; Kalichman, Seth C

2009-04-01

Selecting sex partners of the same HIV status or serosorting is a sexual risk reduction strategy used by many men who have sex with men. However, the effectiveness of serosorting for protection against HIV is potentially limited. We sought to examine how men perceive the protective benefits of factors related to serosorting including beliefs about engaging in serosorting, sexual communication, and perceptions of risk for HIV. Participants were 94 HIV negative seroconcordant (same HIV status) couples, 20 HIV serodiscordant (discrepant HIV status) couples, and 13 HIV positive seroconcordant (same HIV status) couples recruited from a large gay pride festival in the southeastern US. To account for nonindependence found in the couple-level data, we used multilevel modeling which includes dyad in the analysis. Findings demonstrated that participants in seroconcordant relationships were more likely to believe that serosorting reduces concerns for condom use. HIV negative participants in seroconcordant relationships viewed themselves at relatively low risk for HIV transmission even though monogamy within relationships and HIV testing were infrequent. Dyadic analyses demonstrated that partners have a substantial effect on an individual's beliefs and number of unprotected sex partners. We conclude that relationship partners are an important source of influence and, thus, intervening with partners is necessary to reduce HIV transmission risks.

Peer Influence on Aggressive Behavior, Smoking, and Sexual Behavior: A Study of Randomly-assigned College Roommates.

PubMed

Li, Yi; Guo, Guang

2016-09-01

Identifying casual peer influence is a long-standing challenge to social scientists. Using data from a natural experiment of randomly-assigned college roommates (N = 2,059), which removes the threat of friend selection, we investigate peer effects on aggressive behavior, smoking, and concurrent sexual partnering. The findings suggest that the magnitude and direction of peer influence depend on predisposition, gender, and the nature of the behavior. Peer effects on individuals predisposed toward a given behavior tend to be larger than peer effects on individuals without such a predisposition. We find that the influence of roommates on aggressive behavior is more pronounced among male students than among female students; roommate effects on smoking are negative among female students and male students who did not smoke before college. For concurrent sexual partnering, a highly private behavior, we find no evidence of peer effects. © American Sociological Association 2016.

No evidence of inbreeding avoidance in a polygynous ungulate: the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus).

PubMed

Holand, Oystein; Askim, Kjartan R; Røed, Knut H; Weladji, Robert B; Gjøstein, Hallvard; Nieminen, Mauri

2007-02-22

In polygynous species, mate choice is an integrated part of sexual selection. However, whether mate choice occurs independently of the genetic relatedness among mating pairs has received little attention, although inbreeding may have fitness consequences. We studied whether genetic relatedness influenced females' choice of partner in a highly polygynous ungulate--the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)--in an experimental herd during two consecutive rutting seasons; the herd consisting of 75 females in 1999 and 74 females in 2000 was exposed to three 4.5-year-old adults and three 1.5-year-old young males, respectively. The females' distribution during peak rut was not influenced by their genetic relatedness with the dominant males of the mating groups. Further, genetic relatedness did not influence the actual choice of mating partner. We conclude that inbreeding avoidance through mating group choice as well as choice of mating partner, two interconnected processes of female mate choice operating at two different scales in space and time, in such a highly female-biased reindeer populations with low level of inbreeding may not occur.

Learning from Simulation Games: Effects of Sociometric Grouping.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brand, Charles F.

1980-01-01

Study examined the influence of 141 fifth graders of two sociometric variables, mutual selection of playing partners and membership in a cohesive group, on learning from classroom simulation games. Although cognitive learning evidence existed, no effects of sociometric grouping were apparent. (CMV)

Male partner selectivity, romantic confidence, and media depictions of partner scarcity.

PubMed

Taylor, Laramie D

2013-01-18

An experiment was conducted to explore the effects of exposure to partner scarcity or abundance messages on men's partner selectivity, romantic confidence, and self-assessed attractiveness. Undergraduate male participants watched a soap opera narrative featuring either two men competing over one potential female partner (partner scarcity) or two women competing over one potential male partner (partner abundance). Relative to control subjects, watching either narrative reduced romantic confidence. Experimental condition also affected partner selectivity and self-assessed attractiveness, though both effects were moderated by endorsement of traditional masculine ideology. Viewing the abundance narrative resulted in greater selectivity and self-assessed attractiveness for men high in endorsement of traditional masculinity but diminished selectivity and self-assessed attractiveness for men low in endorsement of traditional masculine identity.

Women's perceptions and reflections of male partners and couple dynamics in family planning adoption in selected urban slums in Nigeria: a qualitative exploration.

PubMed

Aransiola, Joshua Oyeniyi; Akinyemi, Akanni Ibukun; Fatusi, Adesegun Olayiwola

2014-08-23

Nigeria is one of the countries where significant progress has not been recorded in contraceptive uptake despite decades of family planning programs while there are indications that slum dwellers may differ significantly from other urban dwellers in their sexual and reproductive behavior, including family planning uptake. This study therefore examined local notions regarding male partners' involvement in family planning (FP) adoption by women in two selected urban slums areas in Nigeria - Ibadan (Southwest region) and Kaduna (Northwest region). Specifically, the study investigated women's narratives about FP, perceived barriers from male partners regarding FP adoption by the women and how women negotiate male partners' cooperation for FP use. Sixteen FGD sessions were conducted with selected groups of men and women, stratified by sex, age group, and FP experience using a vignette to generate discussions. Sessions were facilitated by experienced social scientists and audio-taped, with note-taker also present. The transcribed data were analyzed with Atlas.ti software version 7. Inductive approach was employed to analyze the data. Reasons given for FP attitudes and use are presented in a network format while critical discourse analysis was also used in generating relevant tables. The finding shows that women in the selected communities expressed desire for FP adoption. Three main reasons largely accounted for the desire to use FP: perceived need to space childbirth, family's financial condition and the potential adverse effect of high fertility on the woman's health. Male partners' support for the use of FP by women was perceived to be low, which is due to misconceptions about FP and traditional pro-natalistic beliefs and tendencies. Mechanisms by which women negotiate their male-partner's cooperation for FP adoption include seeking the support of the partner's significant others and advice from older women. To significantly improve family planning adoption rates among urban slum dwellers in Nigeria, there is the need to specifically and specially target men alongside their female partners as well as other stakeholders who have significant influences at family and community level.

HIV Risk and Perceptions of Masculinity among Young Black MSM

PubMed Central

Fields, Errol L.; Bogart, Laura M.; Smith, Katherine C.; Malebranche, David J.; Ellen, Jonathan; Schuster, Mark A.

2011-01-01

Purpose Young Black men who have sex with men (MSM) have among the highest rates of HIV infection in the US. Although reported rates of unprotected anal intercourse are similar to MSM of other racial/ethnic backgrounds, young Black MSM (YBMSM) aged 15–22 are 5 times more likely than comparably aged white MSM to be HIV-infected. We explored contextual social-environmental factors that may influence how YBMSM assess risk, choose partners, and make decisions about condom use. Methods We analyzed semi-structured interviews with 35 YBMSM (18–24) in New York City, upstate NY, and Atlanta. We used structured analytic coding based on a theoretical scheme that emerged from the data. Results Perception of masculinity was the primary contextual factor influencing partner selection, risk assessment, and condom decision-making. Four primary themes emerged: 1) greater preference for partners perceived as masculine; 2) discomfort with allowing men perceived as feminine to be the insertive partner in anal intercourse; 3) a power dynamic such that partners perceived as more masculine made condom-use decisions within the dyad; and 4) use of potential partners’ perceived masculinity to assess HIV risk. Conclusions Perceived masculinity may play a significant role in HIV risk for YBMSM and may be an important concept to consider in prevention strategies directed towards this population. PMID:22325136

Understanding adolescent and family influences on intimate partner psychological violence during emerging adulthood and adulthood.

PubMed

Lohman, Brenda J; Neppl, Tricia K; Senia, Jennifer M; Schofield, Thomas J

2013-04-01

The intergenerational transmission of violence directed toward intimate partners has been documented for the past three decades. Overall, the literature shows that violence in the family of origin leads to violence in the family of destination. However, this predominately cross-sectional or retrospective literature is limited by self-selection, endogeneity, and reporter biases as it has not been able to assess how individual and family behaviors simultaneously experienced during adolescence influence intimate partner violence throughout adulthood. The present study used data from the Iowa Youth and Families Project (IYFP; N = 392; 52 % Female), a multi-method, multi-trait prospective approach, to overcome this limitation. We focused on psychological intimate partner violence in both emerging adulthood (19-23 years) and adulthood (27-31 years), and include self and partner ratings of violence as well as observational data in a sample of rural non-Hispanic white families. Controlling for a host of individual risk factors as well as interparental psychological violence from adolescence (14-15 years), the results show that exposure to parent-to-child psychological violence during adolescence is a key predictor of intimate partner violence throughout adulthood. In addition, negative emotionality and the number of sexual partners in adolescence predicted intimate partner violence in both emerging adulthood and adulthood. Exposure to family stress was associated positively with intimate partner violence in adulthood but not in emerging adulthood, whereas academic difficulties were found to increase violence in emerging adulthood only. Unlike previous research, results did not support a direct effect of interparental psychological violence on psychological violence in the next generation. Gender differences were found only in emerging adulthood. Implications of these findings are discussed in light of the current literature and future directions.

Understanding Adolescent and Family Influences on Intimate Partner Psychological Violence During Emerging Adulthood and Adulthood

PubMed Central

Lohman, Brenda J.; Neppl, Tricia K.; Senia, Jennifer M.; Schofield, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

The intergenerational transmission of violence directed toward intimate partners has been documented for the past three decades. Overall, the literature shows that violence in the family of origin leads to violence in the family of destination. However, this predominately cross–sectional or retrospective literature is limited by self–selection, endogeneity, and reporter biases as it has not been able to assess how individual and family behaviors simultaneously experienced during adolescence influence intimate partner violence throughout adulthood. The present study used data from the Iowa Youth and Families Project (IYFP; N = 392; 52 % Female), a multi–method, multi–trait prospective approach, to overcome this limitation. We focused on psychological intimate partner violence in both emerging adulthood (19 – 23 years) and adulthood (27 – 31 years), and include self and partner ratings of violence as well as observational data in a sample of rural non-Hispanic white families. Controlling for a host of individual risk factors as well as interparental psychological violence from adolescence (14 – 15 years), the results show that exposure to parent–to–child psychological violence during adolescence is a key predictor of intimate partner violence throughout adulthood. In addition, negative emotionality and the number of sexual partners in adolescence predicted intimate partner violence in both emerging adulthood and adulthood. Exposure to family stress was associated positively with intimate partner violence in adulthood but not in emerging adulthood, whereas academic difficulties were found to increase violence in emerging adulthood only. Unlike previous research, results did not support a direct effect of interparental psychological violence on psychological violence in the next generation. Gender differences were found only in emerging adulthood. Implications of these findings are discussed in light of the current literature and future directions. PMID:23430562

Sociocultural and Victimization Factors That Impact Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence Among Kenyan Women.

PubMed

Mugoya, George C T; Witte, Tricia H; Ernst, Kacey C

2015-10-01

This study investigates the association between acceptance of intimate partner violence (IPV) and reported IPV victimization among Kenyan women, taking into consideration select sociocultural factors that may also influence acceptance of IPV. Data from a nationally representative, cross-sectional, household survey conducted between November 2008 and February 2009 in Kenya were analyzed. Hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to estimate the effect of select sociodemographic characteristics and reported IPV victimization on acceptance of IPV. The results showed that while both sociodemographic characteristics and reported IPV victimization were significantly associated with IPV acceptance, sociocultural factors had a greater impact. Programs aimed at empowering women and culturally competent IPV prevention strategies may be the key elements to reducing IPV. © The Author(s) 2014.

Peer Effects on Head Start Children's Preschool Competency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeLay, Dawn; Hanish, Laura D.; Martin, Carol Lynn; Fabes, Richard A.

2016-01-01

The goals of this study were to investigate whether young children attending Head Start (N = 292; M[subscript age] = 4.3 years) selected peers based on their preschool competency and whether children's levels of preschool competency were influenced by their peers' levels of preschool competency. Children's peer interaction partners were…

Wired on steroids: sexual differentiation of the brain and its role in the expression of sexual partner preferences.

PubMed

Alexander, Brenda M; Skinner, Donal C; Roselli, Charles E

2011-01-01

The preference to seek out a sexual partner of the opposite sex is robust and ensures reproduction and survival of the species. Development of female-directed partner preference in the male is dependent on exposure of the developing brain to gonadal steroids synthesized during critical periods of sexual differentiation of the central nervous system. In the absence of androgen exposure, a male-directed partner preference develops. The development and expression of sexual partner preference has been extensively studied in rat, ferret, and sheep model systems. From these models it is clear that gonadal testosterone, often through estrogenic metabolites, cause both masculinization and defeminization of behavior during critical periods of brain development. Changes in the steroid environment during these critical periods result in atypical sexual partner preference. In this manuscript, we review the major findings which support the hypothesis that the organizational actions of sex steroids are responsible for sexual differentiation of sexual partner preferences in select non-human species. We also explore how this information has helped to frame our understanding of the biological influences on human sexual orientation and gender identity.

Wired on Steroids: Sexual Differentiation of the Brain and Its Role in the Expression of Sexual Partner Preferences

PubMed Central

Alexander, Brenda M.; Skinner, Donal C.; Roselli, Charles E.

2011-01-01

The preference to seek out a sexual partner of the opposite sex is robust and ensures reproduction and survival of the species. Development of female-directed partner preference in the male is dependent on exposure of the developing brain to gonadal steroids synthesized during critical periods of sexual differentiation of the central nervous system. In the absence of androgen exposure, a male-directed partner preference develops. The development and expression of sexual partner preference has been extensively studied in rat, ferret, and sheep model systems. From these models it is clear that gonadal testosterone, often through estrogenic metabolites, cause both masculinization and defeminization of behavior during critical periods of brain development. Changes in the steroid environment during these critical periods result in atypical sexual partner preference. In this manuscript, we review the major findings which support the hypothesis that the organizational actions of sex steroids are responsible for sexual differentiation of sexual partner preferences in select non-human species. We also explore how this information has helped to frame our understanding of the biological influences on human sexual orientation and gender identity. PMID:22654808

Do men and women report their sexual partnerships differently? Evidence from Kisumu, Kenya.

PubMed

Clark, Shelley; Kabiru, Caroline; Zulu, Eliya

2011-12-01

It is generally believed that men and women misreport their sexual behaviors, which undermines the ability of researchers, program designers and health care providers to assess whether these behaviors compromise individuals' sexual and reproductive health. Data on 1,299 recent sexual partnerships were collected in a 2007 survey of 1,275 men and women aged 18-24 and living in Kisumu, Kenya. Chi-square and t tests were used to examine how sample selection bias and selective partnership reporting may result in gender differences in reported sexual behaviors. Correlation coefficients and kappa statistics were calculated in further analysis of a sample of 280 matched marital and nonmarital couples to assess agreement on reported behaviors. Even after adjustment for sample selection bias, men reported twice as many partnerships as women (0.5 vs. 0.2), as well as more casual partnerships. However, when selective reporting was controlled for, aggregate gender differences in sexual behaviors almost entirely disappeared. In the matched-couples sample, men and women exhibited moderate to substantial levels of agreement for most relationship characteristics and behaviors, including type of relationship, frequency of sex and condom use. Finally, men and women tended to agree about whether men had other nonmarital partners, but disagreed about women's nonmarital partners. Both sample selection bias and selective partnership reporting can influence the level of agreement between men's and women's reports of sexual behaviors. Although men report more casual partners than do women, accounts of sexual behavior within reported relationships are generally reliable.

Interaction Quality during Partner Reading

PubMed Central

Meisinger, Elizabeth B.; Schwanenflugel, Paula J.; Bradley, Barbara A.; Stahl, Steven A.

2009-01-01

The influence of social relationships, positive interdependence, and teacher structure on the quality of partner reading interactions was examined. Partner reading, a scripted cooperative learning strategy, is often used in classrooms to promote the development of fluent and automatic reading skills. Forty-three pairs of second grade children were observed during partner reading sessions taking place in 12 classrooms. The degree to which the partners displayed social cooperation (instrumental support, emotional support, and conflict management) and on/off task behavior was evaluated. Children who chose their own partners showed greater social cooperation than those children whose teacher selected their partner. However, when the positive interdependence requirements of the task were not met within the pair (neither child had the skills to provide reading support or no one needed support), lower levels of on-task behavior were observed. Providing basic partner reading script instruction at the beginning of the year was associated with better social cooperation during partner reading, but providing elaborated instruction or no instruction was associated with poorer social cooperation. It is recommended that teachers provide basic script instruction and allow children to choose their own partners. Additionally, pairings of low ability children with other low ability children and high ability children with other high ability children should be avoided. Teachers may want to suggest alternate partners for children who inadvertently choose such pairings or adjust the text difficulty to the pair. Overall, partner reading seems to be an enjoyable pedagogical strategy for teaching reading fluency. PMID:19830259

Partner's influences and other correlates of prenatal alcohol use.

PubMed

van der Wulp, Nickie Y; Hoving, Ciska; de Vries, Hein

2015-04-01

To investigate the influence of partners on alcohol consumption in pregnant women within the context of other factors. A Dutch nationwide online cross-sectional study among 158 pregnant women and their partners was conducted. To identify correlates of prenatal alcohol use, including perceived and reported partner norm (i.e. partner's belief regarding acceptability of prenatal alcohol use), partner modeling (i.e. partner's alcohol use during the woman's pregnancy) and partner support (i.e. partner's help in abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy), independent sample T-tests and Chi square tests were conducted. Correlation analyses tested the relationship between perceived and reported partner influence. Multivariate logistic hierarchical regression analyses tested the independent impact of partner's perceived and reported influence next to other correlates from the I-Change Model. Pregnant women who consumed alcohol perceived a weaker partner norm (p < 0.001) and less partner modeling (p < 0.05), with the partner reporting a weaker norm (p < 0.001), more drinking days per week (p < 0.05) and weaker support (p < 0.05). Perceived and reported partner norm, modeling and support were positively related (respectively p < 0.01, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05). The multivariate analyses demonstrated that pregnant women with a higher education who perceived lower severity of harm due to prenatal alcohol use and a weaker partner norm were more likely to use alcohol (R(2) = 0.42). This study demonstrated that perceived partner norm was the most critical of the constructs of perceived and reported partner influences in explaining prenatal alcohol use.

Partners in health? Exploring resemblance in health between partners in married and cohabiting couples.

PubMed

Monden, Christiaan

2007-04-01

Sociological theories on family formation and families and health suggest that married and cohabiting partners will resemble each other in health status, positively or negatively. The family is often seen as a health-enhancing agent for individuals. However, there are large health differences among families. This study aims to answer the question whether it is the case that the healthy live with the healthy and individuals with poor health have partners who are also in poor health. Moreover, it examines whether resemblance in health is a consequence of partner choice--educational homogamy in particular--behaviour or shared circumstances. Younger and older couples are compared to investigate whether health resemblance increases over the lifecourse. Analyses of a nationally representative sample of almost 12,000 Dutch couples show that partners are indeed significantly alike with regard to several health indicators. Respondents whose partner reports poor health are almost three times more likely to report poor health than respondents whose partner is in good health. There is a strong accumulation of health problems within households. Partner selection with regard to education causes part of the partner resemblance in health. Less support is found for the hypotheses that risk behaviour, mutual influence or the effects of shared circumstances cause similarity between partners' health status. Surprisingly, partners in older couples, who have been together for a longer time, do not resemble each other significantly more than partners in younger couples. The implications of these findings for sociological theory and social inequalities in health are discussed.

Effect of the Range of Response Options on Answers to Biographical Inventory Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirnan, Jean Powell; Edler, Erin; Carpenter, Allison

2007-01-01

The range of response options has been shown to influence the answers given in self-report instruments that measure behaviors ranging from television viewing to sexual partners. The current research extends this line of inquiry to 36 quantitative items extracted from a biographical inventory used in personnel selection. A total of 92…

Sharing mates and nest boxes is associated with female "friendship" in European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris.

PubMed

Henry, Laurence; Bourguet, Cécile; Coulon, Marion; Aubry, Christine; Hausberger, Martine

2013-02-01

Breeding decisions in birds involve both mate and nest choice, and there is increasing evidence that social influences may modulate individual choices. Female preferences may be affected by other females' preferences and mutual choice cannot always be excluded, which makes the whole pattern more complex than assumed by most sexual selection models. Social transmission may be facilitated by particular social bonds, therefore prebreeding social networks may influence later mate choices. The other case where females share mate or resources is polygyny, generally viewed to only benefit males. If mutual benefits may arise then mechanisms should evolve to reduce the reproductive cost for females such as to reduce the cost of aggression by sharing their mate with a preferred same-sex social partner. We tested the hypothesis that females' mating decisions may be influenced by the prebreeding social network and that social partner relations established prior to breeding may share decisions (mate/sites) in a facultatively polygynous species, the European starling. Two experiments were designed to test the relative importance of male or nest by following the whole dynamics of the breeding cycle from the prebreeding period until mate and nest selection. In both cases socially isolated females tended to be excluded from breeding, while prebreeding social partners tended to share mates and to nest in close proximity, mate copying leading in some case to polygyny. The final pattern resulted both from female "likes and dislikes" and male preferences for some females. Aggressive interactions between females were rare. Vocal sharing between females may have been a clue for males as to the degree of social integration of these females. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Do Men and Women Report Their Sexual Partnerships Differently? Evidence from Kisumu, Kenya

PubMed Central

Clark, Shelley; Kabiru, Caroline; Zulu, Eliya

2012-01-01

CONTEXT It is generally believed that men and women misreport their sexual behaviors, which undermines the ability of researchers, program designers and health care providers to assess whether these behaviors compromise individuals’ sexual and reproductive health. METHODS Data on 1,299 recent sexual partnerships were collected in a 2007 survey of 1,275 men and women aged 18–24 and living in Kisumu, Kenya. Chi-square and t tests were used to examine how sample selection bias and selective partnership reporting may result in gender differences in reported sexual behaviors. Correlation coefficients and kappa statistics were calculated in further analysis of a sample of 280 matched marital and nonmarital couples to assess agreement on reported behaviors. RESULTS Even after adjustment for sample selection bias, men reported twice as many partnerships as women (0.5 vs. 0.2), as well as more casual partnerships. However, when selective reporting was controlled for, aggregate gender differences in sexual behaviors almost entirely disappeared. In the matched-couples sample, men and women exhibited moderate to substantial levels of agreement for most relationship characteristics and behaviors, including type of relationship, frequency of sex and condom use. Finally, men and women tended to agree about whether men had other nonmarital partners, but disagreed about women’s nonmarital partners. CONCLUSIONS Both sample selection bias and selective partnership reporting can influence the level of agreement between men’s and women’s reports of sexual behaviors. Although men report more casual partners than do women, accounts of sexual behavior within reported relationships are generally reliable. PMID:22227625

[High Risk Sex Behaviors and Associated Factors in Young Men in Chengdu].

PubMed

2015-11-01

To determine the prevalence of high risk sex behaviors and associated factors in 18-34 years old men in Chengdu. Methods An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted in 18-34 years old men selected by multi-stage random sampling in Chengdu. Data of 1536 respondents who reported having sex contacts were analyzed. 23.6% of respondents had multiple sex partners in the past 12 months; 11.8% were involved commercial sex; 9.0% had group sex; 4. 7% had anal sex; 15.6% had never used a condom; 37.7% had sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Logistic regression analysis revealed that marital status [married, standardized partial regression coefficient (B) = -0.086, P<0.05] , level of education (bachelor or above, B= -0.063, P<0.05), frequency of exposure to pornography (B=0.058, P<0.05), childhood sexual abuse (B= 0.042, P<0.05), first sexual intercourse at an earlier age (B=0.162, P<0.05), frequency of sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs (B=0.054, P<0.05) were significant predictors of having multiple sexual partners. Sexual orientation, age, smoking, alcohol abuse, drug use, anxiety, depression, childhood physical abuse did not appear to be significant factors associated with having multiple sexual partners. Having multiple sexual partners is the main high risk sex behavior of young men in Chengdu. Childhood sexual abuse and early start of sexual intercourse are the major predictors of having multiple sexual partners.

Empowerment, partner's behaviours and intimate partner physical violence among married women in Uganda.

PubMed

Kwagala, Betty; Wandera, Stephen Ojiambo; Ndugga, Patricia; Kabagenyi, Allen

2013-12-01

There is dearth of knowledge and research about the role of empowerment, partners' behaviours and intimate partner physical violence (IPPV) among married women in Uganda. This paper examined the influence of women's empowerment and partners' behaviours on IPPV among married women in Uganda. The 2011 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey data were used, selecting a weighted sample of 1,307 women in union considered for the domestic violence module. Cross tabulations (chi-square tests) and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with IPPV. The prevalence of IPPV among women in union in Uganda is still high (41%). Women's occupation was the only measure of empowerment that was significantly associated with IPPV, where women in professional employment were less likely to experience IPPV. Women from wealthy households were less likely to experience IPPV. IPPV was more likely to be reported by women who had ever had children and witnessed parental IPPV. IPPV was also more likely to be reported by women whose husbands or partners: accused them of unfaithfulness, did not permit them to meet female friends, insisted on knowing their whereabouts and sometimes or often got drunk. Women who were afraid their partners were also more likely to report IPPV. In the Ugandan context, women's empowerment as assessed by the UDHS has limited mitigating effect on IPPV in the face of partners' negative behaviours and history of witnessing parental violence.

Longitudinal Effects of Health-Harming and Health-Protective Behaviors within Adolescent Romantic Dyads

PubMed Central

Aalsma, Matthew C.; Carpentier, Melissa; Azzouz, Faouzi; Fortenberry, Dennis

2012-01-01

Most models exploring adolescent health behavior have focused on individual influences to understand behavior change. The goal of the current study was to assess the role of adolescent romantic partners on the expression of health behavior. Our sample utilized two waves of data from the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (1994, 1996), which included 80 romantic dyads (160 individuals). A longitudinal multilevel analysis was conducted. We assessed individual and romantic partner health-harming behaviors (i.e., delinquency, alcohol use, smoking, and marijuana use), health-protective behaviors (i.e., physical activity, physical inactivity, sleep patterns, seatbelt use, and contraception motivations), as well as the role of gender and age. Participants average age was 16 years at baseline. We found evidence for partner similarity and partner influence with the majority of health-harming behaviors. Specifically, partner influence was evident for smoking and alcohol use with partner influence approaching significance for marijuana use. We found limited evidence for partner similarity and partner influence for health-protective behaviors. The importance of assessing romantic dyads was evident in these data. Interventions focusing on health-harming behavior for adolescent populations are important public health goals. It is recommended that future intervention efforts with adolescent health-harming behaviors should target not only peers, but also consider the role of romantic partners. PMID:22424832

Influence of Length and Amino Acid Composition on Dimer Formation of Immunoglobulin based Chimera.

PubMed

Manoj, Patidar; Naveen, Yadav; Dalai, Sarat Kumar

2017-10-18

The dimeric immunoglobulin (Ig) chimeras used for drug targeting and delivery are preferred biologics over their monomeric forms. Designing these Ig chimeras involves critical selection of a suitable Ig base that ensures dimer formation. In the present study, we systematically analyzed several factors that influence the formation of dimeric chimera. We designed and predicted 608 cytokine-Ig chimeras where we tested the contributions of (1) different domains of Ig constant heavy chain, (2) length of partner proteins, (3) amino acid (AA) composition and (4) position of cysteine in the formation of homodimer. The sequences of various Ig and cytokines were procured from Uniprot database, fused and submitted to COTH (CO-THreader) server for the prediction of dimer formation. Contributions of different domains of Ig constant heavy chain, length of chimeric proteins, AA composition and position of cysteine were tested to the homodimer formation of 608 cytokine-Ig chimeras. Various in silico approaches were adopted for validating the in silico findings. Experimentally we also validated our approach by expressing in CHO cells the chimeric design of shorter cytokine with Ig domain and analyzing the protein by SDS-PAGE. Our results advocate that while the CH1 region and the Hinge region of Ig heavy chain are critical, the length of partner proteins also crucially influences homodimer formation of the Ig-based chimera. We also report that the CH1 domain of Ig is not required for dimer formation of Ig based chimera in the presence of larger partner proteins. For shorter partner proteins fused to CH2-CH3, however, careful selection of partner sequence is critical, particularly the hydrophobic AA composition, cysteine content & their positions, disulphide bond formation property, and the linker sequences. We validated our in silico observation by various bioinformatics tools and checked the ability of chimeras to bind with the receptors of native protein by docking studies. As a proof of concept, we have expressed the chimeric proteins in CHO cells and found that our design favors the synthesis of dimeric proteins. Our structural prediction study suggests that extra amino acids in the range of 15-20 added to the CH2 domain of Ig is a critical requirement to make homodimer. This information from our study will have implication in designing efficacious homodimeric chimera. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Experimentally measured susceptibility to peer influence and adolescent sexual behavior trajectories: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Choukas-Bradley, Sophia; Giletta, Matteo; Widman, Laura; Cohen, Geoffrey L; Prinstein, Mitchell J

2014-09-01

A performance-based measure of peer influence susceptibility was examined as a moderator of the longitudinal association between peer norms and trajectories of adolescents' number of sexual intercourse partners. Seventy-one 9th grade adolescents (52% female) participated in an experimental "chat room" paradigm involving "e-confederates" who endorsed sexual risk behaviors. Changes in participants' responses to risk scenarios before versus during the "chat room" were used as a performance-based measure of peer influence susceptibility. Participants reported their perceptions of popular peers' number of sexual intercourse partners at baseline and self-reported their number of sexual intercourse partners at baseline and 6, 12, and 18 months later. Susceptibility was examined as a moderator of the longitudinal association between perceptions of popular peers' number of sexual intercourse partners and trajectories of adolescents' own numbers of partners. High perceptions of the number of popular peers' sexual intercourse partners combined with high peer influence susceptibility predicted steeper longitudinal trajectories of adolescents' number of partners. Results provide novel preliminary evidence regarding the importance of peer influence susceptibility in adolescents' development of sexual behaviors.

Influencers and preference predictors of HPV vaccine uptake among US male and female young adult college students.

PubMed

LaJoie, A Scott; Kerr, Jelani C; Clover, Richard D; Harper, Diane M

2018-06-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of male and female college students in Kentucky about HPV associated diseases and vaccines, and to determine which parameters predicted self-reported uptake of HPV vaccination. A self-selected cross-sectional sample of college students completed an evidence-based online survey. Of approximately 1200 potential respondents, 585 completed the survey. The average age was 20.6 (SD 3.15) and 78% were female; 84% of the population had had one or more sexual partners. Concern for HPV vaccine safety and potential need for boosters did not significantly deter vaccine uptake. Likewise, knowledge about HPV associated cancers was not predictive of vaccine uptake. On the other hand, parental influence for vaccination was a strong predictor for vaccine uptake (aOR = 5.32, 2.71-13.03), and free vaccine nearly doubled the likelihood of being vaccinated (aOR 1.90, 1.05-3.41). In addition, the strong preference for the respondent's partner to be HPV vaccinated predicted vaccine uptake (aOR = 4.04, 95% CI: 2.31-7.05), but the lack of preference for partner vaccination predicted an unvaccinated self (aOR = 0.50, 0.27-0.93). HPV vaccination has been successful in young adult college students in Kentucky. Young adults prefer their partners to be HPV vaccinated regardless of whether they themselves are vaccinated. Parental influence and free vaccine were positive predictors for vaccine uptake in this population. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Partner influences and gender-related factors associated with noncondom use among young adult African American women.

PubMed

Wingood, G M; DiClemente, R J

1998-02-01

We examined the partner influences and gender-related correlates of noncondom use among African American women. The prevalence of noncondom use was 45.3%. Women whose sexual partners were noncondom users were four times more likely to believe that asking their partner to use a condom implied he was unfaithful, three times as likely to have a partner who resisted using condoms, three times more likely to receive AFDC, twice as likely to be sexually nonassertive, three times more likely to believe that it was not difficult to find an "eligible" African American man, and three times as likely to have had one sexual partner. HIV prevention tailored towards African American women should address these partner influences and gender-related factors.

Recruiting patients as partners in health research: a qualitative descriptive study.

PubMed

Vat, Lidewij Eva; Ryan, Devonne; Etchegary, Holly

2017-01-01

Increasingly, funders and researchers want to partner with patients in health research, but it can be challenging for researchers to find patient partners. More than taking part in research as participants, patient partners help design, carry out and manage research projects. The goal of this study was to describe ways that patient partners have been recruited by researchers and patient engagement leads (individuals within organizations responsible for promoting and supporting patients as research partners). We talked with researchers and patient engagement leads in Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as a patient representative. We found three ways that could help researchers and patients find each other. One way is a case-by-case basis, where patients are often sought with experience of a health condition that is the focus of the research. The other ways involved directories where projects were posted and could be found by patients and researchers, or a third party matched patients with research projects. We found four recruitment strategies:Social marketingCommunity outreachHealth systemPartnering with other organizations (e.g., advocacy groups) There are many influences on finding, selecting and retaining patient partners: patient characteristics, the local setting, the opportunity, work climate, education and support. We hope study results will provide a useful starting point for research teams in recruiting their patient partners. Background Patient engagement in clinical trials and other health research continues to gain momentum. While the benefits of patient engagement in research are emerging, relatively little is known about recruiting patients as research partners. The purpose of this study was to describe recruitment strategies and models of recruiting patients as partners in health research. Methods Qualitative descriptive study. Thirteen patient engagement leads and health researchers from Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as one patient representative from a national patient organization (7 female) completed semi-structured interviews. Results Recruitment infrastructures available to respondents varied, but could be categorized into three models including the traditional, third-party and directory models. Four categories of recruitment strategies were identified, representing multiple ways of recruiting patient partners: social marketing recruitment, community outreach recruitment, health system recruitment, and partnering recruitment. Conclusions Multiple recruitment strategies were identified for engaging patient partners in research, and some common factors influenced recruitment. Study findings contribute to the evidence base in patient engagement and provide guidance for research teams to help identify potential recruitment methods for their patient partners.

When familiar social partners are selected in open-ended situations: further tests of the socioemotional selectivity theory.

PubMed

Dudley, Nikki M; Multhaup, Kristi S

2005-01-01

Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST; Carstensen, 1995, Current Directions in Psychological Science, 4, 151-156) predicts that novel social partners are preferred in open-ended situations, whereas familiar social partners are preferred in future-limited situations. The authors attempted to generalize past research to new familiar and novel partner options. Studies 1 (N=144; undergraduates, community-dwelling adults ages 65 to 95) and 2 (N=336 community-dwelling participants ages 11 to 89) indicated that young and older participants in a future-limited situation preferred familiar partners. However, with different social partner options than have been used in previous research, young participants in an open-ended situation also preferred a familiar partner, contrary to the predictions of SST.

Emotional Bookkeeping and High Partner Selectivity Are Necessary for the Emergence of Partner-Specific Reciprocal Affiliation in an Agent-Based Model of Primate Groups

PubMed Central

Evers, Ellen; de Vries, Han; Spruijt, Berry M.; Sterck, Elisabeth H. M.

2015-01-01

Primate affiliative relationships are differentiated, individual-specific and often reciprocal. However, the required cognitive abilities are still under debate. Recently, we introduced the EMO-model, in which two emotional dimensions regulate social behaviour: anxiety-FEAR and satisfaction-LIKE. Emotional bookkeeping is modelled by providing each individual with partner-specific LIKE attitudes in which the emotional experiences of earlier affiliations with others are accumulated. Individuals also possess fixed partner-specific FEAR attitudes, reflecting the stable dominance hierarchy. In this paper, we focus on one key parameter of the model, namely the degree of partner selectivity, i.e. the extent to which individuals rely on their LIKE attitudes when choosing affiliation partners. Studying the effect of partner selectivity on the emergent affiliative relationships, we found that at high selectivity, individuals restricted their affiliative behaviours more to similar-ranking individuals and that reciprocity of affiliation was enhanced. We compared the emotional bookkeeping model with a control model, in which individuals had fixed LIKE attitudes simply based on the (fixed) rank-distance, instead of dynamic LIKE attitudes based on earlier events. Results from the control model were very similar to the emotional bookkeeping model: high selectivity resulted in preference of similar-ranking partners and enhanced reciprocity. However, only in the emotional bookkeeping model did high selectivity result in the emergence of reciprocal affiliative relationships that were highly partner-specific. Moreover, in the emotional bookkeeping model, LIKE attitude predicted affiliative behaviour better than rank-distance, especially at high selectivity. Our model suggests that emotional bookkeeping is a likely candidate mechanism to underlie partner-specific reciprocal affiliation. PMID:25785601

The influence of partner drug use and relationship power on treatment engagement.

PubMed

Riehman, Kara S; Iguchi, Martin Y; Zeller, Michelle; Morral, Andrew R

2003-05-01

Substance-using intimate partners negatively influence individuals' substance abuse treatment engagement and drug use, but little else is known about effects of intimate relationships on treatment. We examine how relationship dynamics (power, control, dependence, insecurity and decision-making power) influence treatment engagement, and whether this differs by gender and partner drug use. Sixty-four heroin users (42 men, 22 women) receiving methadone detoxification treatment in Los Angeles were interviewed at treatment entry and submitted daily diaries of drug use throughout the 21-day treatment. Total number of reported heroin-free days in the first eight treatment days was the dependent variable. Bivariate analyses revealed, that compared to men, women were more likely to have substance-using partners, reported greater power over a partner and greater household decision-making power in their relationships. Multivariate analysis indicated that individuals whose partners had more control over them reported fewer days abstinent. Among individuals with heroin-using partners, greater household decision-making power was associated with more days abstinent, but there was no association for individuals with non-using partners. Relationship power dynamics may be important influences on the treatment process, and some dimensions of power may interact with partner drug use status.

"If She is Drunk, I Don't Want Her to Take it": Partner Beliefs and Influence on Use of Alcohol and Antiretroviral Therapy in South African Couples.

PubMed

Conroy, Amy A; McKenna, Stacey A; Leddy, Anna; Johnson, Mallory O; Ngubane, Thulani; Darbes, Lynae A; van Rooyen, Heidi

2017-07-01

Alcohol consumption and beliefs about mixing alcohol and ART are associated with decreased adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). In this study, we examined how romantic partners influence alcohol and ART use. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 HIV-positive individuals and their primary partners (48 individuals) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Almost 17% of participants spontaneously expressed beliefs that alcohol and ART should not be mixed. Participants who held these beliefs influenced their partners' behaviors by either discouraging the mixing of alcohol and ART, which sometimes resulted in missed pills when drinking, or by helping partners manage their medications when drinking. Other participants encouraged partners to take ART no matter what. Messages on alcohol and ART may need to be refined for ART patients who cannot abstain from alcohol. Primary partners should be included in these education efforts and their influence could be leveraged to help reduce alcohol consumption and maintain adherence.

Mutual influences between partners' hormones shape conflict dialog and relationship duration at the initiation of romantic love.

PubMed

Schneiderman, Inna; Kanat-Maymon, Yaniv; Zagoory-Sharon, Orna; Feldman, Ruth

2014-01-01

Early-stage romantic love involves reorganization of neurohormonal systems and behavioral patterns marked by mutual influences between the partners' physiology and behavior. Guided by the biobehavioral synchrony conceptual frame, we tested bidirectional influences between the partners' hormones and conflict behavior at the initiation of romantic love. Participants included 120 new lovers (60 couples) and 40 singles. Plasma levels of five affiliation and stress-related hormones were assessed: oxytocin (OT), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), cortisol (CT), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). Couples were observed in conflict interaction coded for empathy and hostility. CT and DHEAS showed direct actor effects: higher CT and DHEAS predicted greater hostility. OT showed direct partner effects: individuals whose partners had higher OT showed greater empathy. T and CT showed combined actor-partner effects. High T predicted greater hostility only when partner also had high T, but lower hostility when partner had low T. Similarly, CT predicted low empathy only in the context of high partner's CT. Mediational analysis indicated that combined high CT in both partners was associated with relationship breakup as mediated by decrease in empathy. Findings demonstrate the mutual influences between hormones and behavior within an attachment bond and underscore the dynamic, co-regulated, and systemic nature of pair-bond formation in humans.

Genetic considerations in human sex-mate selection: partners share human leukocyte antigen but not short-tandem-repeat identity markers.

PubMed

Israeli, Moshe; Kristt, Don; Nardi, Yuval; Klein, Tirza

2014-05-01

Previous studies support a role for MHC on mating preference, yet it remains unsettled as to whether mating occurs preferentially between individuals sharing human leukocyte antigen (HLA) determinants or not. Investigating sex-mate preferences in the contemporary Israeli population is of further curiosity being a population with distinct genetic characteristics, where multifaceted cultural considerations influence mate selection. Pairs of male-female sex partners were evaluated in three groups. Two groups represented unmarried (n = 1002) or married (n = 308) couples and a control group of fictitious male-female couples. HLA and short-tandem-repeat (STR) genetic identification markers were assessed for the frequency of shared antigens and alleles. Human leukocyte antigen results showed that Class I and/ or Class II single antigen as well as double antigen sharing was more common in sex partners than in control group couples (P < 0.001). Married versus unmarried pairs were not distinguishable. In contrast, STR-DNA markers failed to differentiate between sex-mates and controls (P = 0.78). Sex partnerships shared HLA determinants more frequently than randomly constituted male-female pairs. The observed phenomenon does not reflect a syngenetic background between sex-mates as STR markers were not selectively shared. Thus, sex-mate selection in man may contravene the evolutionary pressure for genetic diversity in regard to HLA. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Partner Power: A Study of Two Distance Education Consortia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pidduck, Anne Banks; Carey, Tom

2006-01-01

This research reports findings from a study which explored the process and criteria of partner selection--how and why partners are chosen--for two distance education consortia. The researchers reviewed recent literature on partnerships and partner selection. Two Canada-wide distance education consortia were identified as large-scale case studies…

Partner Selection for People with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Claire; Terry, Louise; Popple, Keith

2017-01-01

Background: The aim of this research was to understand the characteristics that adults with intellectual disabilities look for in a partner. There have been numerous studies that have explored partner selection for people without intellectual disabilities, but no research that specifically identified the traits valued in a partner by people with…

The Relationship between Partners' Family-Size Preferences in Southern Malawi.

PubMed

Yeatman, Sara; Sennott, Christie

2014-09-01

Studies of the relative influence of partners' fertility preferences on behaviors tend to treat preferences as fixed, largely independent traits despite existing theoretical arguments and empirical evidence suggesting that they are moving targets that may be jointly developed within relationships. In this study, we use couple-level panel data from married and unmarried young adults in southern Malawi to examine the relationship between partners' family-size preferences. We find evidence of assortative mating: young Malawians are more likely to partner with individuals who have similar family-size goals. Additionally, although partners' family-size preferences do not perfectly converge, changes among men's and women's preferences are significantly more likely to be "toward" than "away from" those of their partner. Our findings point to a need for studies regarding the relative influence of partners on reproductive outcomes to consider the interdependence of partners' preferences and the varied ways in which partners can influence shared reproductive behaviors. © 2014 The Population Council, Inc.

Genetic incompatibility drives mate choice in a parasitic wasp.

PubMed

Thiel, Andra; Weeda, Anne C; de Boer, Jetske G; Hoffmeister, Thomas S

2013-07-30

Allelic incompatibility between individuals of the same species should select for mate choice based on the genetic make-up of both partners at loci that influence offspring fitness. As a consequence, mate choice may be an important driver of allelic diversity. A complementary sex determination (CSD) system is responsible for intraspecific allelic incompatibility in many species of ants, bees, and wasps. CSD may thus favour disassortative mating and in this, resembles the MHC of the vertebrate immune system, or the self-incompatibility (SI) system of higher plants. Here we show that in the monogamous parasitic wasp Bracon brevicornis (Wesmael), females are able to reject partners with incompatible alleles. Forcing females to accept initially rejected partners resulted in sex ratio distortion and partial infertility of offspring. CSD-disassortative mating occurred independent of kin recognition and inbreeding avoidance in our experiment. The fitness consequences of mate choice are directly observable, not influenced by environmental effects, and more severe than in comparable systems (SI or MHC), on individuals as well as at the population level. Our results thus demonstrate the strong potential of female mate choice for maintaining high offspring fitness in this species.

Influence of culture on contraceptive utilization among HIV-positive women in Brazil, Kenya, and South Africa.

PubMed

Todd, Catherine S; Stibich, Mark A; Laher, Fatima; Malta, Monica S; Bastos, Francisco I; Imbuki, Kennedy; Shaffer, Douglas N; Sinei, Samuel K; Gray, Glenda E

2011-02-01

Contraceptive choice and discontinuation are poorly understood among HIV-positive women, and HIV disease and culture may influence decisions. We assessed factors influencing contraceptive decision-making among HIV-positive women in three countries. This qualitative assessment of 108 HIV-positive women (36/site, selected by age and parity strata) was conducted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Kericho, Kenya; and Soweto, South Africa. Freelist interviews assessed knowledge and attitudes towards contraception and were analyzed enumerating frequency and saliency of mentions. There was intersite consensus around list items but priority and themes varied. Site-specific factors influencing contraceptive choice were male partner wishes and fertility desire (Brazil), side-effects (South Africa), and impact on health and HIV progression (Kenya). Age, parity, and taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) impacted some themes. Contraceptive use among HIV-positive women is substantially influenced by culture and other factors. Counseling efforts should consider individual factors in method selection and offer method variety to accommodate changing needs.

Strategic Sexual Signals: Women's Display versus Avoidance of the Color Red Depends on the Attractiveness of an Anticipated Interaction Partner

PubMed Central

Maner, Jon K.

2016-01-01

The color red has special meaning in mating-relevant contexts. Wearing red can enhance perceptions of women’s attractiveness and desirability as a potential romantic partner. Building on recent findings, the present study examined whether women’s (N = 74) choice to display the color red is influenced by the attractiveness of an expected opposite-sex interaction partner. Results indicated that female participants who expected to interact with an attractive man displayed red (on clothing, accessories, and/or makeup) more often than a baseline consisting of women in a natural environment with no induced expectation. In contrast, when women expected to interact with an unattractive man, they eschewed red, displaying it less often than in the baseline condition. Findings are discussed with respect to evolutionary and cultural perspectives on mate evaluation and selection. PMID:26960135

Violence against women: global scope and magnitude.

PubMed

Watts, Charlotte; Zimmerman, Cathy

2002-04-06

An increasing amount of research is beginning to offer a global overview of the extent of violence against women. In this paper we discuss the magnitude of some of the most common and most severe forms of violence against women: intimate partner violence; sexual abuse by non-intimate partners; trafficking, forced prostitution, exploitation of labour, and debt bondage of women and girls; physical and sexual violence against prostitutes; sex selective abortion, female infanticide, and the deliberate neglect of girls; and rape in war. There are many potential perpetrators, including spouses and partners, parents, other family members, neighbours, and men in positions of power or influence. Most forms of violence are not unique incidents but are ongoing, and can even continue for decades. Because of the sensitivity of the subject, violence is almost universally under-reported. Nevertheless, the prevalence of such violence suggests that globally, millions of women are experiencing violence or living with its consequences.

International Collaborative Research Partnerships: Blending Science with Management and Diplomacy.

PubMed

Lau, Chuen-Yen; Wang, Crystal; Orsega, Susan; Tramont, Edmund C; Koita, Ousmane; Polis, Michael A; Siddiqui, Sophia

2014-12-01

As globalization progressively connects and impacts the health of people across the world, collaborative research partnerships provide mutual advantages by sharing knowledge and resources to address locally and globally relevant scientific and public health questions. Partnerships undertaken for scientific research are similar to business collaborations in that they require attention to partner systems, whether local, international, political, academic, or non-academic. Scientists, like diplomats or entrepreneurs, are representatives of their field, culture, and country and become obligatory agents in health diplomacy. This role significantly influences current and future collaborations with not only the immediate partner but with other in country partners as well. Research partnerships need continuous evaluation of the collaboration's productivity, perspectives of all partners, and desired outcomes for success to avoid engaging in "research tourism", particularly in developing regions. International engagement is a cornerstone in addressing the impact of infectious diseases globally. Global partnerships are strategically aligned with national, partner and global health priorities and may be based on specific requests for assistance from the partnering country governments. Here we share experiences from select research collaborations to highlight principles that we have found key in building long-term relationships with collaborators and in meeting the aim to address scientific questions relevant to the host country and strategic global health initiatives.

International Collaborative Research Partnerships: Blending Science with Management and Diplomacy

PubMed Central

Lau, Chuen-Yen; Wang, Crystal; Orsega, Susan; Tramont, Edmund C; Koita, Ousmane; Polis, Michael A; Siddiqui, Sophia

2015-01-01

As globalization progressively connects and impacts the health of people across the world, collaborative research partnerships provide mutual advantages by sharing knowledge and resources to address locally and globally relevant scientific and public health questions. Partnerships undertaken for scientific research are similar to business collaborations in that they require attention to partner systems, whether local, international, political, academic, or non-academic. Scientists, like diplomats or entrepreneurs, are representatives of their field, culture, and country and become obligatory agents in health diplomacy. This role significantly influences current and future collaborations with not only the immediate partner but with other in country partners as well. Research partnerships need continuous evaluation of the collaboration’s productivity, perspectives of all partners, and desired outcomes for success to avoid engaging in “research tourism”, particularly in developing regions. International engagement is a cornerstone in addressing the impact of infectious diseases globally. Global partnerships are strategically aligned with national, partner and global health priorities and may be based on specific requests for assistance from the partnering country governments. Here we share experiences from select research collaborations to highlight principles that we have found key in building long-term relationships with collaborators and in meeting the aim to address scientific questions relevant to the host country and strategic global health initiatives. PMID:26225217

Building young women's knowledge and skills in female condom use: lessons learned from a South African intervention.

PubMed

Schuyler, A C; Masvawure, T B; Smit, J A; Beksinska, M; Mabude, Z; Ngoloyi, C; Mantell, J E

2016-04-01

Partner negotiation and insertion difficulties are key barriers to female condom (FC) use in sub-Saharan Africa. Few FC interventions have provided comprehensive training in both negotiation and insertion skills, or focused on university students. In this study we explored whether training in FC insertion and partner negotiation influenced young women's FC use. 296 female students at a South African university were randomized to a one-session didactic information-only minimal intervention (n= 149) or a two-session cognitive-behavioral enhanced intervention (n= 147), which received additional information specific to partner negotiation and FC insertion. Both groups received FCs. We report the 'experiences of' 39 randomly selected female students who participated in post-intervention qualitative interviews. Two-thirds of women reported FC use. Most women (n= 30/39) applied information learned during the interventions to negotiate with partners. Women reported that FC insertion practice increased their confidence. Twelve women failed to convince male partners to use the FC, often due to its physical attributes or partners' lack of knowledge about insertion. FC educational and skills training can help facilitate use, improve attitudes toward the device and help women to successfully negotiate safer sex with partners. Innovative strategies and tailored interventions are needed to increase widespread FC adoption. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Complexity in models of cultural niche construction with selection and homophily.

PubMed

Creanza, Nicole; Feldman, Marcus W

2014-07-22

Niche construction is the process by which organisms can alter the ecological environment for themselves, their descendants, and other species. As a result of niche construction, differences in selection pressures may be inherited across generations. Homophily, the tendency of like phenotypes to mate or preferentially associate, influences the evolutionary dynamics of these systems. Here we develop a model that includes selection and homophily as independent culturally transmitted traits that influence the fitness and mate choice determined by another focal cultural trait. We study the joint dynamics of a focal set of beliefs, a behavior that can differentially influence the fitness of those with certain beliefs, and a preference for partnering based on similar beliefs. Cultural transmission, selection, and homophily interact to produce complex evolutionary dynamics, including oscillations, stable polymorphisms of all cultural phenotypes, and simultaneous stability of oscillation and fixation, which have not previously been observed in models of cultural evolution or gene-culture interactions. We discuss applications of this model to the interaction of beliefs and behaviors regarding education, contraception, and animal domestication.

Facial first impressions and partner preference models: Comparable or distinct underlying structures?

PubMed

South Palomares, Jennifer K; Sutherland, Clare A M; Young, Andrew W

2017-12-17

Given the frequency of relationships nowadays initiated online, where impressions from face photographs may influence relationship initiation, it is important to understand how facial first impressions might be used in such contexts. We therefore examined the applicability of a leading model of verbally expressed partner preferences to impressions derived from real face images and investigated how the factor structure of first impressions based on potential partner preference-related traits might relate to a more general model of facial first impressions. Participants rated 1,000 everyday face photographs on 12 traits selected to represent (Fletcher, et al. 1999, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 72) verbal model of partner preferences. Facial trait judgements showed an underlying structure that largely paralleled the tripartite structure of Fletcher et al.'s verbal preference model, regardless of either face gender or participant gender. Furthermore, there was close correspondence between the verbal partner preference model and a more general tripartite model of facial first impressions derived from a different literature (Sutherland et al., 2013, Cognition, 127, 105), suggesting an underlying correspondence between verbal conceptual models of romantic preferences and more general models of facial first impressions. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Spread of Health Behaviors in Young Couples: How Relationship Power Shapes Relational Influence

PubMed Central

Cornelius, Talea; Desrosiers, Alethea; Kershaw, Trace

2016-01-01

Introduction Romantic relationships provide a context in which partners can influence each other’s health behaviors (e.g., weight-related behaviors, substance use). Partner influence may be especially pronounced among newly parenting adolescent and young adult couples because of the desire to maintain relationships (and therefore openness to influence), and because parenting-related challenges can pose risk for uptake of unhealthy behaviors. Two understudied factors that might affect partner influence on health behaviors include relative power within the relationship and prior levels of engagement in health behaviors. Methods The current study explored longitudinal partner influence effects in a sample of newly parenting adolescent and young adult females and their male partners (Ncouples = 157) recruited from four obstetrics/gynecology clinics in Connecticut between July 2007 and February 2011. Five health behaviors in two domains were explored: weight-related behaviors (unhealthy eating, exercise) and substance use (cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use). Relationship power and previous levels of health behaviors were examined as moderators. Variations across gender were also examined. Results Results of dyadic analysis showed partner influences for alcohol use. Partner influence depended on relationship power for eating, alcohol, and marijuana use, and on previous behavior for cigarette use. Results also varied by gender – only female-to-male influence was found for unhealthy eating and cigarette use. Higher relationship power was protective against smoking escalation for females. Discussion These results differ from previous research findings mainly on male-to-female influences. Such asymmetries may reflect traditional female dominance in food preparation, as well as shifts in power balances postpartum. Targeting relational power dynamics may buffer the spread and escalation of unhealthy behaviors in young parents, with implications for the health of both members of a couple as well as their children. PMID:27494239

Spread of health behaviors in young couples: How relationship power shapes relational influence.

PubMed

Cornelius, Talea; Desrosiers, Alethea; Kershaw, Trace

2016-09-01

Romantic relationships provide a context in which partners can influence each other's health behaviors (e.g., weight-related behaviors, substance use). Partner influence may be especially pronounced among newly parenting adolescent and young adult couples because of the desire to maintain relationships (and therefore openness to influence), and because parenting-related challenges can pose risk for uptake of unhealthy behaviors. Two understudied factors that might affect partner influence on health behaviors include relative power within the relationship and prior levels of engagement in health behaviors. The current study explored longitudinal partner influence effects in a sample of newly parenting adolescent and young adult females and their male partners (Ncouples = 157) recruited from four obstetrics/gynecology clinics in Connecticut between July 2007 and February 2011. Five health behaviors in two domains were explored: weight-related behaviors (unhealthy eating, exercise) and substance use (cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use). Relationship power and previous levels of health behaviors were examined as moderators. Variations across gender were also examined. Results of dyadic analysis showed partner influences for alcohol use. Partner influence depended on relationship power for eating, alcohol, and marijuana use, and on previous behavior for cigarette use. Results also varied by gender - only female-to-male influence was found for unhealthy eating and cigarette use. Higher relationship power was protective against smoking escalation for females. These results differ from previous research findings mainly on male-to-female influences. Such asymmetries may reflect traditional female dominance in food preparation, as well as shifts in power balances postpartum. Targeting relational power dynamics may buffer the spread and escalation of unhealthy behaviors in young parents, with implications for the health of both members of a couple as well as their children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maternal Re-Partnering and New-Partner Fertility: Associations with Nonresident Father Investments in Children

PubMed Central

Berger, Lawrence M.; Cancian, Maria; Meyer, Daniel R.

2011-01-01

Research suggests that paternal re-partnering and new-partner fertility are associated with decreased nonresident father investments in children. Few studies, however, have examined the influence of maternal re-partnering and new-partner births on nonresident father investments. We use data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to examine associations of maternal re-partnering (through cohabitation or marriage with a new partner) and new-partner births with nonresident father visitation and child support payments. Results suggest that maternal re-partnering is associated with a decrease in both yearly father-child contact and child support received by the mother. New-partner fertility for mothers who are co-residing with a partner is associated with an additional decrease in monthly father-child contact, but does not have an additional influence on yearly father-child contact or child support receipt. PMID:22581998

Selection bias at the heterosexual HIV-1 transmission bottleneck

PubMed Central

Carlson, Jonathan M.; Schaefer, Malinda; Monaco, Daniela C.; Batorsky, Rebecca; Claiborne, Daniel T.; Prince, Jessica; Deymier, Martin J.; Ende, Zachary S.; Klatt, Nichole R.; DeZiel, Charles E.; Lin, Tien-Ho; Peng, Jian; Seese, Aaron M.; Shapiro, Roger; Frater, John; Ndung’u, Thumbi; Tang, Jianming; Goepfert, Paul; Gilmour, Jill; Price, Matt A.; Kilembe, William; Heckerman, David; Goulder, Philip J.R.; Allen, Todd M.; Allen, Susan; Hunter, Eric

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Introduction Heterosexual HIV-1 transmission is an inefficient process with rates reported at <1% per unprotected sexual exposure. When transmission occurs, systemic infection is typically established by a single genetic variant, taken from the swarm of genetically distinct viruses circulating in the donor. Whether that founder virus represents a chance event or was systematically favored is unclear. Our work has tested a central hypothesis that founder virus selection is biased toward certain genetic characteristics. Rationale If HIV-1 transmission involves selection for viruses with certain favorable characteristics, then such advantages should emerge as statistical biases when viewed across many viral loci in many transmitting partners. We therefore identified 137 Zambian heterosexual transmission pairs, for whom plasma samples were available for both the donor and recipient partner soon after transmission, and compared the viral sequences obtained from each partner to identify features that predicted whether the majority amino acid observed at any particular position in the donor was transmitted. We focused attention on two features: viral genetic characteristics that correlate with viral fitness, and clinical factors that influence transmission. Statistical modeling indicates that the former will be favored for transmission, while the latter will nullify this relative advantage. Results We observed a highly significant selection bias that favors the transmission of amino acids associated with increased fitness. These features included the frequency of the amino acid in the study cohort, the relative advantage of the amino acid with respect to the stability of the protein, and features related to immune escape and compensation. This selection bias was reduced in couples with high risk of transmission. In particular, significantly less selection bias was observed in women and in men with genital inflammation, compared to healthy men, suggesting a more permissive environment in the female than male genital tract. Consistent with this observation, viruses transmitted to women were characterized by lower predicted fitness than those in men. The presence of amino acids favored during transmission predicted which individual virus within a donor was transmitted to their partner, while chronically infected individuals with viral populations characterized by a predominance of these amino acids were more likely to transmit to their partners. Conclusion These data highlight the clear selection biases that benefit fitter viruses during transmission in the context of a stochastic process. That such biases exist, and are tempered by certain risk factors, suggests that transmission is frequently characterized by many abortive transmission events in which some target cells are nonproductively infected. Moreover, for efficient transmission, some changes that favored survival in the transmitting partner are frequently discarded, resulting in overall slower evolution of HIV-1 in the population. Paradoxically, by increasing the selection bias at the transmission bottleneck, reduction of susceptibility may increase the expected fitness of breakthrough viruses that establish infection and may therefore worsen the prognosis for the newly infected partner. Conversely, preventative or therapeutic approaches that weaken the virus may reduce overall transmission rates via a mechanism that is independent from the quantity of circulating virus, and may therefore provide long-term benefits even upon breakthrough infection. PMID:25013080

The Effects of Relationship Type, Partner Intent, and Gender on the Selection of Relationship Maintenance Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shea, B. Christine; Pearson, Judy C.

1986-01-01

Indicates that relationship type did not affect the maintenance strategies that partners chose; however, the partners' relationship intent and the sex-composition of the dyad had a significant impact on the selection of directness strategies. Suggests that individuals are not necessarily more likely to select directness strategies than balance or…

Evolutionary Theory of Mate Selection and Partners of Trans People: A Qualitative Study Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forde, Amanda

2011-01-01

Despite much research into mate selection, non-heterosexual populations are often only included for comparison purposes, while trans people and their partners are overlooked. This study attempts to address this using qualitative methodology to explore the mate selection of the partners of trans people. Six participants were recruited from online…

Selecting tandem partners for silicon solar cells [Selecting tandem partners for silicon solar cells using spectral efficiency

DOE PAGES

Yu, Zhengshan; Leilaeioun, Mehdi; Holman, Zachary

2016-09-26

Combining silicon and other materials in tandem solar cells is one approach to enhancing the overall power conversion efficiency of the cells. Here, we argue that top cell partners for silicon tandem solar cells should be selected on the basis of their spectral efficiency — their efficiency resolved by wavelength.

Selecting tandem partners for silicon solar cells [Selecting tandem partners for silicon solar cells using spectral efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Zhengshan; Leilaeioun, Mehdi; Holman, Zachary

Combining silicon and other materials in tandem solar cells is one approach to enhancing the overall power conversion efficiency of the cells. Here, we argue that top cell partners for silicon tandem solar cells should be selected on the basis of their spectral efficiency — their efficiency resolved by wavelength.

Peer network influence on intimate partner violence perpetration among urban Tanzanian men.

PubMed

Mulawa, Marta I; Kajula, Lusajo J; Maman, Suzanne

2018-04-01

Male perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in Tanzania is widespread. Theory and empirical evidence suggest peer networks may play an important role in shaping IPV perpetration, although research on this topic in sub-Saharan Africa is limited. Grounded in social learning theory, social influence theory, and the theory of gender and power, the purpose of this study was to examine whether and how peer networks influence men's perpetration of IPV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We conducted in-depth interviews (n = 40) with a sub-sample of 20 men enrolled in the control condition of an ongoing cluster-randomised controlled trial. We purposively sampled participants who previously reported perpetrating physical IPV. To analyse the data, we generated narrative summaries and conducted thematic and interpretative coding. We saw no evidence that men self-selected into peer networks with certain values or behaviours. Rather, men described several mechanisms through which their peers influenced the perpetration of IPV, including: (1) the internalisation of peer network norms, (2) pressure to conform to peer network norms and (3) the direct involvement of peers in shaping couple power dynamics. Our findings suggest that peer networks influence men's perpetration of IPV and should be targeted in future programmes and interventions.

Development of a Partner Preference Test that Differentiates between Established Pair Bonds and Other Relationships in Socially Monogamous Titi Monkeys (Callicebus cupreus)

PubMed Central

Carp, Sarah B.; Rothwell, Emily S.; Bourdon, Alexis; Freeman, Sara M.; Ferrer, Emilio; Bales, Karen L.

2017-01-01

Partner preference, or the selective social preference for a pair mate, is a key behavioral indicator of social monogamy. Standardized partner preference testing has been used extensively in rodents but a single test has not been standardized for primates. The goal of this study was to develop a partner preference test with socially monogamous titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus) adapted from the widely used rodent test. In Experiment 1, we evaluated the test with pairs of titi monkeys (N=12) in a three-chambered apparatus for three hours. The subject was placed in the middle chamber, with grated windows separating it from its partner on one side and an opposite sex stranger on the other side. Subjects spent a greater proportion of time in proximity to their partners’ windows than the strangers’, indicating a consistent preference for the partner over the stranger. Touching either window did not differ between partners and strangers, suggesting it is not a reliable measure of preference. Subjects chose their partner more than the stranger during catch and release sessions at the end of the test. In Experiment 2, we compared responses of females with current partners (N=12) in the preference test with other relationship types representing former attachment bonds (N=13) and no attachment bond (N=8). Only females from established pair bonds spent significantly more time near their partner’s window compared to the stranger indicating that this measure of preference is unique to current partners. Other measures of preference did not differentiate behavior toward a current partner and other relationship types. This test reproduces behavioral patterns found in previous studies in titi monkeys highlighting the accuracy of this new partner preference test. This test can be used as a standardized measure of partner preference in titi monkeys to quantitatively study pair bonding and evaluate factors influencing partner preference. PMID:26235811

Codevelopment of Well-Being and Self-Esteem in Romantic Partners: Disentangling the Effects of Mutual Influence and Shared Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orth, Ulrich; Erol, Ruth Yasemin; Ledermann, Thomas; Grob, Alexander

2018-01-01

Common sense suggests that romantic partners tend to be interdependent in their well-being and self-esteem. The authors tested the degree to which codevelopment in romantic partners (i.e., development in similar directions) is due to mutual influence between partners or due to the effects of shared environment, using longitudinal data from 5…

Volunteering and mortality risk: a partner-controlled quasi-experimental design.

PubMed

O'Reilly, Dermot; Rosato, Michael; Moriarty, John; Leavey, Gerard

2017-08-01

The consensus that volunteering is associated with a lower mortality risk is derived from a body of observational studies and therefore vulnerable to uncontrolled or residual confounding. This potential limitation is likely to be particularly problematic for volunteers who, by definition, are self-selected and known to be significantly different from non-volunteers across a range of factors associated with better survival. This is a census-based record-linkage study of 308 733 married couples aged 25 and over, including 100 571 volunteers, with mortality follow-up for 33 months. We used a standard Cox model to examine whether mortality risk in the partners of volunteers was influenced by partner volunteering status-something expected if the effects of volunteering on mortality risk were due to shared household or behavioural characteristics. Volunteers were general more affluent, better educated and more religious than their non-volunteering peers; they also had a lower mortality risk [hazard ratio (HR)adj = 0.78: 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.71, 0.85 for males and HRadj = 0.77: 95% CI = 0.68, 0.88 for females]. However, amongst cohort members who were not volunteers, having a partner who was a volunteer was not associated with a mortality advantage (HRadj = 1.01: 95% CI = 0.92, 1.11 for men and HRadj = 1.00: 95% CI = 0.88, 1.13 women). This study provides further evidence that the lower mortality associated with volunteering is unlikely to be due to health selection or to residual confounding arising from unmeasured selection effects within households. It therefore increases the plausibility of a direct causal effect. © The Author 2017; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

Marriage-Market Constraints and Mate-Selection Behavior: Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Differences in Intermarriage

PubMed Central

Choi, Kate H.; Tienda, Marta

2016-01-01

Despite theoretical consensus that marriage markets constrain mate selection behavior, few studies directly evaluate how local marriage market conditions influence intermarriage patterns. Using data from the American Community Survey, we examine what aspects of marriage markets influence mate selection; assess whether the associations between marriage market conditions and intermarriage are uniform by gender and across pan-ethnic groups; and investigate the extent to which marriage market conditions account for group differences in intermarriage patterns. Relative group size is the most salient and consistent determinant of intermarriage patterns across pan-ethnic groups and by gender. Marriage market constraints typically explain a larger share of pan-ethnic differences in intermarriage rates than individual traits, suggesting that scarcity of co-ethnic partners is a key reason behind decisions to intermarry. When faced with market constraints, men are more willing or more successful than women in crossing racial and ethnic boundaries in marriage. PMID:28579638

Associations Between Neighborhood Characteristics, Social Cohesion, and Perceived Sex Partner Risk and Non-Monogamy Among HIV-Seropositive and HIV-Seronegative Women in the Southern U.S.

PubMed

Haley, Danielle F; Wingood, Gina M; Kramer, Michael R; Haardörfer, Regine; Adimora, Adaora A; Rubtsova, Anna; Edmonds, Andrew; Goswami, Neela D; Ludema, Christina; Hickson, DeMarc A; Ramirez, Catalina; Ross, Zev; Bolivar, Hector; Cooper, Hannah L F

2018-07-01

Neighborhood social and physical factors shape sexual network characteristics in HIV-seronegative adults in the U.S. This multilevel analysis evaluated whether these relationships also exist in a predominantly HIV-seropositive cohort of women. This cross-sectional multilevel analysis included data from 734 women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study's sites in the U.S. South. Census tract-level contextual data captured socioeconomic disadvantage (e.g., tract poverty), number of alcohol outlets, and number of non-profits in the census tracts where women lived; participant-level data, including perceived neighborhood cohesion, were gathered via survey. We used hierarchical generalized linear models to evaluate relationships between tract characteristics and two outcomes: perceived main sex partner risk level (e.g., partner substance use) and perceived main sex partner non-monogamy. We tested whether these relationships varied by women's HIV status. Greater tract-level socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with greater sex partner risk (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.06-1.58) among HIV-seropositive women and less partner non-monogamy among HIV-seronegative women (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.51-0.92). Perceived neighborhood trust and cohesion was associated with lower partner risk (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.69-1.00) for HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative women. The tract-level number of alcohol outlets and non-profits were not associated with partner risk characteristics. Neighborhood characteristics are associated with perceived sex partner risk and non-monogamy among women in the South; these relationships vary by HIV status. Future studies should examine causal relationships and explore the pathways through which neighborhoods influence partner selection and risk characteristics.

The influence of cooperation and defection on social decision making in depression: A study of the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma Game.

PubMed

Sorgi, Kristen M; van 't Wout, Mascha

2016-12-30

This study evaluated the influence of self-reported levels of depression on interpersonal strategic decision making when interacting with partners who differed in their predetermined tendency to cooperate in three separate computerized iterated Prisoner's Dilemma Games (iPDGs). Across 29 participants, cooperation was lowest when interacting with a predominantly defecting partner and highest when interacting with a predominantly cooperating partner. Greater depression severity was related to steadier and continued cooperation over trials with the cooperating partner, seeming to reflect a prosocial response tendency when interacting with this partner. With the unbiased partner, depression severity was associated with a more volatile response pattern in reaction to cooperation and defection by this partner. Severity of depression did not influence cooperation with a defecting partner or expectations about partner cooperation reported before the task began. Taken together, these data appear to show that in predominately positive interactions, as in the cooperating partner condition, depression is associated with less volatile, more consistent cooperation. When such clear feedback is absent, as in the unbiased partner condition, depression is associated with more volatile behavior. Nonetheless, participants were generally able to adapt their behavior accordingly in this dynamic interpersonal decision making context. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

eHealth Literacy and Partner Involvement in Treatment Decision Making for Men With Newly Diagnosed Localized Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Song, Lixin; Tatum, Kimberly; Greene, Giselle; Chen, Ronald C

2017-03-01

To examine how the eHealth literacy of partners of patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer affects their involvement in decision making, and to identify the factors that influence their eHealth literacy.
. Cross-sectional exploratory study.
. North Carolina.
. 142 partners of men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer. 
. A telephone survey and descriptive and multiple linear regression analyses were used.
. The partners' eHealth literacy, involvement in treatment decision making, and demographics, and the health statuses of the patients and their partners. 
. Higher levels of eHealth literacy among partners were significantly associated with their involvement in getting a second opinion, their awareness of treatment options, and the size of the social network they relied on for additional information and support for treatment decision making for prostate cancer. The factor influencing eHealth literacy was the partners' access to the Internet for personal use, which explained some of the variance in eHealth literacy.
. This study described how partners' eHealth literacy influenced their involvement in treatment decision making for prostate cancer and highlighted the influencing factors (i.e., partners' access to the Internet for personal use).
. When helping men with prostate cancer and their partners with treatment decision making, nurses need to assess eHealth literacy levels to determine whether nonelectronically based education materials are needed and to provide clear instructions on how to use eHealth resources.

Trading height for education in the marriage market.

PubMed

Ponzo, Michela; Scoppa, Vincenzo

2015-01-01

Several empirical studies point out the relevance of individuals' physical attributes-such as height, weight, beauty-in the labor market. In the same way, physical characteristics may affect lifetime prospects through their impact on the selection of a partner in the marriage market. We analyzed to what extent an individual's height and weight (arguably affecting physical attractiveness, as documented in many studies) are related to lifetime economic outcomes through the marriage market, investigating whether individual height and weight affect the probability of marrying with a "high-quality partner," measuring quality as the partner's educational attainment or as the partner's prospective labor income. Using a large Italian dataset of married (and cohabiting) couples-the 2005 Italian Health Conditions Survey which provides information on health conditions, individual characteristics, and socioeconomic variables-we estimated separate OLS and Ordered Probit regressions for females and males. Since weight might be endogenously determined, to avoid any estimation bias we also estimated a reduced form equation in which predetermined height affects directly and indirectly (through BMI) physical attractiveness and, as a consequence, the choice of a partner with a given educational attainment. Our findings suggest that height is a desirable trait in mating selection affecting the partner's socioeconomic characteristics: we found that taller individuals tended to mate with more educated partners, controlling for their own educational level-to take into account the tendency for assortative mating for education-and for other personal traits such as age, geographical residence, city size, and the presence of health problems. On the other hand, we showed that individuals with higher BMI were married to partners with lower levels of education. The results also provide evidence of non-linearity in the relationship between height and educational attainment of the partner. These findings are confirmed for both males and females, but being taller seems to be more relevant for males, while being thinner is more important for females. We have also found that taller and thinner females and males tend to be married with partners earning higher labor incomes. These findings were robust to a number of checks. Our findings confirm that the physical characteristics that an individual brings to the marriage market influences the outcome in this market: physical attractiveness is exchanged in the marriage market for a higher educational attainment and the ability to earn a higher labor income. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Compartmentalized partnered replication for the directed evolution of genetic parts and circuits.

PubMed

Abil, Zhanar; Ellefson, Jared W; Gollihar, Jimmy D; Watkins, Ella; Ellington, Andrew D

2017-12-01

Compartmentalized partnered replication (CPR) is an emulsion-based directed evolution method based on a robust and modular phenotype-genotype linkage. In contrast to other in vivo directed evolution approaches, CPR largely mitigates host fitness effects due to a relatively short expression time of the gene of interest. CPR is based on gene circuits in which the selection of a 'partner' function from a library leads to the production of a thermostable polymerase. After library preparation, bacteria produce partner proteins that can potentially lead to enhancement of transcription, translation, gene regulation, and other aspects of cellular metabolism that reinforce thermostable polymerase production. Individual cells are then trapped in water-in-oil emulsion droplets in the presence of primers and dNTPs, followed by the recovery of the partner genes via emulsion PCR. In this step, droplets with cells expressing partner proteins that promote polymerase production will produce higher copy numbers of the improved partner gene. The resulting partner genes can subsequently be recloned for the next round of selection. Here, we present a step-by-step guideline for the procedure by providing examples of (i) selection of T7 RNA polymerases that recognize orthogonal promoters and (ii) selection of tRNA for enhanced amber codon suppression. A single round of CPR should take ∼3-5 d, whereas a whole directed evolution can be performed in 3-10 rounds, depending on selection efficiency.

Social selection is a powerful explanation for prosociality.

PubMed

Nesse, Randolph M

2016-01-01

Cultural group selection helps explain human cooperation, but social selection offers a complementary, more powerful explanation. Just as sexual selection shapes extreme traits that increase matings, social selection shapes extreme traits that make individuals preferred social partners. Self-interested partner choices create strong and possibly runaway selection for prosocial traits, without requiring group selection, kin selection, or reciprocity.

Perceived trustworthiness of faces drives trust behaviour in children.

PubMed

Ewing, Louise; Caulfield, Frances; Read, Ainsley; Rhodes, Gillian

2015-03-01

Facial appearances can powerfully influence adults' trust behaviour, despite limited evidence that these cues constitute honest signals of trustworthiness. It is not clear, however, whether the same is also true for children. The current study investigated whether, like adults, 5-year-olds and 10-year-olds are more likely to place their trust in partners that look trustworthy than those that look untrustworthy. A second, closely related question was whether children also explicitly value the information from face cues when making trust decisions. We investigated these questions using Token Quest: an economic trust game that gave participants the opportunity to make investments with a series of partners who might (or might not) repay their trust with large returns. These interactions occurred under different conditions, including one in which participants were shown the face of each partner and another in which they could 'purchase' access to faces with a portion of their investment capital. Results indicated that, like adults, 10-year-old children selectively placed their trust in those partners they perceived as looking trustworthy and many were willing to 'pay' to purchase access to these face cues during the trust game. We observed a similar profile of trust behaviour in 5-year-olds, with no significant group difference in the impact of face cues on behaviour across the three age groups. Together, these findings indicate that the influence of face cues on trust behaviour emerges early, and highlight a capacity for sophisticated social cognition in young children. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Attributing selected costs to intimate partner violence in a sample of women who have left abusive partners: a social determinants of health approach.

PubMed

Varcoe, Colleen; Hankivsky, Olena; Ford-Gilboe, Marilyn; Wuest, Judith; Wilk, Piotr; Hammerton, Joanne; Campbell, Jacquelyn

2011-01-01

Selected costs associated with intimate partner violence were estimated for a community sample of 309 Canadian women who left abusive male partners on average 20 months previously. Total annual estimated costs of selected public- and private-sector expenditures attributable to violence were $13,162.39 per woman. This translates to a national annual cost of $6.9 billion for women aged 19–65 who have left abusive partners; $3.1 billion for those experiencing violence within the past three years. Results indicate that costs continue long after leaving, and call for recognition in policy that leaving does not coincide with ending violence.

Choice of birth control methods among European women and the role of partners and providers.

PubMed

de Irala, Jokin; Osorio, Alfonso; Carlos, Silvia; Lopez-del Burgo, Cristina

2011-12-01

The choice of a birth control method is influenced by sociocultural and personal factors. We explored the perceived influences in women's choice of a birth control method in five European countries (Germany, France, the UK, Romania and Sweden), where contraception is widely used. This is a cross-sectional study of 1137 randomly selected women aged 18-49 years. An anonymous, 31-item questionnaire related to birth control methods was used. Logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with partner participation in choice of a contraceptive. Oral contraceptives were mainly used in Germany (54.3%), France (50.5%) and Sweden (34.6%) and condoms in the UK (29.6%) and Romania (22.9%). Sweden showed the highest use of intrauterine devices (IUD, 19%). Romania had the lowest use of contraception. Oral contraceptives and IUDs use were frequently suggested by providers instead of by women. Choosing the method with the partner was associated with age [odds ratio (OR)=0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94-0.99], being a university graduate (OR=1.59, 95% CI 1.01-2.29), married (OR=1.52, 95% CI 1.01-2.29) and with using a method that requires partner's cooperation (OR=8.18, 95% CI 5.46-12.27). Hormonal contraceptives and IUDs are commonly recommended by providers rather than requested by women. Partner preferences are taken into account when his cooperation in the use of the method is needed. As fertility care is a male and female issue, there is still more room for actively involving both women and men in their choice of a birth control method. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of polygamy on the activity/rest rhythm of male fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vartak, Vivek Rohidas; Varma, Vishwanath; Sharma, Vijay Kumar

2015-02-01

Although polygamy is common in insects, its extent varies enormously among natural populations. Mating systems influence the evolution of reproductive traits and the difference in extent of polygamy between males and females may be a key factor in determining traits which come under the influence of sexual selection. Fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster are promiscuous as both males and females mate with multiple partners. Mating has severe consequences on the physiology and behaviour of flies, and it affects their activity/rest rhythm in a sex-specific manner. In this study, we attempted to discern the effects of mating with multiple partners as opposed to a single partner, or of remaining unmated, on the activity/rest rhythm of flies under cyclic semi-natural (SN) and constant dark (DD) conditions. The results revealed that while evening activity of mated flies was significantly reduced compared to virgins, polygamous males showed a more severe reduction compared to monogamous males. In contrast, though mated females showed reduction in evening activity compared to virgins, activity levels were not different between polygamous and monogamous females. Although there was no detectable effect of mating on clock period, power of the activity/rest rhythm was significantly reduced in mated females with no difference seen between polygamous and monogamous individuals. These results suggest that courtship motivation, represented by evening activity, is successively reduced in males due to mating with one or more partners, while in females, it does not depend on the number of mating partners. Based on these results we conclude that polygamy affects the activity/rest rhythm of fruit flies D. melanogaster in a sex-dependent manner.

The role of community context in planning and implementing community-based health promotion projects.

PubMed

Kegler, Michelle C; Rigler, Jessica; Honeycutt, Sally

2011-08-01

The current study examines how community context affected collaborative planning and implementation in eight sites participating in a healthy cities and communities initiative in California. Data are from 23 focus groups conducted with coalition members, and 76 semi-structured interviews with local coordinators and community leaders. Multiple case study methods were used to identify major themes related to how five contextual domains influenced collaborative planning and implementation. Results showed that history of collaboration can influence resources and interpersonal and organizational connections available for planning and implementation, as well as priorities selected for action. Community politics and history can affect which segments of the community participate in a planning process and what issues are prioritized, as well as the pool of partners willing to aid in implementation. Some community norms and values bring people together and others appear to limit involvement from certain groups. Community demographics and economic conditions may shape outreach strategies for planning and implementation, and may also shape priorities. Geography can play a role in assessment methods, priority selection, partners available to aid in implementation, and participation in activities and events. Results suggest that community context plays a substantive role in shaping how community-based health promotion projects unfold. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Facialmetric similarities mediate mate choice: sexual imprinting on opposite-sex parents.

PubMed

Bereczkei, Tamas; Hegedus, Gabor; Hajnal, Gabor

2009-01-07

Former studies have suggested that imprinting-like processes influence the shaping of human mate preferences. In this study, we provide more direct evidence for assessing facial resemblance between subjects' partner and subjects' parents. Fourteen facial proportions were measured on 312 adults belonging to 52 families, and the correlations between family members were compared with those of pairs randomly selected from the population. Spouses proved to be assortatively mated in the majority of measured facial proportions. Significant correlations have been found between the young men and their partner's father (but not his mother), especially on facial proportions belonging to the central area of the face. Women also showed resemblance to their partner's mother (but not to their father) in the facial characteristics of their lower face. Replicating our previous studies, facial photographs of participants were also matched by independent judges who ascribed higher resemblance between partners, and subjects and their partners' opposite-sex parents, compared with controls. Our results support the sexual imprinting hypothesis which states that children shape a mental template of their opposite-sex parents and search for a partner who resembles that perceptual schema. The fact that only the facial metrics of opposite-sex parents showed resemblance to the partner's face tends to rule out the role of familiarity in shaping mating preferences. Our findings also reject several other rival hypotheses. The adaptive value of imprinting-related human mating is discussed, and a hypothesis is made of why different facial areas are involved in males' and females' search for resemblance.

Assessment of Trading Partners for China's Rare Earth Exports Using a Decision Analytic Approach

PubMed Central

He, Chunyan; Lei, Yalin; Ge, Jianping

2014-01-01

Chinese rare earth export policies currently result in accelerating its depletion. Thus adopting an optimal export trade selection strategy is crucial to determining and ultimately identifying the ideal trading partners. This paper introduces a multi-attribute decision-making methodology which is then used to select the optimal trading partner. In the method, an evaluation criteria system is established to assess the seven top trading partners based on three dimensions: political relationships, economic benefits and industrial security. Specifically, a simple additive weighing model derived from an additive utility function is utilized to calculate, rank and select alternatives. Results show that Japan would be the optimal trading partner for Chinese rare earths. The criteria evaluation method of trading partners for China's rare earth exports provides the Chinese government with a tool to enhance rare earth industrial policies. PMID:25051534

Assessment of trading partners for China's rare earth exports using a decision analytic approach.

PubMed

He, Chunyan; Lei, Yalin; Ge, Jianping

2014-01-01

Chinese rare earth export policies currently result in accelerating its depletion. Thus adopting an optimal export trade selection strategy is crucial to determining and ultimately identifying the ideal trading partners. This paper introduces a multi-attribute decision-making methodology which is then used to select the optimal trading partner. In the method, an evaluation criteria system is established to assess the seven top trading partners based on three dimensions: political relationships, economic benefits and industrial security. Specifically, a simple additive weighing model derived from an additive utility function is utilized to calculate, rank and select alternatives. Results show that Japan would be the optimal trading partner for Chinese rare earths. The criteria evaluation method of trading partners for China's rare earth exports provides the Chinese government with a tool to enhance rare earth industrial policies.

Partner-facilitating transmembrane penetration of nanoparticles: a biological test in silico.

PubMed

Wang, W; Yang, R; Zhang, F; Yuan, B; Yang, K; Ma, Y

2018-06-21

Transmembrane penetration of nanoparticles (NPs) promises an effective pathway for cargo delivery into cells, and offers the possibility of organelle-specific targeting for biomedical applications. However, a full understanding of the underlying NP-membrane interaction mechanism is still lacking. In this work, the membrane penetration behavior of NPs is statistically analyzed based on the simulations of over 2.2 ms, which are performed with dissipative particle dynamics (DPD). Influences from multiple factors including the NP concentration, shape and surface chemistry are taken into account. It is interesting to find that, the introduction of a partner NP would greatly facilitate the transmembrane penetration of a host spherical NP. This is probably due to the membrane-mediated cooperation between the NPs. Moreover, the proper selection of a partner NP with specific surface chemistry is of great significance. For example, the best partner for a hydrophilic NP to achieve transmembrane penetration is a Janus-like one, in comparison with the hydrophilic, hydrophobic or randomly surface-decorated NPs. Furthermore, such a partner-facilitating effect in NP translocation also works for a shaped NP although less pronounced. Our results are helpful for a better understanding of the complicated nano-bio interactions, and offer a practical guide to the NP-based drug delivery strategy with high efficiency.

The Stability and Consequences of Young Children's Same-Sex Peer Interactions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Carol Lynn; Fabes, Richard A.

2001-01-01

Examined whether preschool children's play-partner choices were stable over time and how they influenced behavior. Found that partner preferences were highly sex differentiated and stable over time. Identified two types of consequences of partner choice: a binary effect that influenced differences between the sexes and a social dosage effect that…

“If she is drunk, I don’t want her to take it”: Partner beliefs and influence on use of alcohol and antiretroviral therapy in South African couples

PubMed Central

Conroy, Amy A.; McKenna, Stacey A.; Leddy, Anna; Johnson, Mallory O.; Ngubane, Thulani; Darbes, Lynae A.; van Rooyen, Heidi

2017-01-01

Alcohol consumption and beliefs about mixing alcohol and ART are associated with decreased adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). In this study, we examined how romantic partners influence alcohol and ART use. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 HIV-positive individuals and their primary partners (48 individuals) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Almost 17% of participants spontaneously expressed beliefs that alcohol and ART should not be mixed. Participants who held these beliefs influenced their partners’ behaviors by either discouraging the mixing of alcohol and ART, which sometimes resulted in missed pills when drinking, or by helping partners manage their medications when drinking. Other participants encouraged partners to take ART no matter what. Messages on alcohol and ART may need to be refined for ART patients who cannot abstain from alcohol. Primary partners should be included in these education efforts and their influence could be leveraged to help reduce alcohol consumption and maintain adherence. PMID:28150121

The Role of Partnerships in U.S. Food Policy Council Policy Activities

PubMed Central

Clayton, Megan L.; Frattaroli, Shannon; Palmer, Anne; Pollack, Keshia M.

2015-01-01

Food Policy Councils (FPC) help to identify and address the priorities of local, state, and regional food systems with the goal of improving food systems through policy. There is limited research describing FPCs’ strategies for accomplishing this goal. As part of a larger study examining FPC policy efforts, this paper investigates the role of partnerships in food systems policy change. We conducted interviews with representatives from 12 purposefully selected FPCs in the United States and 6 policy experts identified by the selected FPC representatives to document and describe their policy work. One theme that emerged from those interviews was the role of partners. Interviewees described a range of partners (e.g., stakeholders from government, business, and education) and credited FPC partnerships with advancing their policy goals by increasing the visibility and credibility of FPCs, focusing their policy agenda, connecting FPCs to key policy inputs (e.g., local food community knowledge and priorities), and obtaining stakeholder buy-in for policy initiatives. Partnerships were also described as barriers to policy progress when partners were less engaged or had either disproportionate or little influence in a given food sector. Despite these challenges, partnerships were found to be valuable for FPCs efforts to effectively engage in the food policy arena. PMID:25856089

Romantic Partner Selection and Socialization during Early Adolescence

PubMed Central

Simon, Valerie A.; Aikins, Julie Wargo; Prinstein, Mitchell J.

2012-01-01

This prospective study examined romantic partner selection and socialization among a sample of 78 young adolescents (6th–8th graders). Independent assessments of adolescent and romantic partner adjustment were collected before and after relationships initiated via peer nomination and self-report. Prior to their relationship, adolescents and partners were significantly alike on popularity, physical attraction, and depressive symptoms. Controlling for initial similarity, partners' popularity, depressive symptoms, relational aggression and relational victimization significantly predicted changes in adolescents' functioning in these areas over time. However, the magnitude and direction of change varied according to adolescents' and partners' pre-relationship functioning. In general, adolescents who dated high-functioning partners changed more than those who dated low-functioning partners, and partner characteristics predicted greater change among low versus high-functioning adolescents. Results were consistent even when controlling for best friend characteristics. The current findings are among the first to demonstrate unique contributions of romantic partner characteristics to adolescents' psychosocial functioning. PMID:19037942

Density-dependent effects of ants on selection for bumble bee pollination in Polemonium viscosum.

PubMed

Galen, Candace; Geib, Jennifer C

2007-05-01

Mutualisms are commonly exploited by cheater species that usurp rewards without providing reciprocal benefits. Yet most studies of selection between mutualist partners ignore interactions with third species and consequently overlook the impact of cheaters on evolution in the mutualism. Here, we explicitly investigate how the abundance of nectar-thieving ants (cheaters) influences selection in a pollination mutualism between bumble bees and the alpine skypilot, Polemonium viscosum. As suggested in past work with this species, bumble bees accounted for most of the seed production (78% +/- 6% [mean +/- SE]) in our high tundra study population and, in the absence of ants, exerted strong selection for large flowers. We tested for indirect effects of ant abundance on seed set through bumble bee pollination services (pollen delivery and pollen export) and a direct effect through flower damage. Ants reduced seed set per flower by 20% via flower damage. As ant density increased within experimental patches, the rate of flower damage rose, but pollen delivery and export did not vary significantly, showing that indirect effects of increased cheater abundance on pollinator service are negligible in this system. To address how ants affect selection for plant participation in the pollination mutualism we tested the impact of ant abundance on selection for bumble bee-mediated pollination. Results show that the impact of ants on fitness (seed set) accruing under bumble bee pollination is density dependent in P. viscosum. Selection for bumble bee pollination declined with increasing ant abundance in experimental patches, as predicted if cheaters constrain fitness returns of mutualist partner services. We also examined how ant abundance influences selection on flower size, a key component of plant investment in bumble bee pollination. We predicted that direct effects of ants would constrain bumble bee selection for large flowers. However, selection on flower size was significantly positive over a wide range of ant abundance (20-80% of plants visited by ants daily). Although high cheater abundance reduces the fitness returns of bumble bee pollination, it does not completely eliminate selection for bumble bee attraction in P. viscosum.

Selective Cooperation in Early Childhood – How to Choose Models and Partners

PubMed Central

Hermes, Jonas; Behne, Tanya; Studte, Kristin; Zeyen, Anna-Maria; Gräfenhain, Maria; Rakoczy, Hannes

2016-01-01

Cooperation is essential for human society, and children engage in cooperation from early on. It is unclear, however, how children select their partners for cooperation. We know that children choose selectively whom to learn from (e.g. preferring reliable over unreliable models) on a rational basis. The present study investigated whether children (and adults) also choose their cooperative partners selectively and what model characteristics they regard as important for cooperative partners and for informants about novel words. Three- and four-year-old children (N = 64) and adults (N = 14) saw contrasting pairs of models differing either in physical strength or in accuracy (in labeling known objects). Participants then performed different tasks (cooperative problem solving and word learning) requiring the choice of a partner or informant. Both children and adults chose their cooperative partners selectively. Moreover they showed the same pattern of selective model choice, regarding a wide range of model characteristics as important for cooperation (preferring both the strong and the accurate model for a strength-requiring cooperation tasks), but only prior knowledge as important for word learning (preferring the knowledgeable but not the strong model for word learning tasks). Young children’s selective model choice thus reveals an early rational competence: They infer characteristics from past behavior and flexibly consider what characteristics are relevant for certain tasks. PMID:27505043

Female nursing partner choice in a population of wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus).

PubMed

Harrison, Nicola; Lindholm, Anna K; Dobay, Akos; Halloran, Olivia; Manser, Andri; König, Barbara

2018-01-01

Communal nursing in house mice is an example of cooperation where females pool litters in the same nest and indiscriminately nurse own and other offspring despite potential exploitation. The direct fitness benefits associated with communal nursing shown in laboratory studies suggest it to be a selected component of female house mice reproductive behaviour. However, past studies on communal nursing in free-living populations have debated whether it is a consequence of sharing the same nest or an active choice. Here using data from a long-term study of free-living, wild house mice we investigated individual nursing decisions and determined what factors influenced a female's decision to nurse communally. Females chose to nurse solitarily more often than expected by chance, but the likelihood of nursing solitarily decreased when females had more partners available. While finding no influence of pairwise relatedness on partner choice, we observed that females shared their social environment with genetically similar individuals, suggesting a female's home area consisted of related females, possibly facilitating the evolution of cooperation. Within such a home area females were more likely to nest communally when the general relatedness of her available options was relatively high. Females formed communal nests with females that were familiar through previous associations and had young pups of usually less than 5 days old. Our findings suggest that communal nursing was not a by-product of sharing the same nesting sites, but females choose communal nursing partners from a group of genetically similar females, and ultimately the decision may then depend on the pool of options available. Social partner choice proved to be an integrated part of cooperation among females, and might allow females to reduce the conflict over number of offspring in a communal nest and milk investment towards own and other offspring. We suggest that social partner choice may be a general mechanism to stabilize costly cooperation.

Romantic Partner Selection and Socialization during Early Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Valerie A.; Aikins, Julie Wargo; Prinstein, Mitchell J.

2008-01-01

This prospective study examined romantic partner selection and socialization among a sample of 78 young adolescents (6th-8th graders). Independent assessments of adolescent and romantic partner adjustment were collected before and after relationships initiated via peer nomination and self-report. Prior to their relationship, adolescents and…

Older partner selection promotes the prevalence of cooperation in evolutionary games.

PubMed

Yang, Guoli; Huang, Jincai; Zhang, Weiming

2014-10-21

Evolutionary games typically come with the interplays between evolution of individual strategy and adaptation to network structure. How these dynamics in the co-evolution promote (or obstruct) the cooperation is regarded as an important topic in social, economic, and biological fields. Combining spatial selection with partner choice, the focus of this paper is to identify which neighbour should be selected as a role to imitate during the process of co-evolution. Age, an internal attribute and kind of local piece of information regarding the survivability of the agent, is a significant consideration for the selection strategy. The analysis and simulations presented, demonstrate that older partner selection for strategy imitation could foster the evolution of cooperation. The younger partner selection, however, may decrease the level of cooperation. Our model highlights the importance of agent׳s age on the promotion of cooperation in evolutionary games, both efficiently and effectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preferential partner selection in an evolutionary study of Prisoner's Dilemma.

PubMed

Ashlock, D; Smucker, M D; Stanley, E A; Tesfatsion, L

1996-01-01

Partner selection is an important process in many social interactions, permitting individuals to decrease the risks associated with cooperation. In large populations, defectors may escape punishment by roving from partner to partner, but defectors in smaller populations risk social isolation. We investigate these possibilities for an evolutionary Prisoner's Dilemma in which agents use expected payoffs to choose and refuse partners. In comparison to random or round-robin partner matching, we find that the average payoffs attained with preferential partner selection tend to be more narrowly confined to a few isolated payoff regions. Most ecologies evolve to essentially full cooperative behavior, but when agents are intolerant of defections, or when the costs of refusal and social isolation are small, we also see the emergence of wallflower ecologies in which all agents are socially isolated. Between these two extremes, we see the emergence of ecologies whose agents tend to engage in a small number of defections followed by cooperation thereafter. The latter ecologies exhibit a plethora of interesting social interaction patterns.

The role of ethnicity, sexual attitudes, and sexual behavior in sexual revictimization during the transition to emerging adulthood.

PubMed

Rinehart, Jenny K; Yeater, Elizabeth A; Musci, Rashelle J; Letourneau, Elizabeth J; Lenberg, Kathryn L

2014-01-01

An experience of child sexual abuse (CSA) substantially increases women's risk of adult sexual assault (ASA), but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear. Previous research often has not examined the full range of ASA experiences or included the influence of ethnicity, sexual behavior, and sexual attitudes on CSA and severity of ASA. The current study utilized path analysis to explore the relationships among ethnicity, sexual attitudes, number of lifetime sexual partners, CSA, and severity of ASA in emerging adult women. Results indicated a significant relationship between CSA and more severe ASA that was partially explained by having more lifetime sexual partners. Additionally, European American women, relative to Hispanic women, reported more severe victimization, which was fully explained by more positive attitudes toward casual sex and having more lifetime sexual partners. These results have implications in the design and implementation of universal and selective prevention programs aimed at reducing ASA and revictimization among emerging adult women. © The Author(s) 2014.

Contribution of parents' adult attachment and separation attitudes to parent-adolescent conflict resolution.

PubMed

García-Ruiz, Marta; Rodrigo, María José; Hernández-Cabrera, Juan A; Máiquez, María Luisa

2013-12-01

This study examined the contribution to parent-adolescent conflict resolution of parental adult attachment styles and attitudes toward adolescent separation. Questionnaires were completed by 295 couples with early to late adolescent children. Structural equation models were used to test self and partner influences on conflict resolution for three attachment orientations: confidence (model A), anxiety (model B) and avoidance (model C). Model A showed self influences between parents' confidence orientation and negotiation and also via positive attitudes towards separation. Also, the fathers' use of negotiation was facilitated by the mothers' confidence orientation and vice versa, indicating partner influences as well. Model B showed self influences between parents' anxiety orientation and the use of dominance and withdrawal and also via negative attitudes towards separation. Model C showed self influences between parents' avoidance orientation and dominance and withdrawal, and a partner influence between fathers' avoidance and mothers' use of dominance. The results indicated that the parents' adult attachment system and the parenting system were related in the area of conflict resolution, and that self influences were stronger than partner influences. © 2013 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

Coevolution between positive reciprocity, punishment, and partner switching in repeated interactions.

PubMed

Wubs, Matthias; Bshary, Redouan; Lehmann, Laurent

2016-06-15

Cooperation based on mutual investments can occur between unrelated individuals when they are engaged in repeated interactions. Individuals then need to use a conditional strategy to deter their interaction partners from defecting. Responding to defection such that the future payoff of a defector is reduced relative to cooperating with it is called a partner control mechanism. Three main partner control mechanisms are (i) to switch from cooperation to defection when being defected ('positive reciprocity'), (ii) to actively reduce the payoff of a defecting partner ('punishment'), or (iii) to stop interacting and switch partner ('partner switching'). However, such mechanisms to stabilize cooperation are often studied in isolation from each other. In order to better understand the conditions under which each partner control mechanism tends to be favoured by selection, we here analyse by way of individual-based simulations the coevolution between positive reciprocity, punishment, and partner switching. We show that random interactions in an unstructured population and a high number of rounds increase the likelihood that selection favours partner switching. In contrast, interactions localized in small groups (without genetic structure) increase the likelihood that selection favours punishment and/or positive reciprocity. This study thus highlights the importance of comparing different control mechanisms for cooperation under different conditions. © 2016 The Author(s).

For better or for worse: a longitudinal study on dyadic coping and quality of life among couples with a partner suffering from COPD.

PubMed

Vaske, Isabelle; Thöne, Maximiliane Florentine; Kühl, Kerstin; Keil, Daniel Christian; Schürmann, Wolfgang; Rief, Winfried; Stenzel, Nikola Maria

2015-12-01

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, impairments of dyadic coping are associated with reduced quality of life. However, existing studies have a cross-sectional design. The present study explores changes in dyadic coping over time and its long-term effects on quality of life of both patients suffering from COPD and their partners. Dyadic coping, psychological distress, health-related quality of life, and exercise capacity were assessed in 63 patients suffering from COPD with their partners, at baseline and 3-year-follow-up. Correlation analyses and actor-partner interdependence models (APIMs) were conducted. Patients' delegated dyadic coping (taking over tasks) and common dyadic coping (mutual coping efforts when both partners are stressed) rated by the spouses decreased. Correlation analyses showed that patients' quality of life at follow-up was positively influenced by partners' stress communication (signaling stress). Partners' quality of life at follow-up was negatively influenced by patients' negative dyadic coping (reacting superficially, ambivalently or hostilely) and positively influenced by partners' delegated dyadic coping rated by patients (taking over tasks). APIMs mostly supported these results. It seems important that both partners communicate about stress and provide appropriate instrumental and emotional support to maintain quality of life.

The Influence of Partner Status and Sexual Behavior on College Women's Consent Communication and Feelings.

PubMed

Marcantonio, Tiffany; Jozkowski, Kristen N; Wiersma-Mosley, Jackie

2018-05-09

Sexual consent has permeated mainstream discourse as a mechanism used to decrease rates of sexual assault and increase sex-positive communication. Women's external consent behaviors are frequently examined; however, research exploring their internal consent and feelings associated with sexual activity are understudied. The purpose of this study was to understand how partner status and sexual behavior at most recent sexual activity influence women's external/internal consent and feelings during sexual activity. Three-hundred and ninety women completed a survey on consent, partner status, and most recent sexual behavior. Internal and external consent differed by partner status for women who engaged in vaginal-penile sex, but not genital and oral sex. Feelings associated with the sexual act were different within each behavior group and partner status. Women with a serious dating partner reported stronger feelings related to sexual activity, higher internal consent feelings, and increased use of non-verbal external consent cues. Partner status appears to influence factors of interest for vaginal-penile sex, but not genital and oral sex. Findings from this study can inform prevention efforts to increase sex-positive communication around consent.

Does sexual selection explain human sex differences in aggression?

PubMed

Archer, John

2009-08-01

I argue that the magnitude and nature of sex differences in aggression, their development, causation, and variability, can be better explained by sexual selection than by the alternative biosocial version of social role theory. Thus, sex differences in physical aggression increase with the degree of risk, occur early in life, peak in young adulthood, and are likely to be mediated by greater male impulsiveness, and greater female fear of physical danger. Male variability in physical aggression is consistent with an alternative life history perspective, and context-dependent variability with responses to reproductive competition, although some variability follows the internal and external influences of social roles. Other sex differences, in variance in reproductive output, threat displays, size and strength, maturation rates, and mortality and conception rates, all indicate that male aggression is part of a sexually selected adaptive complex. Physical aggression between partners can be explained using different evolutionary principles, arising from the conflicts of interest between males and females entering a reproductive alliance, combined with variability following differences in societal gender roles. In this case, social roles are particularly important since they enable both the relatively equality in physical aggression between partners from Western nations, and the considerable cross-national variability, to be explained.

[Chronic pulmonary diseases: point of view of partners and their assessments with regard to the effects of lung sports].

PubMed

Nell, C; Kehr, K; Hildebrandt, O; Sohrabi, K; Cassel, W; Greulich, T; Koehler, K-I; Koehler, U

2011-12-01

Chronic diseases of the respiratory organs have, besides restrictions of lung function, also physical, mental and social consequences. The chronic disease impacts negatively not only the patient's own quality of life but also that of his/her partner and/or relative. As treatment modalities, besides drug therapy, above all outpatient rehabilitation measures have proved to be effective. In this pilot study we sought answers to three questions: (i) How is the quality of life of the patient's partner and/or relative influenced by the disease? How does the partner/relative assess the effect of the disease on the chronically ill patient? How does the partner/relative assess the effect of lung sports on the chronically ill patient? A specially conceived questionnaire was given to the partners/relatives of 25 patients with chronic pulmonary diseases. The patients, 23 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 2 with pulmonary fibrosis, have been participating in lung sports once a week for more than three years. The average age of the patients was 67 years. The patients' illness also negatively influenced the quality of life of the partner to a considerable extent. The impact of the patients' pulmonary disease on the healthy partner was assessed as being rather moderate. Restrictions of social life were essentially influenced by the amount of assistance required by the pulmonary patient. The therapeutic effects of lung sports on the well-being of the patient were aways considered to be positive by the respective partner/relatives. A chronic pulmonary illness also has a negative influence on the partner/relative's quality of life. The necessity for extensive assistance in daily life is accompanied by a considerable negative impact on the partner's quality of life. According to the opinion of the partner/relative, lung sports have positive effects in all of the chronically ill patient's fields of life. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Women’s Perceptions on how Pregnancy Influences the Context of Intimate Partner Violence

PubMed Central

Stöckl, Heidi; Gardner, Frances

2013-01-01

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy is receiving increased attention because of its high prevalence and health effects. Still, little is known about women’s perceptions on how their pregnancy influences the context in which intimate partner violence occurs. We conducted 19 in-depth interviews with women who experienced intimate partner violence around the time of pregnancy. Women clearly perceived pregnancy as a turning point, because it created new expectations and a feeling of being overwhelmed. This led to violence by reducing women’s acceptance of their partner’s unemployment, alcohol abuse and lack of relationship commitment or by increasing women’s vulnerability because they felt too young to raise a child alone. Pregnancy also led to violence by bringing up repressed childhood memories or by taking attention away from their partners. Understanding how pregnancy influences the context in which intimate partner violence occurs is important to provide abused, pregnant women with the services they need. PMID:23905872

Facialmetric similarities mediate mate choice: sexual imprinting on opposite-sex parents

PubMed Central

Bereczkei, Tamas; Hegedus, Gabor; Hajnal, Gabor

2008-01-01

A retraction has been published Former studies have suggested that imprinting-like processes influence the shaping of human mate preferences. In this study, we provide more direct evidence for assessing facial resemblance between subjects' partner and subjects' parents. Fourteen facial proportions were measured on 312 adults belonging to 52 families, and the correlations between family members were compared with those of pairs randomly selected from the population. Spouses proved to be assortatively mated in the majority of measured facial proportions. Significant correlations have been found between the young men and their partner's father (but not his mother), especially on facial proportions belonging to the central area of the face. Women also showed resemblance to their partner's mother (but not to their father) in the facial characteristics of their lower face. Replicating our previous studies, facial photographs of participants were also matched by independent judges who ascribed higher resemblance between partners, and subjects and their partners' opposite-sex parents, compared with controls. Our results support the sexual imprinting hypothesis which states that children shape a mental template of their opposite-sex parents and search for a partner who resembles that perceptual schema. The fact that only the facial metrics of opposite-sex parents showed resemblance to the partner's face tends to rule out the role of familiarity in shaping mating preferences. Our findings also reject several other rival hypotheses. The adaptive value of imprinting-related human mating is discussed, and a hypothesis is made of why different facial areas are involved in males' and females' search for resemblance. PMID:18765339

The CRF system mediates increased passive stress-coping behavior following the loss of a bonded partner in a monogamous rodent.

PubMed

Bosch, Oliver J; Nair, Hemanth P; Ahern, Todd H; Neumann, Inga D; Young, Larry J

2009-05-01

Social relationships significantly influence physiology and behavior, including the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, anxiety, and mental health. Disruption of social bonds through separation or death often results in profound grieving, depression, and physical illness. As the monogamous prairie vole forms enduring, selective pair bonds with the mating partner, they provide an animal model to study the physiological consequences of pair bonding and, thus, the loss of the bonded partner. Male prairie voles were paired with a novel female or male sibling. After 5 days, half of the males of each group were separated from the partner. Elevated plus-maze, forced swim, and tail suspension tests were used to assess anxiety-like and passive stress-coping behaviors indicative of depressive-like behavior. Following 4 days of separation from the female but not the male partner, experimental males displayed increased passive stress-coping. This effect was abolished by long-term intracerebroventricular infusion of a nonselective corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor antagonist without disrupting the bond itself. Both CRF type 1 and 2 receptors were involved in the emergence of passive stress-coping behavior. Furthermore, pairing with a female was associated with elevated CRF mRNA in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and partner loss elicited a pronounced increase in circulating corticosteroid and adrenal weight. We speculate that the CRF system may mediate an aversive affect following separation from the female partner, which may facilitate proximity seeking between the pair-bonded individuals. Hence, the prairie vole model may provide insights into brain mechanisms involved in the psychopathological consequences of partner loss.

Cannibalism as an interacting phenotype: precannibalistic aggression is influenced by social partners in the endangered Socorro Isopod (Thermosphaeroma thermophilum).

PubMed

Bleakley, B H; Welter, S M; McCauley-Cole, K; Shuster, S M; Moore, A J

2013-04-01

Models for the evolution of cannibalism highlight the importance of asymmetries between individuals in initiating cannibalistic attacks. Studies may include measures of body size but typically group individuals into size/age classes or compare populations. Such broad comparisons may obscure the details of interactions that ultimately determine how socially contingent characteristics evolve. We propose that understanding cannibalism is facilitated by using an interacting phenotypes perspective that includes the influences of the phenotype of a social partner on the behaviour of a focal individual and focuses on variation in individual pairwise interactions. We investigated how relative body size, a composite trait between a focal individual and its social partner, and the sex of the partners influenced precannibalistic aggression in the endangered Socorro isopod, Thermosphaeroma thermophilum. We also investigated whether differences in mating interest among males and females influenced cannibalism in mixed sex pairs. We studied these questions in three populations that differ markedly in range of body size and opportunities for interactions among individuals. We found that relative body size influences the probability of and latency to attack. We observed differences in the likelihood of and latency to attack based on both an individual's sex and the sex of its partner but found no evidence of sexual conflict. The instigation of precannibalistic aggression in these isopods is therefore a property of both an individual and its social partner. Our results suggest that interacting phenotype models would be improved by incorporating a new conditional ψ, which describes the strength of a social partner's influence on focal behaviour. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2013 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Gender and Role Differences in Couples Communication during Cancer Survivorship

PubMed Central

Lim, Jung-won; Paek, Min-so; Shon, En-jung

2014-01-01

Background Individuals with cancer and their partners often experience communication difficulties. However, questions still remain regarding the influence of gender and role in cancer survivor-partner communication within couples. Objective The current study intended to examine the communication patterns in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer survivor-partner couples during cancer survivorship and whether gender and role differences in couples communication exist. Methods The dominant-less dominant methods of sequential mixed design was utilized. Ten couples who were recruited from the University Hospital registry in Cleveland, Ohio participated in both mail surveys and individual interviews. Family and cancer-related communication was assessed in the quantitative phase. Results Both male survivors and partners demonstrated better family communication scores compared to their female counterparts, whereas there were no gender differences in the cancer-related communication scores. In the qualitative phase, 3 major themes were identified: 1) selective sharing of cancer-related issues, 2) initiation of cancer-related communication, and 3) emotional reaction in communication. The patterns associated with these themes differed between the male survivor-female partner and female survivor-male partner couples. Conclusions This study provides new knowledge about family and cancer-related communication. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding different perspectives in the quality of communication by gender and role. Implications for Practice Exploring couples' communication patterns by gender and role stimulates the research and the development of effective consumer-centered communication interventions. The findings provide assessment tools to inform dyadic communication patterns for clinical and scientific purposes. PMID:25122132

Gender and Role Differences in Couples' Communication During Cancer Survivorship.

PubMed

Lim, Jung-won; Paek, Min-so; Shon, En-jung

2015-01-01

Individuals with cancer and their partners often experience communication difficulties. However, questions still remain regarding the influence of gender and role in cancer survivor-partner communication within couples. The current study intended to examine the communication patterns in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer survivor-partner couples during cancer survivorship and whether gender and role differences in couples communication exist. The dominant-less dominant method of sequential mixed design was used. Ten couples who were recruited from the University Hospital registry in Cleveland, Ohio, participated in both mail surveys and individual interviews. Family and cancer-related communication was assessed in the quantitative phase. Both male survivors and partners demonstrated better family communication scores compared with their female counterparts, whereas there were no gender differences in the cancer-related communication scores. In the qualitative phase, 3 major themes were identified: (1) selective sharing of cancer-related issues, (2) initiation of cancer-related communication, and (3) emotional reaction in communication. The patterns associated with these themes differed between the male survivor-female partner and female survivor-male partner couples. This study provides new knowledge about family and cancer-related communication. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding different perspectives in the quality of communication by gender and role. Exploring couples' communication patterns by gender and role stimulates the research and the development of effective consumer-centered communication interventions. The findings provide assessment tools to inform dyadic communication patterns for clinical and scientific purposes.

Urban Adolescent Girls’ Perspectives on Multiple Partners in the Context of the Sexual Double Standard and Intimate Partner Violence

PubMed Central

Teitelman, Anne M.; Tennille, Julie; Bohinski, Julia; Jemmott, Loretta S.; Jemmott, John B.

2013-01-01

This article describes the influence of abusive and non-abusive relationship dynamics on the number of sex partners among urban adolescent girls. Focus groups were conducted with 64 sexually active adolescent girls ages 14 to 17 years. General coding and content analyses identified patterns, themes, and salient beliefs. More than one third (37.5%) reported having experienced physical, intimate partner violence; 32.8% had 2 or more recent sex partners, and 37.5% had ever had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or HIV. Although some girls in abusive relationships feared retribution if they had more than one partner, others sought additional partners for solace or as an act of resistance. Adolescent HIV/STI prevention programs need to address the influence of gender norms such as the sexual double standard as well as partner pressure and partner abuse on adolescent decision-making about safer sex, and also promote healthy relationships as integral to advancing HIV/STI risk reduction. PMID:23790274

Social information influences trust behaviour in adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Nikki C; Jolles, Jelle; Krabbendam, Lydia

2016-01-01

Trust plays an integral role in daily interactions within adolescents' social environment. Using a trust game paradigm, this study investigated the modulating influence of social information about three interaction partners on trust behaviour in adolescents aged 12-18 (N = 845). After receiving information about their interaction partners prior to the task, participants were most likely to share with a 'good' partner and rate this partner as most trustworthy. Over the course of the task all interaction partners showed similar levels of trustworthy behaviour, but overall participants continued to trust and view the good partner as more trustworthy than 'bad' and 'neutral' partners throughout the game. However, with age the ability to overcome prior social information and adapt trust behaviour improved: middle and late adolescents showed a larger decrease in trust of the good partner than early adolescents, and late adolescents were more likely to reward trustworthy behaviour from the negative partner. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mixed strategy and coevolution dynamics in social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Weicai; Abbass, Hussein A.; Bender, Axel; Liu, Jing

2011-01-01

We investigate coevolution dynamics of both individual strategies and social ties as they adapt within the snowdrift game with mixed strategies. We propose a partner selection mechanism based on the concept of trust. Here trust is considered an instrument for an individual both selecting the right partners and being selected amongst other potential partners. Based on her local views of the system, the focal individual dismisses the link from the partner with the lowest trust and rewires to the partner’s partner with the highest trust. It is shown that such a trust-based partner switching mechanism favors the emergence of cooperators. Furthermore, when the number of an individual’s partners is restricted (which is a metaphor of limited capacities and capabilities of an individual in real environments), surprising assortative mixing patterns are formed in the emerging network and change the network’s degree distribution from a power-law distribution to an asymmetrically U-shaped distribution. This plays a leading role in preventing global avalanches triggered by perturbations acting on the state of the highly connected individuals.

Lessons for outsourcing and interim management relationships.

PubMed

Macko, W; Kostyack, P T

1999-01-01

Few decisions can affect an organization more than the selection of an outsourcing or interim management partner. More and more health care organizations face such decisions in today's competitive market in order to face new business needs. Making these relationships successful can be important for health care organizations seeking competitive advantages or seeking immediately accessible management support. These relationships, however, require careful partner selection and development. Success in outsourcing and interim management relationships is contingent upon a thorough selection process, a strong contract that has clearly and explicitly detailed responsibilities and a culture-sensitive business rapport between the client and selected partner.

Live to tell: Narratives of methamphetamine-using women taken hostage by their intimate partners in San Diego, CA

PubMed Central

Ludwig-Barron, Natasha; Syvertsen, Jennifer L.; Lagare, Tiffany; Palinkas, Lawrence; Stockman, Jamila K.

2015-01-01

Background Hostage-taking, an overlooked phenomenon in public health, constitutes a severe form of intimate partner violence and may be a precursor to female homicide within relationships characterized by substance use. Criminal justice studies indicate that most hostage incidents are male-driven events with more than half of all cases associated with a prior history of violence and substance use. Methamphetamine use increases a woman’s risk of partner violence, with methamphetamine-using individuals being up to nine times more likely to commit homicide. As homicide is the most lethal outcome of partner violence and methamphetamine use, this study aims to characterize the potential role of hostage-taking within these intersecting epidemics. Methods Methamphetamine-using women enrolled in an HIV behavioural intervention trial (FASTLANE-II) who reported experiences of partner violence were purposively selected to participate in qualitative sub-studies (Women’s Study I & II). Twenty-nine women, ages 26–57, participated in semi-structured interviews that discussed relationship dynamics, partner violence, drug use and sexual practices. Results Findings indicated four cases of women being held hostage by a partner, with two women describing two separate hostage experiences. Women discussed partner jealousy, drug withdrawal symptoms, heightened emotional states from methamphetamine use, and escalating violent incidents as factors leading up to hostage-taking. Factors influencing lack of reporting incidents to law enforcement included having a criminal record, fear of partner retaliation, and intentions to terminate the relationship while the partner is incarcerated. Conclusion Educating women on the warning signs of hostage-taking within the context of methamphetamine use and promoting behaviour change among male perpetrators can contribute to reducing the risk of homicide. Furthermore, bridging the gap between health services and law enforcement agencies and providing comprehensive services that address the needs of methamphetamine-using women in violent relationships can prevent or minimize potential harm to vulnerable women. PMID:26164713

The influence of mothers' and fathers' parenting stress and depressive symptoms on own and partner's parent-child communication.

PubMed

Ponnet, Koen; Wouters, Edwin; Mortelmans, Dimitri; Pasteels, Inge; De Backer, Charlotte; Van Leeuwen, Karla; Van Hiel, Alain

2013-06-01

This study examines how parenting stress and depressive symptoms experienced by mothers and fathers influence their own (actor effects) and the partner's (partner effects) parent-child communication. Based on the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, data from 196 families were analyzed, with both parents rating their parenting stress and depressive feelings, and parents as well as children rating the open parent-child communication. Actor effects were found between parenting stress and open parent-child communication, whereas partner effects were prominent between depressive symptoms and open parent-child communication. The results provide no evidence for gender differences in the strength of the pathways to open parent-child communication. Our findings demonstrate the need to include both parents in studies on parent-child communication to enhance our understanding of the mutual influence among family members. © FPI, Inc.

Perceived STD risk, relationship, and health values in adolescents' delaying sexual intercourse with new partners

PubMed Central

Rosengard, C; Adler, N; Millstein, S; Gurvey, J; Ellen, J

2004-01-01

Objectives: To examine the amount of time adolescents waited to have intercourse with past partners (main and casual), and intentions to delay with future partners. To determine psychosocial factors which predict delay intentions among adolescent males and females with future partners (main and casual). Methods: Adolescent STD clinic attendees were approached before clinical appointments to participate in an interview. Data from 205 participants who had previous experience with both main and casual partners were used in the current study. Results: Adolescents waited less time to have intercourse with most recent casual than with most recent main partners (χ2 = 31.97, p<0.0001). The amount of time waited with past partners was shorter than intended time to wait in future relationships (medians of 1 month v 2 months (main) (t = 3.47, p<0.0010; medians of 2 weeks v 1 month (casual) (t = 6.14, p<0.0001)). Factors influencing intentions to delay intercourse with future main partners differed by sex; males were negatively influenced by importance of sex in relationships, while females were positively influenced by importance of intimacy in relationships, perceived risk of STDs, and health values. Conclusions: Implications for designing interventions for adolescent males and females are discussed. PMID:15054176

Age-Related Patterns in Social Networks among European Americans and African Americans: Implications for Socioemotional Selectivity across the Life Span.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fung, Helene H.; Carstensen, Laura L.; Lang, Frieder, R.

2001-01-01

Tests socioemotional selectivity theory among African Americans and European Americans. Older people reported as many close partners but fewer peripheral partners as their younger counterparts, thus confirming the theory. A greater percentage of close social partners in social networks related to lower levels of happiness among the young age group…

The Role of Character Strengths in Adolescent Romantic Relationships: An Initial Study on Partner Selection and Mates' Life Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber, Marco; Ruch, Willibald

2012-01-01

The present study investigated the role of 24 character strengths in 87 adolescent romantic relationships focusing on their role in partner selection and their role in mates' life satisfaction. Measures included the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth, the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale, and an Ideal Partner Profiler for the…

Contributions of work stressors, alcohol, and normative beliefs to partner violence.

PubMed

Ames, Genevieve M; Cunradi, Carol B; Duke, Michael; Todd, Michael; Chen, Meng-Jinn

2013-03-01

A body of research has established that lower socioeconomic populations, including blue-collar workers, are at higher risk for problem drinking and intimate partner violence. This study of married/cohabiting construction workers and their spouses/partners describes how work stressors, hazardous drinking, and couple characteristics interact to influence normative beliefs around partner violence and, thereafter, its occurrence. Our survey respondents from a sample of 502 dual-earner couples were asked about drinking patterns, past-year partner violence, normative beliefs about partner violence, work-related stressors, impulsivity, and childhood exposure to violence and other adverse events. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 81 workers on context of work stress, partner violence, and drinking. Analyses of data revealed that men's and women's normative beliefs about partner violence were positively related to maleto- female partner violence; female partner violence normative beliefs were associated with female-to-male partner violence. Both partners' levels of impulsivity were directly associated with male-to-female and female-to-male partner violence, and male partner's frequency of intoxication mediated the association between level of impulsivity and male-to-female partner violence. Female partner's adverse childhood experience was directly associated with male-to-female partner violence. Both survey and qualitative interviews identified individual and workrelated factors that influence the occurrence of violence between men and women. These findings provide guidelines for prevention of partner violence that can be implemented in the workplace with attention to hazardous drinking, job stress, treatment, education, and work culture.

Acknowledging selection at sub-organismal levels resolves controversy on pro-cooperation mechanisms

PubMed Central

Shou, Wenying

2015-01-01

Cooperators who pay a cost to produce publically-available benefits can be exploited by cheaters who do not contribute fairly. How might cooperation persist against cheaters? Two classes of mechanisms are known to promote cooperation: 'partner choice', where a cooperator preferentially interacts with cooperative over cheating partners; and 'partner fidelity feedback', where repeated interactions between individuals ensure that cheaters suffer as their cooperative partners languish (see, for example, Momeni et al., 2013). However when both mechanisms can act, differentiating them has generated controversy. Here, I resolve this controversy by noting that selection can operate on organismal and sub-organismal 'entities' such that partner fidelity feedback at sub-organismal level can appear as partner choice at organismal level. I also show that cooperation between multicellular eukaryotes and mitochondria is promoted by partner fidelity feedback and partner choice between sub-organismal entities, in addition to being promoted by partner fidelity feedback between hosts and symbionts, as was previously known. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10106.001 PMID:26714105

Sexually Explicit Online Media, Body Satisfaction, and Partner Expectations Among Men who have Sex with Men: a Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Leickly, Emily; Nelson, Kimberly; Simoni, Jane

2017-09-01

Limited research has investigated the perceived influence of sexually explicit online media (SEOM) on body satisfaction and partner expectations of men who have sex with men (MSM). Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 MSM, covering the perceived influence of MSM-specific SEOM. All nine men who broached the topics of body satisfaction and partner expectations reported that MSM-specific SEOM set unreasonably high physical appearance expectations for themselves and/or their potential partners. Although MSM-specific SEOM might be negatively affecting body satisfaction and partner expectations among MSM, its ubiquity may make it a useful tool to support body positivity.

Sexually Explicit Online Media, Body Satisfaction, and Partner Expectations Among Men who have Sex with Men: a Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Nelson, Kimberly; Simoni, Jane

2016-01-01

Limited research has investigated the perceived influence of sexually explicit online media (SEOM) on body satisfaction and partner expectations of men who have sex with men (MSM). Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 MSM, covering the perceived influence of MSM-specific SEOM. All nine men who broached the topics of body satisfaction and partner expectations reported that MSM-specific SEOM set unreasonably high physical appearance expectations for themselves and/or their potential partners. Although MSM-specific SEOM might be negatively affecting body satisfaction and partner expectations among MSM, its ubiquity may make it a useful tool to support body positivity. PMID:28979572

Helping each other grow: romantic partner support, self-improvement, and relationship quality.

PubMed

Overall, Nickola C; Fletcher, Garth J O; Simpson, Jeffry A

2010-11-01

This research tested whether and how partners' support of self-improvement efforts influences recipients' relationship evaluations and self-improvement success. Study 1 provided an initial test of predictions using self-reports (N = 150). Study 2 assessed support behavior exhibited in couples' (N = 47) discussions of self-improvement desires, and tracked relationship quality and self-improvement every 3 months for 1 year. More nurturing and action-facilitating partner support was more helpful to recipients, whereas partners who criticized and invalidated recipients were less helpful. Receiving more help from the partner, in turn, predicted greater relationship quality and more self-improvement. More negative support seeking also predicted lower self-improvement because recipients' behavior elicited less partner help. These effects were not attributable to partners' general warmth and understanding, global self or relationship evaluations, how much recipients desired or tried to change, or whether targeted attributes posed relationship problems. This research documents the powerful influence that partners' help has on recipients' personal growth.

Disgust selectively modulates reciprocal fairness in economic interactions.

PubMed

Moretti, Laura; di Pellegrino, Giuseppe

2010-04-01

We report two studies aimed at investigating the effects of distinct negative emotions on pairwise economic interactions. In the ultimatum game, a proposer offers a division of a sum of money to a responder who decides whether to accept the split, or reject and leave both players with nothing. In Experiment 1, we investigated whether induced disgust, as compared to sadness and neutral emotion, specifically influences responders' decisions to reject unfair proposals. In Experiment 2, we assessed whether the effects of disgust were selectively related to social contexts by contrasting interactions with a human partner with those involving a computer. Results showed that relative to being in a sad or neutral mood, induced feelings of disgust significantly increased rejection rates of unfair offers. Moreover, we found that when the partner was not responsible for the fairness violation, such as in the computer-offer condition, the disgust induction failed to affect participants' choices. We conclude by focusing on the hypothesis that disgust and social norm violations may share common computational components, both at a psychological and a neural level. Copyright 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

5 CFR 2635.502 - Personal and business relationships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... to purchase a restaurant owned by a local developer. The developer has submitted an offer in response... assigned to a selection panel for a position for which his partner has applied. If selected, the partner...

Mate choice, sexual selection, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

PubMed

Gore, Andrea C; Holley, Amanda M; Crews, David

2018-05-01

Humans have disproportionately affected the habitat and survival of species through environmental contamination. Important among these anthropogenic influences is the proliferation of organic chemicals, some of which perturb hormone systems, the latter referred to as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs are widespread in the environment and affect all levels of reproduction, including development of reproductive organs, hormone release and regulation through the life cycle, the development of secondary sexual characteristics, and the maturation and maintenance of adult physiology and behavior. However, what is not well-known is how the confluence of EDC actions on the manifestation of morphological and behavioral sexual traits influences mate choice, a process that requires the reciprocal evaluation of and/or acceptance of a sexual partner. Moreover, the outcomes of EDC-induced perturbations are likely to influence sexual selection; yet this has rarely been directly tested. Here, we provide background on the development and manifestation of sexual traits, reproductive competence, and the neurobiology of sexual behavior, and evidence for their perturbation by EDCs. Selection acts on individuals, with the consequences manifest in populations, and we discuss the implications for EDC contamination of these processes, and the future of species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RELATIONSHIP FORMATION AND STABILITY IN EMERGING ADULTHOOD: DO SEX RATIOS MATTER?

PubMed Central

Warner, Tara D.; Manning, Wendy D.; Giordano, Peggy C.; Longmore, Monica A.

2013-01-01

Research links sex ratios with the likelihood of marriage and divorce. However, whether sex ratios similarly influence precursors to marriage—transitions in and out of dating or cohabiting relationships—is unknown. Utilizing data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) and the 2000 census, this study assesses whether sex ratios influence the formation and stability of emerging adults’ romantic relationships. Findings show that relationship formation is unaffected by partner availability, yet the presence of partners increases women’s odds of cohabiting, decreases men’s odds of cohabiting, and increases number of dating partners and cheating among men. It appears that sex ratios influence not only transitions in and out of marriage, but also the process through which individuals search for and evaluate partners prior to marriage. PMID:24265510

Virtual versus physical channel for sex networking in men having sex with men of sauna customers in the City of Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lee, Shui-Shan; Lam, Agnes N S; Lee, Chi-Kei; Wong, Ngai-Sze

2012-01-01

Advances in communication technology may affect networking pattern, thereby influencing the dynamics of sex partnership. The aim of the study is to explore the impacts of partner sourcing through internet and related channels on exposure risk to sexually transmitted infections (STI) including HIV. Using venue-based sampling, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted at saunas frequented by men having sex with men (MSM) in Hong Kong. Comparison was made between MSM sourcing partners through physical venues alone versus concomitant users of physical and virtual channels, the latter referring to internet and smart-phone applications, using bivariate logistic regression. Over a 7-week study period, 299 MSM were recruited from 9 saunas. Three main types of sex partners were distinguished: steady (46.8%), regular (26.4%) and casual (96.0%) partners. Users of sauna (n = 78) were compared with concomitant users of saunas and virtual channels (n = 179) for partner sourcing. Sauna-visiting virtual channel users were younger and inclined to use selected physical venues for sourcing partners. Smart-phone users (n = 90) were not different from other internet-users in terms of age, education level and single/mixed self-identified body appearance. Classifying respondents into high risk and low risk MSM by their frequency of condom use, concomitant use of both sauna and virtual channels accounted for a higher proportion in the high risk category (71.6% vs. 58.2%, OR = 1.81, p<0.05). In virtual channel users, partner sourcing through smart-phone was not associated with a higher practice of unprotected sex. MSM sauna customers commonly use virtual channels for sex partner sourcing. Unprotected sex is more prevalent in sauna customers who use virtual channel for sex partner sourcing. While the popularity of smart-phone is rising, its use is not associated with increased behavioural risk for HIV/STI transmission.

What puts them at risk? A cross-sectional case-control survey of demographic profile and sexual behavior of patients with sexually transmitted infections at a tertiary care center in North India.

PubMed

Raj, Rama; Gupta, Vishal; Pathak, Mona; Sreenivas, Vishnubhatla; Sood, Seema; Singh, Sarman; Verma, Kaushal K; Khanna, Neena; Das, Bimal K; Gupta, Somesh

2017-01-01

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major public health problem in developing nations. Identification of risk factors can help in formulating effective strategies against them. The present study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in North India over 1 year to identify the risk factors associated with STIs. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional case-control survey was conducted where participants answered questions on demographic details, sexual behavior, and awareness of STIs. Cases were patients with STIs whereas controls were randomly selected from healthy individuals accompanying patients with nonvenereal complaints attending our hospital. There were 106 cases and 64 controls. STI patients had sexual debut 2 years before controls. A higher proportion of STI cases had lower education, multiple sexual partners, lived separately from their partner, had nonregular partners, had protected sex in the last month, had sex under influence of alcohol/illicit drugs, sex in unstructured settings, and engaged in transactional sex, in comparison to controls ( P < 0.05). More cases were aware of the symptoms/preventive measures of STIs ( P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, multiple sexual partners, sex under influence of alcohol/illicit drugs with nonregular partner, protected sex in the last month, and knowledge of preventive measures were found to be statistically associated with STIs ( P < 0.05). Our study identifies risk-behavior patterns in patients with STIs, which should be modified to reduce the burden of these diseases. Increasing the knowledge about STIs in these patients can translate into more common condom usage that lends support for strengthening sexual health programs at grass-root levels. The small size of the study population could have led to decreased power of the study to detect differences between cases and controls. The external validity of our results needs to be tested in different population groups involving larger sample sizes.

Marrying after arriving: The role of individuals' networks for immigrant choice of partner's origin.

PubMed

del Rey Poveda, Alberto; Vono de Vilhena, Daniela

2014-03-01

This paper analyses the impact of social networks on the transition to marriage among recently arrived, single, immigrants in Spain. Our hypothesis states that the existence of individual networks at the moment of arrival strongly influences partner selection. Using the 2007 Spanish National Immigration Survey we apply competing risk models to estimate the likelihood of endogamous or exogamous marriage, for men and women separately. The analysis shows that among immigrant men and women, the presence of relatives or friends from their home-country at the time of arrival increases the probability of marriage to a co-national. Correspondingly, immigrants who obtained Spanish citizenship before migrating present higher chances of intermarriage, as they are likely to have more contact with the host society. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Prospective Study of Adolescents’ Sexual Partnerships on Emerging Adults’ Relationship Satisfaction and Intimate Partner Aggression

PubMed Central

Longmore, Monica A.; Manning, Wendy D.; Copp, Jennifer E.; Giordano, Peggy C.

2016-01-01

We examined whether the influence of adolescents’ sexual partnerships, both dating and casual, carried over to affect emerging adults’ relationship satisfaction and experiences of intimate partner aggression. Analyses of longitudinal data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (n = 294) showed that net of control variables (delinquency, depression, family violence, relational and sociodemographic characteristics), adolescents’ number of dating, but not casual, sexual partners led to greater odds of intimate partner aggression during emerging adulthood. Further, relationship churning (breaking-up and getting back together) and sexual non-exclusivity during emerging adulthood mediated the influence of adolescents’ number of dating sexual partnerships on intimate partner aggression. The positive effect of dating sexual partnerships on intimate partner aggression was stronger for women compared with men. These findings confirm the long reach of adolescent experiences into emerging adulthood. PMID:28546885

Understanding The Role of Mate Selection Processes in Couples' Pair-Bonding Behavior.

PubMed

Horwitz, Briana N; Reynolds, Chandra A; Walum, Hasse; Ganiban, Jody; Spotts, Erica L; Reiss, David; Lichtenstein, Paul; Neiderhiser, Jenae M

2016-01-01

Couples are similar in their pair-bonding behavior, yet the reasons for this similarity are often unclear. A common explanation is phenotypic assortment, whereby individuals select partners with similar heritable characteristics. Alternatively, social homogamy, whereby individuals passively select partners with similar characteristic due to shared social backgrounds, is rarely considered. We examined whether phenotypic assortment and/or social homogamy can contribute to mate similarity using a twin-partner design. The sample came from the Twin and Offspring Study in Sweden, which included 876 male and female monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twins plus their married or cohabitating partners. Results showed that variance in pair-bonding behavior was attributable to genetic and nonshared environmental factors. Furthermore, phenotypic assortment accounted for couple similarity in pair-bonding behavior. This suggests that individuals' genetically based characteristics are involved in their selection of mates with similar pair-bonding behavior.

Case studies of power and control related to tobacco use during pregnancy.

PubMed

Greaves, Lorraine; Kalaw, Cecilia; Bottorff, Joan L

2007-01-01

The objective was to identify and describe elements of power and control evident in couple tobacco-related interaction patterns during pregnancy. Using a case study approach, elements of the Duluth Abuse Intervention Project Power and Control Wheel were used to examine women's experiences of tobacco reduction during pregnancy and post partum. Three cases were selected from a larger qualitative sample, using a maximum variation sampling approach. Although no direct evidence of partner abuse or violence accompanying partner efforts to influence women's smoking was described, most of the elements of power and control were present in the case study, and appeared to cause an emotional toll and a negative impact on women's ability to freely express their views about their own tobacco use. Elements of power and control, however subtle, are potentially important and unrecognized dimensions of women's tobacco reduction experiences. Additional care and attention should be taken in designing tobacco reduction interventions and policies directed at pregnant and post partum women and their partners to reduce the possibility that these interventions may contribute to the use of power and control.

Role-players in abortion decision-making in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana.

PubMed

Kumi-Kyereme, Akwasi; Gbagbo, Fred Yao; Amo-Adjei, Joshua

2014-09-16

Making the final decision to terminate a pregnancy can be influenced by different circumstances involving various individuals. This paper describes the key players involved in the decision-making process regarding abortions among women who elected to undergo an induced abortion in a cosmopolitan urban setting in Ghana. A retrospective cross-sectional mixed method study was conducted between January and December 2011. A total of 401 women with records in abortion logbooks were selected for an interviewer-administered questionnaire and an in-depth interview. Descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to assess the quantitative data, and a thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. The findings of the study reveal that pregnant individuals, mothers of abortion-seekers, male partners, and "Others" (for example, friends, employers) were instrumental in making a decision to terminate unplanned/unwanted pregnancies. Several key factors influenced the decision-making processes, including aversion from the men responsible for the pregnancy, concerns about abnormalities/deformities in future births due to unprofessionally conducted abortions, and economic considerations. A number of individuals, such as friends, mothers, and male partners, influence the decision-making process regarding abortion among the participants of the study. Various targeted messages are needed for the various participants in the decision.

Carry-over effects of the social environment on future divorce probability in a wild bird population

PubMed Central

Culina, Antica; Hinde, Camilla A.; Sheldon, Ben C.

2015-01-01

Initial mate choice and re-mating strategies (infidelity and divorce) influence individual fitness. Both of these should be influenced by the social environment, which determines the number and availability of potential partners. While most studies looking at this relationship take a population-level approach, individual-level responses to variation in the social environment remain largely unstudied. Here, we explore carry-over effects on future mating decisions of the social environment in which the initial mating decision occurred. Using detailed data on the winter social networks of great tits, we tested whether the probability of subsequent divorce, a year later, could be predicted by measures of the social environment at the time of pairing. We found that males that had a lower proportion of female associates, and whose partner ranked lower among these, as well as inexperienced breeders, were more likely to divorce after breeding. We found no evidence that a female's social environment influenced the probability of divorce. Our findings highlight the importance of the social environment that individuals experience during initial pair formation on later pairing outcomes, and demonstrate that such effects can be delayed. Exploring these extended effects of the social environment can yield valuable insights into processes and selective pressures acting upon the mating strategies that individuals adopt. PMID:26468239

Preference for attractiveness and thinness in a partner: influence of internalization of the thin ideal and shape/weight dissatisfaction in heterosexual women, heterosexual men, lesbians, and gay men.

PubMed

Legenbauer, Tanja; Vocks, Silja; Schäfer, Corinna; Schütt-Strömel, Sabine; Hiller, Wolfgang; Wagner, Christof; Vögele, Claus

2009-06-01

This study assesses whether characteristics of one's own body image influences preferences of attractiveness in a partner. The role of gender and sexual orientation is also considered. Heterosexual women (n=67), lesbian women (n=73), heterosexual men (n=61) and gay men (n=82) participated in an internet survey assessing attitudes towards the body and preferences of attractiveness in a partner. Men in particular were found to prefer attractive partners, regardless of sexual orientation. Weight/shape dissatisfaction was found to be a negative predictor for heterosexual men and women. For gay men, preferences were better explained by internalization and weight/shape dissatisfaction. No such associations were found in the lesbian group. Levels of weight/shape dissatisfaction and internalization of socio-cultural slenderness ideals influence expectations of thinness and attractiveness in a partner with this effect being modified by gender and sexual orientation.

Social influences on unconscious plagiarism and anti-plagiarism.

PubMed

Hollins, Timothy J; Lange, Nicholas; Dennis, Ian; Longmore, Christopher A

2016-08-01

People are more likely to unconsciously plagiarise ideas from a same-sex partner than a different-sex partner, and more likely to unconsciously plagiarise if recalling alone rather than in the presence of their partner [Macrae, C. N., Bodenhausen, G. V., & Calvini, G. (1999). Contexts of cryptomnesia: May the source be with you. Social Cognition, 17, 273-297. doi: 10.1521/soco.1999.17.3.273 ]. Two sets of experiments explore these phenomena, using extensions of the standard unconscious plagiarism paradigm. In Experiment 1A participants worked together in same- or different-sex dyads before trying to recall their own ideas or their partner's ideas. More source errors were evident for same-sex dyads (Experiment 1A), but this effect was absent when participants recalled from both sources simultaneously (Experiment 1B). In Experiment 2A, participants recalled ideas from a single source either alone or in the presence of the partner, using an extended-recall task. Partner presence did not affect the availability of ideas, but did reduce the propensity to report them as task compliant, relative to a partner-present condition. Simultaneous recall from both sources removed this social effect (Experiment 2B). Thus social influences on unconscious plagiarism are apparent, but are influenced by the salience of the alternate source at retrieval.

From Preferred to Actual Mate Characteristics: The Case of Human Body Shape

PubMed Central

Courtiol, Alexandre; Picq, Sandrine; Godelle, Bernard; Raymond, Michel; Ferdy, Jean-Baptiste

2010-01-01

The way individuals pair to produce reproductive units is a major factor determining evolution. This process is complex because it is determined not only by individual mating preferences, but also by numerous other factors such as competition between mates. Consequently, preferred and actual characteristics of mates obtained should differ, but this has rarely been addressed. We simultaneously measured mating preferences for stature, body mass, and body mass index, and recorded corresponding actual partner's characteristics for 116 human couples from France. Results show that preferred and actual partner's characteristics differ for male judges, but not for females. In addition, while the correlation between all preferred and actual partner's characteristics appeared to be weak for female judges, it was strong for males: while men prefer women slimmer than their actual partner, those who prefer the slimmest women also have partners who are slimmer than average. This study therefore suggests that the influences of preferences on pair formation can be sex-specific. It also illustrates that this process can lead to unexpected results on the real influences of mating preferences: traits considered as highly influencing attractiveness do not necessarily have a strong influence on the actual pairing, the reverse being also possible. PMID:20885953

From preferred to actual mate characteristics: the case of human body shape.

PubMed

Courtiol, Alexandre; Picq, Sandrine; Godelle, Bernard; Raymond, Michel; Ferdy, Jean-Baptiste

2010-09-27

The way individuals pair to produce reproductive units is a major factor determining evolution. This process is complex because it is determined not only by individual mating preferences, but also by numerous other factors such as competition between mates. Consequently, preferred and actual characteristics of mates obtained should differ, but this has rarely been addressed. We simultaneously measured mating preferences for stature, body mass, and body mass index, and recorded corresponding actual partner's characteristics for 116 human couples from France. Results show that preferred and actual partner's characteristics differ for male judges, but not for females. In addition, while the correlation between all preferred and actual partner's characteristics appeared to be weak for female judges, it was strong for males: while men prefer women slimmer than their actual partner, those who prefer the slimmest women also have partners who are slimmer than average. This study therefore suggests that the influences of preferences on pair formation can be sex-specific. It also illustrates that this process can lead to unexpected results on the real influences of mating preferences: traits considered as highly influencing attractiveness do not necessarily have a strong influence on the actual pairing, the reverse being also possible.

Preference for human body odors is influenced by gender and sexual orientation.

PubMed

Martins, Yolanda; Preti, George; Crabtree, Christina R; Runyan, Tamar; Vainius, Aldona A; Wysocki, Charles J

2005-09-01

Human body odor may contribute to selection of partners. If so, sexual orientation may influence preference for and perhaps production of human body odors. In a test of these hypotheses, heterosexual and homosexual males and females made two-alternative forced-choice preference judgments for body odors obtained from other heterosexual and homosexual males and females. Subjects chose between odors from (a) heterosexual males and gay males, (b) heterosexual males and heterosexual females, (c) heterosexual females and lesbians, and (d) gay males and lesbians. Results indicate that differences in body odor are detected and responded to on the basis of, in part, an individual's gender and sexual orientation. Possible mechanisms underlying these findings are discussed.

Community-level influences on women's experience of intimate partner violence and terminated pregnancy in Nigeria: a multilevel analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem with serious consequences for women’s physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health. Reproductive health outcomes such as unwanted and terminated pregnancies, fetal loss or child loss during infancy, non-use of family planning methods, and high fertility are increasingly recognized. However, little is known about the role of community influences on women's experience of IPV and its effect on terminated pregnancy, given the increased awareness of IPV being a product of social context. This study sought to examine the role of community-level norms and characteristics in the association between IPV and terminated pregnancy in Nigeria. Methods Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed on nationally-representative cross-sectional data including 19,226 women aged 15–49 years in Nigeria. Data were collected by a stratified two-stage sampling technique, with 888 primary sampling units (PSUs) selected in the first sampling stage, and 7,864 households selected through probability sampling in the second sampling stage. Results Women who had experienced physical IPV, sexual IPV, and any IPV were more likely to have terminated a pregnancy compared to women who had not experienced these IPV types. IPV types were significantly associated with factors reflecting relationship control, relationship inequalities, and socio-demographic characteristics. Characteristics of the women aggregated at the community level (mean education, justifying wife beating, mean age at first marriage, and contraceptive use) were significantly associated with IPV types and terminated pregnancy. Conclusion Findings indicate the role of community influence in the association between IPV-exposure and terminated pregnancy, and stress the need for screening women seeking abortions for a history of abuse. PMID:23150987

Community-level influences on women's experience of intimate partner violence and terminated pregnancy in Nigeria: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Antai, Diddy; Adaji, Sunday

2012-11-14

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem with serious consequences for women's physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health. Reproductive health outcomes such as unwanted and terminated pregnancies, fetal loss or child loss during infancy, non-use of family planning methods, and high fertility are increasingly recognized. However, little is known about the role of community influences on women's experience of IPV and its effect on terminated pregnancy, given the increased awareness of IPV being a product of social context. This study sought to examine the role of community-level norms and characteristics in the association between IPV and terminated pregnancy in Nigeria. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed on nationally-representative cross-sectional data including 19,226 women aged 15-49 years in Nigeria. Data were collected by a stratified two-stage sampling technique, with 888 primary sampling units (PSUs) selected in the first sampling stage, and 7,864 households selected through probability sampling in the second sampling stage. Women who had experienced physical IPV, sexual IPV, and any IPV were more likely to have terminated a pregnancy compared to women who had not experienced these IPV types.IPV types were significantly associated with factors reflecting relationship control, relationship inequalities, and socio-demographic characteristics. Characteristics of the women aggregated at the community level (mean education, justifying wife beating, mean age at first marriage, and contraceptive use) were significantly associated with IPV types and terminated pregnancy. Findings indicate the role of community influence in the association between IPV-exposure and terminated pregnancy, and stress the need for screening women seeking abortions for a history of abuse.

Contextual influences on pain communication in couples with and without a partner with chronic pain.

PubMed

Gagnon, Michelle M; Hadjistavropoulos, Thomas; MacNab, Ying C

2017-10-01

This is an experimental study of pain communication in couples. Despite evidence that chronic pain in one partner impacts both members of the dyad, dyadic influences on pain communication have not been sufficiently examined and are typically studied based on retrospective reports. Our goal was to directly study contextual influences (ie, presence of chronic pain, gender, relationship quality, and pain catastrophizing) on self-reported and nonverbal (ie, facial expressions) pain responses. Couples with (n = 66) and without (n = 65) an individual with chronic pain (ICP) completed relationship and pain catastrophizing questionnaires. Subsequently, one partner underwent a pain task (pain target, PT), while the other partner observed (pain observer, PO). In couples with an ICP, the ICP was assigned to be the PT. Pain intensity and PO perceived pain intensity ratings were recorded at multiple intervals. Facial expressions were video recorded throughout the pain task. Pain-related facial expression was quantified using the Facial Action Coding System. The most consistent predictor of either partner's pain-related facial expression was the pain-related facial expression of the other partner. Pain targets provided higher pain ratings than POs and female PTs reported and showed more pain, regardless of chronic pain status. Gender and the interaction between gender and relationship satisfaction were predictors of pain-related facial expression among PTs, but not POs. None of the examined variables predicted self-reported pain. Results suggest that contextual variables influence pain communication in couples, with distinct influences for PTs and POs. Moreover, self-report and nonverbal responses are not displayed in a parallel manner.

Dogs (Canis familiaris) adjust their social behaviour to the differential role of inanimate interactive agents.

PubMed

Petró, Eszter; Abdai, Judit; Gergely, Anna; Topál, József; Miklósi, Ádám

2016-03-01

Dogs are able to flexibly adjust their social behaviour to situation-specific characteristics of their human partner's behaviour in problem situations. However, dogs do not necessarily detect the specific role played by the human in a particular situation: they may form expectations about their partners' behaviour based on previous experiences with them. Utilising inanimate objects (UMO-unidentified moving object) as interacting agents offers new possibilities for investigating social behaviour, because in this way we can remove or control the influence of previous experience with the partner. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether dogs are able to recognise the different roles of two UMOs and are able to adjust their communicative behaviour towards them. In the learning phase of the experiment, dogs were presented with a two-way food-retrieval problem in which two UMOs, which differed in their physical appearance and abilities, helped the dog obtain a piece of food in their own particular manner. After a short experience with both UMOs, dogs in the test phase faced one of the problems in the presence of both inanimate agents. Overall, dogs displayed similar levels of gazing behaviour towards the UMOs, but in the first test they looked, approached and touched the relevant partner first. This rapid adjustment of social behaviour towards UMOs suggests that dogs may generalise their experiences with humans to unfamiliar agents and are able to select the appropriate partner when facing a problem situation.

Intimate Partner Violence May Be One Mechanism by Which Male Partner Socioeconomic Status and Substance Use Affect Female Partner Health.

PubMed

Assari, Shervin; Jeremiah, Rohan D

2018-01-01

Background: Although male partners' socioeconomic status (SES) and substance use is associated with worse health of female partners, the mechanism behind this link is still unknown. Objectives: To investigate whether intimate partner violence (IPV) is a mechanism by which male partners' SES and substance use influence female partners' self-rated health (SRH) as victims and survivors of IPV. Materials and Methods: Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) is an ongoing population-based cohort. Male and female partners' SES, anxiety, depression, and substance use, and their relationship status were measured at baseline. IPV victimization was also asked among female partners' at baseline. Female partners' subjective health was measured 3 times (baseline-1998, 3 years later-2001, and 5 years later-2003). Using AMOS, we fitted two structural equation models (SEM) for data analysis. In Model 1 we tested direct paths from male partners' SES and mental health to female partners' SRH, in the absence of IPV. In the Model 2 we conceptualized female partners' IPV victimization between male partners' SES and mental health and female partners' SRH. In both models we controlled for the effect of female partners' SES and mental health. Results: In Model 1 , male partners' poor SES and substance use were associated with worse trajectory of SRH of female partner. In Model 2 , male to female IPV was the mechanism by which male partners' SES and substance use were associated with female partners' SRH. Conclusions: IPV is one of the mechanisms by which male partners' SES and substance use can influence female partners' health. That is, IPV may operate as a vehicle by which male partners' social and psychological risk factors impact female partners' health. Thus, this study demonstrates how male partners' socio-ecological risk factors such as low SES and substance use impact female partners' health. Therefore, there is a need for broader socio-ecological approach to IPV prevention and intervention that recognizes the relationship between male partners' risk factors and their female partners' health outcomes. Such approach can inform prevention and treatment of IPV and enhance partner wellbeing.

Genetic Dissection of DivIVA Functions in Listeria monocytogenes.

PubMed

Kaval, Karan Gautam; Hauf, Samuel; Rismondo, Jeanine; Hahn, Birgitt; Halbedel, Sven

2017-12-15

DivIVA is a membrane binding protein that clusters at curved membrane regions, such as the cell poles and the membrane invaginations occurring during cell division. DivIVA proteins recruit many other proteins to these subcellular sites through direct protein-protein interactions. DivIVA-dependent functions are typically associated with cell growth and division, even though species-specific differences in the spectrum of DivIVA functions and their causative interaction partners exist. DivIVA from the Gram-positive human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes has at least three different functions. In this bacterium, DivIVA is required for precise positioning of the septum at midcell, it contributes to the secretion of autolysins required for the breakdown of peptidoglycan at the septum after the completion of cell division, and it is essential for flagellar motility. While the DivIVA interaction partners for control of division site selection are well established, the proteins connecting DivIVA with autolysin secretion or swarming motility are completely unknown. We set out to identify divIVA alleles in which these three DivIVA functions could be separated, since the question of the degree to which the three functions of L. monocytogenes DivIVA are interlinked could not be answered before. Here, we identify such alleles, and our results show that division site selection, autolysin secretion, and swarming represent three discrete pathways that are independently influenced by DivIVA. These findings provide the required basis for the identification of DivIVA interaction partners controlling autolysin secretion and swarming in the future. IMPORTANCE DivIVA of the pathogenic bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a central scaffold protein that influences at least three different cellular processes, namely, cell division, protein secretion, and bacterial motility. How DivIVA coordinates these rather unrelated processes is not known. We here identify variants of L. monocytogenes DivIVA, in which these functions are separated from each other. These results have important implications for the models explaining how DivIVA interacts with other proteins. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Contributions of Work Stressors, Alcohol, and Normative Beliefs to Partner Violence

PubMed Central

Ames, Genevieve M.; Cunradi, Carol B.; Duke, Michael; Todd, Michael; Chen, Meng-Jinn

2013-01-01

Objective: A body of research has established that lower socioeconomic populations, including blue-collar workers, are at higher risk for problem drinking and intimate partner violence. This study of married/cohabiting construction workers and their spouses/partners describes how work stressors, hazardous drinking, and couple characteristics interact to influence normative beliefs around partner violence and, thereafter, its occurrence. Method: Our survey respondents from a sample of 502 dual-earner couples were asked about drinking patterns, past-year partner violence, normative beliefs about partner violence, work-related stressors, impulsivity, and childhood exposure to violence and other adverse events. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 81 workers on context of work stress, partner violence, and drinking. Results: Analyses of data revealed that men’s and women’s normative beliefs about partner violence were positively related to male-to-female partner violence; female partner violence normative beliefs were associated with female-to-male partner violence. Both partners’ levels of impulsivity were directly associated with male-to-female and female-to-male partner violence, and male partner’s frequency of intoxication mediated the association between level of impulsivity and male-to-female partner violence. Female partner’s adverse childhood experience was directly associated with male-to-female partner violence. Both survey and qualitative interviews identified individual and work-related factors that influence the occurrence of violence between men and women. Discussion: These findings provide guidelines for prevention of partner violence that can be implemented in the workplace with attention to hazardous drinking, job stress, treatment, education, and work culture. PMID:23384367

Partner Influence in Diet and Exercise Behaviors: Testing Behavior Modeling, Social Control, and Normative Body Size.

PubMed

Perry, Brea; Ciciurkaite, Gabriele; Brady, Christy Freadreacea; Garcia, Justin

2016-01-01

Previous research has documented social contagion in obesity and related health behaviors, but less is known about the social processes underlying these patterns. Focusing on married or cohabitating couples, we simultaneously explore three potential social mechanisms influencing obesity: normative body size, social control, and behavior modeling. We analyze the association between partner characteristics and the obesity-related health behaviors of focal respondents, comparing the effects of partners' body type, partners' attempts to manage respondents' eating behaviors, and partners' own health behaviors on respondents' health behaviors (physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and fast food consumption). Data on 215 partners are extracted from a larger study of social mechanisms of obesity in family and community contexts conducted in 2011 in the United States. Negative binomial regression models indicate that partner behavior is significantly related to respondent behavior (p < .001), net of controls. These results are suggestive of a behavior modeling mechanism in obesity-related patterns of consumption and physical activity. In contrast, we find little support for the influence of normative body size or partner social control in this sample, though generalizations about the relevance of these processes may be inappropriate. These results underscore the importance of policies and interventions that target dyads and social groups, suggesting that adoption of exercise or diet modifications in one individual is likely to spread to others, creating a social environment characterized by mutual reinforcement of healthy behavior.

Models of microbiome evolution incorporating host and microbial selection.

PubMed

Zeng, Qinglong; Wu, Steven; Sukumaran, Jeet; Rodrigo, Allen

2017-09-25

Numerous empirical studies suggest that hosts and microbes exert reciprocal selective effects on their ecological partners. Nonetheless, we still lack an explicit framework to model the dynamics of both hosts and microbes under selection. In a previous study, we developed an agent-based forward-time computational framework to simulate the neutral evolution of host-associated microbial communities in a constant-sized, unstructured population of hosts. These neutral models allowed offspring to sample microbes randomly from parents and/or from the environment. Additionally, the environmental pool of available microbes was constituted by fixed and persistent microbial OTUs and by contributions from host individuals in the preceding generation. In this paper, we extend our neutral models to allow selection to operate on both hosts and microbes. We do this by constructing a phenome for each microbial OTU consisting of a sample of traits that influence host and microbial fitnesses independently. Microbial traits can influence the fitness of hosts ("host selection") and the fitness of microbes ("trait-mediated microbial selection"). Additionally, the fitness effects of traits on microbes can be modified by their hosts ("host-mediated microbial selection"). We simulate the effects of these three types of selection, individually or in combination, on microbiome diversities and the fitnesses of hosts and microbes over several thousand generations of hosts. We show that microbiome diversity is strongly influenced by selection acting on microbes. Selection acting on hosts only influences microbiome diversity when there is near-complete direct or indirect parental contribution to the microbiomes of offspring. Unsurprisingly, microbial fitness increases under microbial selection. Interestingly, when host selection operates, host fitness only increases under two conditions: (1) when there is a strong parental contribution to microbial communities or (2) in the absence of a strong parental contribution, when host-mediated selection acts on microbes concomitantly. We present a computational framework that integrates different selective processes acting on the evolution of microbiomes. Our framework demonstrates that selection acting on microbes can have a strong effect on microbial diversities and fitnesses, whereas selection on hosts can have weaker outcomes.

Cultural and Intellectual Openness Differentially Relate to Social Judgments of Potential Work Partners.

PubMed

Porter, Caitlin M; Parrigon, Scott E; Woo, Sang Eun; Saef, Rachel M; Tay, Louis

2017-10-01

This study investigates the differential functioning of cultural and intellectual openness (the two aspects of Openness to Experience) in relation to social cognitive processes by examining how they influence people's perceptions and interpretations of social information when deciding to initiate working relationships. Using a policy-capturing design, 681 adult participants were asked to rate their similarity to and preference to work with potential work partners characterized by varying nationalities and levels of work-related competence. Multilevel moderated mediation was conducted to simultaneously evaluate whether the indirect effects of potential work partners' characteristics (i.e., nationalities and levels of work-related competence) on work partner preference through perceived similarity were moderated by cultural and intellectual openness. Perceived similarity mediated the relationships between work partner nationality and work-related competence and participants' work partner preferences. Furthermore, the negative indirect effect of work partner nationality on work partner preference via perceived similarity was attenuated by cultural openness, and the positive indirect effect of work partner work-related competence on work partner preference via perceived similarity was strengthened by intellectual openness. Cultural and intellectual openness may have distinct functions that influence how people perceive, evaluate, and appreciate social information when making social judgments. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patient experiences of partnering with healthcare professionals for hand hygiene compliance: a systematic review.

PubMed

Butenko, Samantha; Lockwood, Craig; McArthur, Alexa

2017-06-01

Healthcare-associated infections pose a significant risk to patients in acute healthcare settings such as hospitals. Increasingly, patients are encouraged to be active participants and partner with healthcare professionals to positively influence their own safety and overall experience throughout their healthcare journey. Patient-focused safety initiatives include the empowerment of patients to be active partners with healthcare professionals in order to influence the hand hygiene behaviors and compliance of the healthcare professionals providing care to them. Partnering within the context of healthcare, and between the patient and healthcare professional, can be considered as a general concept that involves the empowerment of patients to participate in their care. Terms used to describe patient partnering within healthcare vary and include patient participation, patient-centeredness, patient empowerment and patient engagement. Although patients appear generally to have positive attitudes and intentions about engaging in their safety and partnering in the healthcare setting, their intentions and actual behaviors vary considerably. Patients appear less likely to engage in behaviors that require questioning of the perceived or real authority of healthcare professionals. A patient's intention and subsequent act of partnering with healthcare professionals for hand hygiene compliance by the healthcare professional are influenced by complex internal, external and social factors as well as cultural, behavioral and systematic factors. To determine the best available evidence in relation to the experiences of the patient partnering with healthcare professionals for hand hygiene compliance. The current review considered qualitative (critical or interpretive) papers that included adult in-patients and healthcare professionals (medical and nursing staff), in the acute hospital-care setting. Adult was considered to be any person aged 18 years or over. It should be noted that consumers in this context were patients and vice versa; the term patient is therefore used throughout this report for consistency. The current review considered studies that investigated the experience of partnership between patients and healthcare professionals in relation to hand hygiene compliance. This review investigated the phenomena of partnering from both the perspectives of the patient and the healthcare professional. The current review considered studies that focused on qualitative data including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research. As qualitative studies were identified and on appraisal found to be of sufficient quality for inclusion, this review did not seek alternate forms of evidence such as text and opinion. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies from 1990 to May 2015. Studies published in English were considered for inclusion in this review. Qualitative papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). Qualitative data were extracted from papers included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from JBI-QARI. Qualitative research findings were pooled using JBI-QARI. Following the systematic search and critical appraisal process, three studies were included in the review for data extraction and synthesis of findings. The review process resulted in 29 study findings that were aggregated into seven categories. The categories generated two meta-synthesized findings. The two final synthesized findings were as follows. Synthesized finding 1: Organizational structures enable partnering between healthcare professionals and patients for hand hygiene compliance; however, the culture, beliefs and behaviors of healthcare professionals and patients do not fully support this partnership. Synthesized finding 2: Patients have differing levels of knowledge and balance partnering in hand hygiene against possible detrimental impacts on the caring relationship provided by healthcare professionals, out of concern for their own wellbeing, health outcomes, treatment and/or recovery. The current review highlights the complexity of the patient's experience of partnering with healthcare professionals for hand hygiene compliance. The experiences reported indicated that there is a possible disparity between the healthcare facility and healthcare professionals' promotion and intention of partnering for hand hygiene compliance, and the actual patient's acceptance, participation, partnership, experience and implementation of this initiative. This disconnect between intent and action appears to be influenced by a number of factors including organizational structures as well as drivers such as cultural beliefs and behavior.

Learning from Friends: Measuring Influence in a Dyadic Computer Instructional Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeLay, Dawn; Hartl, Amy C.; Laursen, Brett; Denner, Jill; Werner, Linda; Campe, Shannon; Ortiz, Eloy

2014-01-01

Data collected from partners in a dyadic instructional setting are, by definition, not statistically independent. As a consequence, conventional parametric statistical analyses of change and influence carry considerable risk of bias. In this article, we illustrate a strategy to overcome this obstacle: the longitudinal actor-partner interdependence…

Simultaneously selecting appropriate partners for gaming and strategy adaptation to enhance network reciprocity in the prisoner's dilemma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanimoto, Jun

2014-01-01

Network reciprocity is one mechanism for adding social viscosity, which leads to cooperative equilibrium in 2 × 2 prisoner's dilemma games. Previous studies have shown that cooperation can be enhanced by using a skewed, rather than a random, selection of partners for either strategy adaptation or the gaming process. Here we show that combining both processes for selecting a gaming partner and an adaptation partner further enhances cooperation, provided that an appropriate selection rule and parameters are adopted. We also show that this combined model significantly enhances cooperation by reducing the degree of activity in the underlying network; we measure the degree of activity with a quantity called effective degree. More precisely, during the initial evolutionary stage in which the global cooperation fraction declines because initially allocated cooperators becoming defectors, the model shows that weak cooperative clusters perish and only a few strong cooperative clusters survive. This finding is the most important key to attaining significant network reciprocity.

Verbal marital conflict and male domination in the family as risk factors of intimate partner violence.

PubMed

Vives-Cases, Carmen; Gil-González, Diana; Carrasco-Portiño, Mercedes

2009-04-01

A systematic review was performed to analyse the characteristics and quality of the studies that consider the relationship between verbal marital conflict and/or male domination in the family and violent behaviour by men towards their partner. Only 11 articles were identified between 1986 and 2006. Most of them find a positive association between male domination in the family and/or verbal marital conflict and violence towards the woman in the couple. However, limitations such as misclassification bias, recall bias, selection bias, external validity and the problem of consistency (overestimation of effect) were acknowledged by authors of this studies. In eight of the 11 studies reviewed, preventive measures or interventions to deal with the problem were recommended. More and better empirical evidence is required in order to provide suitable measures to address the issue of verbal marital conflict and male domination and its influence on IPV.

Bad Romance: Sex Differences in the Longitudinal Association Between Romantic Relationships and Deviant Behavior

PubMed Central

Monahan, Kathryn C.; Dmitrieva, Julia; Cauffman, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

The current study investigates how romantic relationships are related to antisocial behavior longitudinally among delinquent males and females (n=354; ages 14-25). While being in a relationship or not is unrelated to antisocial behavior, romantic partner characteristics (antisocial behavior and antisocial influence) are associated with greater antisocial behavior. As males age, they become increasingly resistant to romantic partner characteristics. In contrast, females become increasingly vulnerable to the effects of romantic partner characteristics on antisocial behavior as they age, particularly when these relationships are relatively shorter. Females in shorter romantic relationships with partners who are antisocial or exert antisocial influence are at risk of persisting in antisocial behavior. PMID:25045242

Community governance of the Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project, Kahnawake Territory, Mohawk Nation, Canada.

PubMed

Cargo, Margaret; Lévesque, Lucie; Macaulay, Ann C; McComber, Alex; Desrosiers, Serge; Delormier, Treena; Potvin, Louise

2003-09-01

Health promotion emphasizes the importance of community ownership in the governance of community-based programmes, yet little research has been conducted in this area. This study examined perceptions of community ownership among project partners taking responsibility for decision-making related to the Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project (KSDPP). Project partners were surveyed cross-sectionally at 18 months (T1) and 60 months (T2) into the project. The perceived influence of each project partner was assessed at T1 and T2 for three domains: (i) KSDPP activities; (ii) KSDPP operations; and (iii) Community Advisory Board (CAB) activities. Project staff were perceived to have the greatest influence on KSDPP activities, KSDPP operations and CAB activities at both T1 and T2. High mean scores of perceived influence for CAB members and community researchers, however, suggests that project decision-making was a shared responsibility among multiple community partners. Although academic researcher influence was consistently low, they were satisfied with their level of influence. This was unlike community affiliates, who were less satisfied with their lower level of influence. In keeping with Kanien'kehaka (Mohawk) culture, the findings suggest a participatory democracy or shared decision-making as the primary mode of governance of KSDPP.

Migration, Social Organization, and the Sexual Partners of Mexican Men

PubMed Central

Parrado, Emilio A.; Flippen, Chenoa A.

2015-01-01

We build on recent developments in social organization theory to examine the sexual partnering of Mexican men in a new area of immigrant destination. We elaborate on two levels of contextual influence: 1) how differences in social capital between sending and receiving communities affect partner formation and 2) how neighborhood social cohesion influences immigrants’ behavior. Data come from an original survey conducted in Durham, NC and migrant sending communities in Mexico. We show dramatic differences in sexual partnering between Mexico and the U.S. that are directly linked to lack of social networks and familial support. Neighborhood level social cohesion in part counteracts those effects. The role of social capital and neighborhoods, however, is highly gendered. The presence of women is a critical dimension of the social organization of immigrant communities and its effect extends beyond mere partner availability. PMID:26962267

Selective Recovery of Critical Materials from Geothermal Fluid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mayes, Richard T.; Halstenberg, Phillip W.; Moyer, Bruce A.

This project, funded by the DOE Small Business Voucher program, assisted the partner with the development of ion-imprinted adsorbents for the selective extraction of rare earth elements (REE) from geothermal brines. This effort seeks to utilize a currently untapped resource thus diversifying the U. S. REE market. The initial stage of the program focused on the adsorbent developed by partner and optimization of the adsorbent. The adsorbent was based upon an ion imprinted ligand that was copolymerized with a crosslinker to generate the REE selectivity. During this task, the adsorbents were irradiated via electron beam at the NEO Beam Electronmore » Beam Crosslinking Facility (Mercury Plastics, Middlefield, OH) to induce further crosslinking. The irradiation crosslinked adsorbents exhibited no difference in the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) analysis suggesting inefficiency in the crosslinking. In the later stage of the effort, a new method was proposed and studied at ORNL involving a new partnership between the partner and a commercial polymer vender. This resulted in a new material being developed which allows the partner to utilize a commercial support and integrate the synthesis into a production-ready product stream. This will enhance the route to commercialization for the partner resulting in a quicker market penetration for the product. The new adsorbent exhibits selectivity for REE over transition metals commonly found within geothermal brines. Further optimization is required for enhanced selectivity, capacity, and intra-lanthanide separations.« less

How to select the correct education strategy: when not to go online.

PubMed

Klingbeil, Carol G; Johnson, Norah L; Totka, Joan P; Doyle, Lynn

2009-01-01

Screening for intimate partner violence is an important injury prevention strategy. Nurses who develop staff education, to promote screening, need to select a method that is sensitive to learners. Online learning, although convenient, is not well suited to sensitive topics such as screening for intimate partner violence. The purpose of this article is to describe a curriculum for intimate partner violence screening based on self-efficacy theory, which includes a hospital-produced video, a role play, and a discussion.

How do area-level socioeconomic status and gender norms affect partner violence against women? Evidence from Tanzania.

PubMed

Vyas, Seema; Heise, Lori

2016-11-01

To explore how area-level socioeconomic status and gender-related norms influence partner violence against women in Tanzania. We analysed data from the 2010 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and used multilevel logistic regression to estimate individual and community-level effects on women's risk of current partner violence. Prevalence of current partner violence was 36.1 %; however, variation in prevalence exists across communities. Twenty-nine percent of the variation in the logodds of partner violence is due to community-level influences. When adjusting for individual-level characteristics, this variation falls to 10 % and falls further to 8 % when adjusting for additional community-level factors. Higher levels of women's acceptance towards wife beating, male unemployment, and years of schooling among men were associated with higher risk of partner violence; however, higher levels of women in paid work were associated with lower risk. Area-level poverty and inequitable gender norms were associated with higher risk of partner violence. Empowerment strategies along with addressing social attitudes are likely to achieve reductions in rates of partner violence against women in Tanzania and in other similar low-income country settings.

‘He’s still with these girls’: Exploring perceptions of HIV risk among men with behaviourally bisexual male partners

PubMed Central

Williams, Whitney; Goldenberg, Tamar; Andes, Karen L.; Finneran, Catherine; Stephenson, Rob

2016-01-01

Recent studies have called for more nuanced research into the relationships between behaviourally bisexual men and their sexual partners. To address this, we conducted a longitudinal qualitative study with self-identifying gay men; participants took part in timeline-based interviews and relationship diaries. We conducted thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts to understand how relationship motivations, emotions and relationship dynamics influenced perceptions of HIV risk with behaviourally bisexual male partners. Participants described how partnership types (main and casual) and relationship dimensions (exclusivity, commitment, emotional attachment, and relationship designation) strongly influenced perceptions of HIV risk and shaped their decisions to choose behaviourally bisexual male sex partners. Results revealed the crucial role relationship dynamics play in the shaping of HIV risk perceptions, sexual decision-making and HIV risk between partners and provide potential insight on how to message HIV risk to gay men and their behaviourally bisexual male partners. It is imperative that HIV prevention is able to message key concepts of risk, decision-making and partner negotiation in a way that does not act to stereotype or create stigma against behaviourally bisexual men and their male partners. PMID:27297775

Factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among adults in South Korea.

PubMed

Han, Young Ran; Jeong, Geum Hee; Kim, Shin-Jeong

2017-09-01

This study aimed to identify factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among Korean adults. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that analyzed data from 466 adults. Beliefs about intimate partner violence were measured using a self-report questionnaire with a total of 28 items consisting of four subscales: perpetrator's justification for beating women, blaming women for violence against them, perpetrator's responsibility for violence, and giving help to victims. Men and women had significantly different beliefs about intimate partner violence (t = -7.19, p < .001). Some characteristics were identified that led to unhealthy beliefs about intimate partner violence. Four variables-gender, age, educational level, and witnessing parental violence-had an explanatory power of 20% with regard to beliefs about IPV (F = 10.50, p = .000). In South Korea, men, older individuals, and those with less formal education or who have witnessed parental violence need education to foster healthier beliefs about intimate partner violence. Nurses can play a vital role in efforts to decrease intimate partner violence. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effect of family and peer communication on college students' communication with dating partners about HIV and AIDS.

PubMed

Powell, Heather L; Segrin, Chris

2004-01-01

As family and peers are primary socializing agents in the lives of young adults, a social learning based model of communication about HIV/AIDS among dating partners was developed and tested, examining the role of interactions with family and peers in this type of communication. Specifically, the model describes relationships between general communication, communication about sexuality, and communication about HIV/AIDS with parents, peers, and dating partners. Participants were 153 young adult couples who completed measures of their communication practices, as well as their communication with family and peers. Communication practices in the family of origin appear to influence both general communication and communication about HIV/AIDS with dating partners. Communication practices with peers influenced general communication, communication about sexuality, and communication about HIV/AIDS with dating partners. Participants and their dating partners exhibited relative agreement about their general communication practices and their communication about HIV/AIDS, but showed less agreement in reports of their communication about sexuality. Implications for understanding the role of family and peer interactions in communication about HIV/AIDS with dating partners are discussed.

Sustaining the edge: factors influencing strategy selection in academic health centers.

PubMed

Walsh, Anne M; Szabat, Kathryn

2002-01-01

Competition within the acute care sector as well as increased penetration by managed care organizations has influenced the structure and role of academic health centers during the past decade. The market factors confronting academic health centers are not dissimilar from conditions that confront other organizations competing in mature industries characterized by declining profitability and intense rivalry for market share. When confronted with intense competition or adverse external events, organizations in other industries have responded to potential threats by forming alliances, developing joint ventures, or merging with another firm to maintain their competitive advantage. Although mergers and acquisitions dominated the strategic landscape in the healthcare industry during the past decade, recent evidence suggests that other types of strategic ventures may offer similar economic and contracting benefits to member organizations. Academic health centers have traditionally been involved in network relationships with multiple partners via their shared technology, collaborative research, and joint educational endeavors. These quasi-organizational relationships appear to have provided a framework for strategic decisions and allowed executives of academic health centers to select strategies that were competitive yet closely aligned with their organizational mission. The analysis of factors that influenced strategy selection by executives of academic health centers suggests a deliberate and methodical approach to achieving market share objectives, expanding managed care contracts, and developing physician networks.

Partner management for gonococcal and chlamydial infection: expansion of public health services to the private sector and expedited sex partner treatment through a partnership with commercial pharmacies.

PubMed

Golden, M R; Whittington, W L; Handsfield, H H; Malinski, C; Clark, A; Hughes, J P; Gorbach, P M; Holmes, K K

2001-11-01

Public health partner notification (PN) services currently affect only a small minority of patients with gonorrhea or chlamydial infection and new approaches to PN are needed. To expand PN for gonorrhea and chlamydial infection to private sector patients and to assess the feasibility of treating sex partners through commercial pharmacies. Selected patients were offered PN assistance and were randomly offered medication to deliver to their partners. Providers permitted the health department to contact 3613 (91%) of 3972 potentially eligible patients, and 1693 (67%) of 2531 successfully contacted patients consented to interview. Of these, 1095 (65%) reported at least one untreated partner. Most patients (90%) wished to notify partners themselves. Patients were more likely to have partners who had not yet been treated and to request PN assistance if they had more than one sex partner in the preceding 60 days or a partner they did not anticipate having sex with in the future. These two factors characterized 49% of all patients interviewed, 70% of those with a partner that was untreated 7 or more days after index patient treatment, and 83% of those accepting PN assistance. Among 458 randomly selected patients with untreated partners at time of study interview, 346 (76%) agreed to deliver treatment to a partner. Of these, most (266) chose to obtain medication for a partner at a pharmacy, of whom 223 (84%) successfully did so. A substantial minority of private sector patients have untreated partners more than 7 days after their own treatment; some need help with PN, but most will agree to deliver medication to partners themselves.

Pathways from Racial Discrimination to Multiple Sexual Partners Among Male African American Adolescents

PubMed Central

Kogan, Steven M.; Yu, Tianyi; Allen, Kimberly A.; Pocock, Alexandra M.; Brody, Gene H.

2014-01-01

African American male adolescents’ involvement with multiple sexual partners has important implications for public health as well as for their development of ideas regarding masculinity and sexuality. The purpose of this study was to test hypotheses regarding the pathways through which racial discrimination affects African American adolescents’ involvement with multiple sexual partners. We hypothesized that racial discrimination would engender psychological distress, which would promote attitudes and peer affiliations conducive to multiple sexual partnerships. The study also examined the protective influence of parenting practices in buffering the influence of contextual stressors. Participants were 221 African American male youth who provided data at ages 16 and 18; their parents provided data on family socioeconomic disadvantages. Of these young men, 18.5% reported having 3 or more sexual partners during the past 3 months. Structural equation models indicated that racial discrimination contributed to sexual activity with multiple partners by inducing psychological distress, which in turn affected attitudes and peer affiliations conducive to multiple partners. The experience of protective parenting, which included racial socialization, closeness and harmony in parent-child relationships, and parental monitoring, buffered the influence of racial discrimination on psychological distress. These findings suggest targets for prevention programming and underscore the importance of efforts to reduce young men’s experience with racial discrimination. PMID:25937821

Influence of Parents, Peers, and Partners on the Contraceptive Use of College Men and Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Linda; Spanier, Graham B.

1978-01-01

This study investigates the relative influences of parents, peers, and partners on the contraceptive use of college men and women. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by a nonprobability, purposive sample of 434 never-married, sexually active males and females between the ages of 17 and 22 years. (Author)

Development Impact Assessment (DIA) Case Study. South Africa

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cox, Sadie; Nawaz, Kathleen; Sandor, Debra

2015-05-19

This case study reviews South Africa’s experience in considering the impacts of climate change action on development goals, focusing on the South African energy sector and development impact assessments (DIAs) that have and could be used to influence energy policy or inform the selection of energy activities. It includes a review of assessments—conducted by government ministries, technical partners, and academic institutes and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—that consider employment, health, and water implications of possible energy sector actions, as well as multi-criteria impact assessments.

Perception of partner sexual history: Effects on safe-sex intentions.

PubMed

Cornelius, Talea; Kershaw, Trace

2017-07-01

Sexual intercourse is a dyadic activity, and intentions to engage in safe sex vary across partners. Because pregnant and newly parenting adolescents and young adults are at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it is important to understand sexual decision-making in this population. This cross-sectional study examined how participants' own risk behavior and their partners' risk behavior influence perceptions of partner risk, and the impact of risk perceptions on condom use intentions and monogamy intentions in 296 pregnant adolescent and young adult couples (MAgeFemale = 18.71 years; MAgeMale = 21.33 years). Participants' behavior and their partners' behavior both related to increased perceptions of partner risk. Male participants' perceptions were more strongly influenced by female partners' behavior than participants' own behavior. Perceiving a partner as having a history of more risk behaviors trended toward a negative relationship with condom use intentions and monogamy intentions. For females, more previous sex partners related negatively to condom use intentions and positively to monogamy intentions. Having a male partner with more previous sex partners related positively to condom use intentions and monogamy intentions. Perceptions of partner risk did not significantly relate to condom use intentions and monogamy intentions, however, trends suggest that risk perception could reflect similarity bias and ongoing risk engagement. Differences in partner perception by gender suggest that females may communicate more openly about risks. Interventions to reduce STI transmission in couples should work to interrupt trajectories of risky behavior and enhance risk communication. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Gender minority stress, mental health, and relationship quality: a dyadic investigation of transgender women and their cisgender male partners.

PubMed

Gamarel, Kristi E; Reisner, Sari L; Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe; Nemoto, Tooru; Operario, Don

2014-08-01

Research has demonstrated associations between experiences of discrimination, relationship quality, and mental health. However, critical questions remain unanswered with regard to how stigma enacted and experienced at the dyadic-level influences relationship quality and mental health for transgender women and their cisgender (nontransgender) male partners. The present study sought to examine how experiences of transgender-related discrimination (i.e., unfair treatment, harassment) and relationship stigma (i.e., the real or anticipated fear of rejection based on one's romantic affiliation) were associated with both partners relationship quality and mental health. Couples (n = 191) were recruited to participate in cross-sectional survey. Dyadic analyses using actor-partner interdependence models were conducted to examine the influence of minority stressors on clinically significant depressive distress and relationship quality. For both partners, financial hardship, discrimination, and relationship stigma were associated with an increased odds of depressive distress. For both partners, financial hardship was associated with lower relationship quality. Among transgender women, their own and their partner's higher relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality; however, among male partners, only their partner's greater relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality. Findings provide preliminary support for dyadic crossover effects of relationship stigma on the health of partners. Findings illustrate the importance of minority stress and dyadic stress frameworks in understanding and intervening upon mental health disparities among transgender women and their male partners. Couples-based interventions and treatment approaches to help transgender women and their male partners cope with minority stressors are warranted to improve the health and well-being of both partners.

Emergency nurses' ways of coping influence their ability to empower women to move beyond the oppression of intimate partner violence.

PubMed

Van der Wath, Annatjie; Van Wyk, Neltjie; Van Rensburg, Elsie Janse

2016-04-15

Millennium Developmental Goal 3 (MDG 3) aims at enhancing gender equity and empowerment of women. Emergency nurses who often encounter women injured by their intimate partners are at risk of developing vicarious traumatisation, which may influence their ability to empower women to move beyond the oppression of intimate partner violence. This article aims to, (1) describe emergency nurses' ways of coping with the exposure to survivors of intimate partner violence, and (2) recommend a way towards effective coping that will enhance emergency nurses' abilities to empower women to move beyond the oppression of intimate partner violence to contribute to the achievement of MDG 3. The study was conducted in emergency units of two public hospitals in an urban setting in South Africa. A qualitative design and descriptive phenomenological method was used. Emergency nurses working in the setting were purposively sampled and interviewed. The data were analysed by searching for the essence and meaning attached to the exposure of emergency nurses to survivors of intimate partner violence. Emergency nurses' coping responses were either aimed at avoiding or dealing with their exposure to survivors of intimate partner violence. Coping aimed at dealing with the exposure included seeking support, emotion regulation and accommodative coping. Emergency nurses employ either effective or ineffective ways of coping. Less effective ways of coping may increase their risk of vicarious and secondary traumatisation, which in turn may influence their ability to empower women to move beyond the oppression of intimate partner violence.

Emergency nurses’ ways of coping influence their ability to empower women to move beyond the oppression of intimate partner violence

PubMed Central

van Wyk, Neltjie; van Rensburg, Elsie Janse

2016-01-01

Background Millennium Developmental Goal 3 (MDG 3) aims at enhancing gender equity and empowerment of women. Emergency nurses who often encounter women injured by their intimate partners are at risk of developing vicarious traumatisation, which may influence their ability to empower women to move beyond the oppression of intimate partner violence. Aim This article aims to, (1) describe emergency nurses’ ways of coping with the exposure to survivors of intimate partner violence, and (2) recommend a way towards effective coping that will enhance emergency nurses’ abilities to empower women to move beyond the oppression of intimate partner violence to contribute to the achievement of MDG 3. Setting The study was conducted in emergency units of two public hospitals in an urban setting in South Africa. Method A qualitative design and descriptive phenomenological method was used. Emergency nurses working in the setting were purposively sampled and interviewed. The data were analysed by searching for the essence and meaning attached to the exposure of emergency nurses to survivors of intimate partner violence. Results Emergency nurses’ coping responses were either aimed at avoiding or dealing with their exposure to survivors of intimate partner violence. Coping aimed at dealing with the exposure included seeking support, emotion regulation and accommodative coping. Conclusion Emergency nurses employ either effective or ineffective ways of coping. Less effective ways of coping may increase their risk of vicarious and secondary traumatisation, which in turn may influence their ability to empower women to move beyond the oppression of intimate partner violence. PMID:27380838

The role of frontline RNs in the selection of an electronic medical record business partner.

PubMed

Wilhoit, Kathryn; Mustain, Jane; King, Marjorie

2006-01-01

Frontline RNs knowledgeable in the strategic objectives of their organization made a difference in the selection of an electronic medical record business partner for a large, complex healthcare system. Their impact was significant because of the chief nurse executive's personal articulation of the organization's strategic goals and of her investment in their education. These factors provided the frontline RNs with a foundational base of knowledge about a variety of electronic medical record systems. The preparation and exposure enabled the frontline RNs to make a valuable contribution to the selection of an electronic medical record business partner. The RNs were a major force in affecting philosophical change from the organization's original pursuit of "best-of-breed" interfaced systems to a fully integrated, "best-of-class" vendor business partner. The learning experiences of the frontline RNs are explored to answer the following question: Why must frontline RNs play a key role in this process?

GxG epistasis in growth and condition and the maintenance of genetic polymorphism in Gambusia holbrooki.

PubMed

Culumber, Zachary W; Kraft, Brittany; Lemakos, Valerie; Hoffner, Erika; Travis, Joseph; Hughes, Kimberly A

2018-05-01

Theory on indirect genetic effects (IGEs) indicates that variation in the genetic composition of social groups can generate GxG epistasis that may promote the evolution of stable polymorphisms. Using a livebearing fish with a genetic polymorphism in coloration and associated behavioral differences, we tested whether genotypes of social partners interacted with focal individual genotypes to influence growth and condition over 16 weeks of development. We found that IGEs had a significant influence on patterns of feeding, regardless of focal fish genotype. There was no influence of social environment on juvenile length, but there was significant GxG epistasis for body condition. Each focal juvenile was in better condition when its own genotype was not present in adult social partners. These data are consistent with negative frequency-dependent selection in which each morph performs better when it is rare. Neither variation in feeding nor activity-related behaviors explained variation in body condition, suggesting that GxG epistasis for condition was caused by physiological differences between the two genotypes. These findings indicate that GxG epistasis in a given polymorphism can generate fitness landscapes that contribute to the maintenance of that polymorphism and to maintenance of genetic variation for additional fitness-related traits. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Cytochrome P450 Organization and Function Are Modulated by Endoplasmic Reticulum Phospholipid Heterogeneity.

PubMed

Brignac-Huber, Lauren M; Park, Ji Won; Reed, James R; Backes, Wayne L

2016-12-01

Cytochrome P450s (P450s) comprise a superfamily of proteins that catalyze numerous monooxygenase reactions in animals, plants, and bacteria. In eukaryotic organisms, these proteins not only carry out reactions necessary for the metabolism of endogenous compounds, but they are also important in the oxidation of exogenous drugs and other foreign compounds. Eukaryotic P450 system proteins generally reside in membranes, primarily the endoplasmic reticulum or the mitochondrial membrane. These membranes provide a scaffold for the P450 system proteins that facilitate interactions with their redox partners as well as other P450s. This review focuses on the ability of specific lipid components to influence P450 activities, as well as the role of the membrane in P450 function. These studies have shown that P450s and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase appear to selectively associate with specific phospholipids and that these lipid-protein interactions influence P450 activities. Finally, because of the heterogeneous nature of the endoplasmic reticulum as well as other biologic membranes, the phospholipids are not arranged randomly but associate to generate lipid microdomains. Together, these characteristics can affect P450 function by 1) altering the conformation of the proteins, 2) influencing the P450 interactions with their redox partners, and 3) affecting the localization of the proteins into specific membrane microdomains. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Age-related patterns in social networks among European Americans and African Americans: implications for socioemotional selectivity across the life span.

PubMed

Fung, H H; Carstensen, L L; Lang, F R

2001-01-01

Socioemotional selectivity theory contends that as people become increasingly aware of limitations on future time, they are increasingly motivated to be more selective in their choice of social partners, favoring emotionally meaningful relationships over peripheral ones. The theory hypothesizes that because age is negatively associated with time left in life, the social networks of older people contain fewer peripheral social partners than those of their younger counterparts. This study tested the hypothesis among African Americans and European Americans, two ethnic groups whose social structural resources differ. Findings confirm the hypothesis. Across a wide age range (18 to 94 years old) and among both ethnic groups, older people report as many emotionally close social partners but fewer peripheral social partners in their networks as compared to their younger counterparts. Moreover, a greater percentage of very close social partners in social networks is related to lower levels of happiness among the young age group, but not among the older age groups. Implications of findings for adaptive social functioning across the life span are discussed.

Partner Selection among Latino Immigrant Men Who Have Sex with Men

PubMed Central

Shedlin, Michele G.; Brooks, Kelly D.; Penha, Marcelo Montes; Reisen, Carol A.; Zea, Maria Cecilia; Poppen, Paul J.

2010-01-01

This qualitative study explored partner selection in a sample of immigrant Latino men who have sex with men (MSM). In-depth interviews were conducted with men living in the greater New York metropolitan area who had been born in Brazil (n = 10), Colombia (n = 14), or the Dominican Republic (n = 9). One focus group was conducted with MSM from each of the three countries (9 Brazilian, 11 Colombian, and 5 Dominican participants). A grounded theory approach revealed three main themes relating to partner selection. The first concerned stereotypes of how Latino and Anglo-American men tend to behave in their sexual encounters and relationships. The participants perceived Latinos to be more affectionate and passionate, whereas they saw Anglo-American men as more independent and practical. These cultural discrepancies sometimes resulted in a preference for Latino partners. A second theme concerned stereotypes of the national groups, including expectations that Brazilians would be sexy and sensual and that Dominicans would have large penises. As found in other research on MSM of color, ethnic and national stereotypes were associated with experiences of sexual objectification. The third theme addressed the importance of masculine characteristics in sexual attraction and partner selection. Negative feelings towards effeminate men who did not conform to normative male physical or behavioral presentation reflect a stigma found inside and outside of the gay community. These findings suggest that gender and ethnic stereotypes play an important role in shaping partner choice and have implications for sexual risk and relationship formation. PMID:19688592

Theory-of-mind-related neural activity for one’s romantic partner predicts partner well-being

PubMed Central

Felix, Steven; Yung, Matthew G.; Hooker, Christine I.

2016-01-01

Healthy social relationships are linked to myriad positive physical and mental health outcomes, raising the question of how to enhance relationship formation and quality. Behavioral data suggest that theory of mind (ToM) may be one such process. ToM is supported by a network of brain regions including the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), medial prefrontal cortex and precuneus (PC). However, little research has investigated how the ToM network supports healthy social relationships. Here, we investigate whether recruitment of the ToM network when thinking about the mental states of one’s romantic partner predicts the partner’s well-being. We find that selectivity in left TPJ (LTPJ) and PC for beliefs vs physical attributes of one’s partner is positively associated with partner well-being the day of and day after a meaningful encounter. Furthermore, LTPJ and PC selectivity moderated how the partner’s perception of being understood during the encounter affected their later well-being. Finally, we find the association between ToM-related neural selectivity and well-being robust to other factors related to the relationship and the encounter. Together, these data suggest that selective engagement of the neural network supporting ToM may be a key ingredient for the development and maintenance of healthy romantic relationships. PMID:26609107

Preference Versus Choice in Online Dating.

PubMed

Whyte, Stephen; Torgler, Benno

2017-03-01

This study explores factors that influence matches of online dating participants' stated preference for particular characteristics in a potential partner and compares these with the characteristics of the online daters actually contacted. The nature of online dating facilitates exploration of the differences between stated preference and actual choice by participants, as online daters willingly provide a range of demographics on their ideal partner. Using data from the Australian dating website RSVP, we analyze 219,013 contact decisions. We conduct a multivariate analysis using the number of matched variables between the participants' stated preference and the characteristics of the individuals contacted. We find that factors such as a person's age, their education level, and a more social personality all increase the number of factors they choose in a potential partner that match their original stated preference. Males (relative to females) appear to match fewer characteristics when contacting potential love interests. Conversely, age interaction effects demonstrate that males in their late 60's are increasingly more selective (than females) regarding who they contact. An understanding of how technology (the Internet) is impacting human mating patterns and the psychology behind the participants informs the wider social science of human behavior in large-scale decision settings.

Interaction Quality During Partner Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meisinger, Elizabeth B.; Schwanenflugel, Paula J.; Bradley, Barbara A.; Stahl, Steven A.

2004-01-01

The influence of social relationships, positive interdependence, and teacher structure on the quality of partner reading interactions was examined. Partner reading, a scripted cooperative learning strategy, is often used in classrooms to promote the development of fluent and automatic reading skills. Forty-three pairs of second grade children were…

Quantitative genetic models of sexual conflict based on interacting phenotypes.

PubMed

Moore, Allen J; Pizzari, Tommaso

2005-05-01

Evolutionary conflict arises between reproductive partners when alternative reproductive opportunities are available. Sexual conflict can generate sexually antagonistic selection, which mediates sexual selection and intersexual coevolution. However, despite intense interest, the evolutionary implications of sexual conflict remain unresolved. We propose a novel theoretical approach to study the evolution of sexually antagonistic phenotypes based on quantitative genetics and the measure of social selection arising from male-female interactions. We consider the phenotype of one sex as both a genetically influenced evolving trait as well as the (evolving) social environment in which the phenotype of the opposite sex evolves. Several important points emerge from our analysis, including the relationship between direct selection on one sex and indirect effects through selection on the opposite sex. We suggest that the proposed approach may be a valuable tool to complement other theoretical approaches currently used to study sexual conflict. Most importantly, our approach highlights areas where additional empirical data can help clarify the role of sexual conflict in the evolutionary process.

Children with Autism Show Altered Autonomic Adaptation to Novel and Familiar Social Partners.

PubMed

Neuhaus, Emily; Bernier, Raphael A; Beauchaine, Theodore P

2016-05-01

Social deficits are fundamental to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and a growing body of research implicates altered functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), including both sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. However, few studies have explored both branches concurrently in ASD, particularly within the context of social interaction. The current study investigates patterns of change in indices of sympathetic (pre-ejection period; PEP) and parasympathetic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) cardiac influence as boys (ages 8-11 years) with (N = 18) and without (N = 18) ASD engage in dyadic social interaction with novel and familiar social partners. Groups showed similar patterns of autonomic change during interaction with the novel partner, but differed in heart rate, PEP, and RSA reactivity while interacting with a familiar partner. Boys without ASD evinced decreasing sympathetic and increasing parasympathetic influence, whereas boys with ASD increased in sympathetic influence. Boys without ASD also demonstrated more consistent ANS responses across partners than those with ASD, with parasympathetic responding differentiating familiar and novel interaction partners. Finally, PEP slopes with a familiar partner correlated with boys' social skills. Implications include the importance of considering autonomic state during clinical assessment and treatment, and the potential value of regulation strategies as a complement to intervention programs aiming to support social cognition and behavior. Autism Res 2016, 9: 579-591. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of relationship motivation, partner familiarity, and alcohol on women's risky sexual decision making.

PubMed

Zawacki, Tina; Norris, Jeanette; Hessler, Danielle M; Morrison, Diane M; Stoner, Susan A; George, William H; Davis, Kelly Cue; Abdallah, Devon A

2009-06-01

This experiment examined the effects of women's relationship motivation, partner familiarity, and alcohol consumption on sexual decision making. Women completed an individual difference measure of relationship motivation and then were randomly assigned to partner familiarity condition (low, high) and to alcohol consumption condition (high dose, low dose, no alcohol, placebo). Then women read and projected themselves into a scenario of a sexual encounter. Relationship motivation and partner familiarity interacted with intoxication to influence primary appraisals of relationship potential. Participants' primary and secondary relationship appraisals mediated the effects of women's relationship motivation, partner familiarity, and intoxication on condom negotiation, sexual decision abdication, and unprotected sex intentions. These findings support a cognitive mediation model of women's sexual decision making and identify how individual and situational factors interact to shape alcohol's influences on cognitive appraisals that lead to risky sexual decisions. This knowledge can inform empirically based risky sex interventions.

Keeping up with the Joneses: Interpersonal Prediction Errors and the Correlation of Behavior in a Tandem Sequential Choice Task

PubMed Central

Apple, Nathan; Montague, P. Read

2013-01-01

In many settings, copying, learning from or assigning value to group behavior is rational because such behavior can often act as a proxy for valuable returns. However, such herd behavior can also be pathologically misleading by coaxing individuals into behaviors that are otherwise irrational and it may be one source of the irrational behaviors underlying market bubbles and crashes. Using a two-person tandem investment game, we sought to examine the neural and behavioral responses of herd instincts in situations stripped of the incentive to be influenced by the choices of one's partner. We show that the investments of the two subjects correlate over time if they are made aware of their partner's choices even though these choices have no impact on either player's earnings. We computed an “interpersonal prediction error”, the difference between the investment decisions of the two subjects after each choice. BOLD responses in the striatum, implicated in valuation and action selection, were highly correlated with this interpersonal prediction error. The revelation of the partner's investment occurred after all useful information about the market had already been revealed. This effect was confirmed in two separate experiments where the impact of the time of revelation of the partner's choice was tested at 2 seconds and 6 seconds after a subject's choice; however, the effect was absent in a control condition with a computer partner. These findings strongly support the existence of mechanisms that drive correlated behavior even in contexts where there is no explicit advantage to do so. PMID:24204226

Intimate partner violence and constraints to reproductive autonomy and reproductive health among women seeking abortion services in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Pearson, Erin; Andersen, Kathryn L; Biswas, Kamal; Chowdhury, Rezwana; Sherman, Susan G; Decker, Michele R

2017-03-01

To understand intersections between intimate partner violence (IPV) and other constraints to women's reproductive autonomy, and the influence of IPV on reproductive health. A secondary analysis examined cross-sectional data from a facility-based sample of women seeking abortion care (for spontaneous or induced abortion) between March 1 and October 31, 2013. Women aged 18-49 years, who received abortion services and selected a short-acting contraceptive method or no contraception completed an interviewer-administered survey after treatment. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) were calculated for associations between IPV experience and potential constraints to reproductive autonomy and health outcomes. There were 457 participants included in the present analysis and 118 (25.8%) had experienced IPV in the preceding year. IPV was associated with discordance in fertility intentions with husbands/partners and in-laws, with in-law opposition to contraception, with perceived religious prohibition of contraception, and with presenting unaccompanied (all P<0.05). IPV was also associated with receiving post-abortion care after an induced abortion compared with accessing legal menstrual regulation, and with the use of medication abortion compared with manual vacuum aspiration (both P<0.05). Intimate partner violence was associated with additional constraints on reproductive autonomy from husbands/partners, in-laws, and religious communities. Seeking induced abortion unaccompanied and using medication abortion could be strategies to access abortion covertly among women experiencing IPV. Ensuring women's reproductive freedom requires addressing IPV and related constraints. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Minority stress and relationship functioning among young male same-sex couples: An examination of actor-partner interdependence models.

PubMed

Feinstein, Brian A; McConnell, Elizabeth; Dyar, Christina; Mustanski, Brian; Newcomb, Michael E

2018-05-01

In different-sex couples, individual and partner stress can both have a negative impact on relationship functioning (actor and partner effects). Gay and bisexual men experience unique stress (sexual minority stress), but few studies have examined the effects of this stress on relationship functioning among young male couples. The current study examined (a) actor and partner effects of general and minority stress (internalized stigma, microaggressions, victimization, and outness) on relationship functioning (relationship quality and negative relationship interactions), (b) interactions between individual and partner stress as predictors of relationship functioning, and (c) dyadic coping and relationship length as moderators of actor and partner effects. Actor-partner interdependence models were tested using data from 153 young male couples. There was strong support for actor effects. Higher general stress and internalized stigma were associated with lower relationship quality, but only for those in longer relationships. Additionally, higher general stress, internalized stigma, and microaggressions, and lower outness, were associated with more negative relationship interactions. There was limited support for partner effects. Having a partner with higher internalized stigma was associated with more negative relationship interactions, but none of the other partner effects were significant. There was no support for individual and partner stress interacting to predict relationship functioning or for dyadic coping as a stress buffer. Findings highlight the influence of one's own experiences of general and minority stress on relationship functioning, but raise questions about how partner stress influences relationship functioning among young male couples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The Influence of Romantic Attachment and Intimate Partner Violence on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levesque, Christine; Lafontaine, Marie-France; Bureau, Jean-Francois; Cloutier, Paula; Dandurand, Cathy

2010-01-01

Several theoretical models for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) have been proposed. Despite an abundance of theoretical speculation, few empirical studies have examined the impact of intimate relationship functioning on NSSI. The present study examines the influence of romantic attachment and received intimate partner violence (physical,…

Victims' Influence on Intimate Partner Violence Revictimization: An Empirical Test of Dynamic Victim-Related Risk Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuijpers, Karlijn F.; Van der Knaap, Leontien M.; Winkel, Frans Willem

2012-01-01

Research has reported that not only characteristics of the perpetrator but also characteristics of the victim influence risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). This would suggest that prevention of repeat abuse could benefit from a focus on both perpetrator and victim characteristics. Knowledge on factors that are within victims' sphere of…

Selections from Unequal Partners: Teaching about Power, Consent, and Healthy Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

deFur, Kirsten

2016-01-01

The Center for Sex Education recently published the fourth edition of "Unequal Partners: Teaching about Power, Consent, and Healthy Relationships, Volumes 1 and 2." Included here are two lesson plans about sexual consent selected from each volume. "What does it take … to give sexual consent?" [Sue Montfort and Peggy Brick] is…

Reverse correlating love: highly passionate women idealize their partner's facial appearance.

PubMed

Gunaydin, Gul; DeLong, Jordan E

2015-01-01

A defining feature of passionate love is idealization--evaluating romantic partners in an overly favorable light. Although passionate love can be expected to color how favorably individuals represent their partner in their mind, little is known about how passionate love is linked with visual representations of the partner. Using reverse correlation techniques for the first time to study partner representations, the present study investigated whether women who are passionately in love represent their partner's facial appearance more favorably than individuals who are less passionately in love. In a within-participants design, heterosexual women completed two forced-choice classification tasks, one for their romantic partner and one for a male acquaintance, and a measure of passionate love. In each classification task, participants saw two faces superimposed with noise and selected the face that most resembled their partner (or an acquaintance). Classification images for each of high passion and low passion groups were calculated by averaging across noise patterns selected as resembling the partner or the acquaintance and superimposing the averaged noise on an average male face. A separate group of women evaluated the classification images on attractiveness, trustworthiness, and competence. Results showed that women who feel high (vs. low) passionate love toward their partner tend to represent his face as more attractive and trustworthy, even when controlling for familiarity effects using the acquaintance representation. Using an innovative method to study partner representations, these findings extend our understanding of cognitive processes in romantic relationships.

Online and Offline Conversations About Alcohol: Comparing the Effects of Familiar and Unfamiliar Discussion Partners.

PubMed

Hendriks, Hanneke; de Bruijn, Gert-Jan; Meehan, Orla; van den Putte, Bas

2016-07-01

Although research has demonstrated that interpersonal communication about alcohol influences drinking behaviors, this notion has mainly been examined in offline contexts with familiar conversation partners. The present study investigated how communication mode and familiarity influence conversational valence (i.e., how negatively or positively people talk) and binge drinking norms. During a 2 (offline vs. online communication) × 2 (unfamiliar vs. familiar conversation partner) lab experiment, participants (N = 76) were exposed to an anti-binge drinking campaign, after which they discussed binge drinking and the campaign. Binge drinking norms were measured 1 week before and directly after the discussion. Results revealed that conversations between unfamiliar conversation partners were positive about the campaign, especially in offline settings, subsequently leading to healthier binge drinking norms. We recommend that researchers further investigate the influence of communication mode and familiarity on discussion effects, and we suggest that health promotion attempts might benefit from eliciting conversations about anti-binge drinking campaigns between unfamiliar persons.

The Relationship between Partners’ Family-Size Preferences in Southern Malawi

PubMed Central

Yeatman, Sara; Sennott, Christie

2015-01-01

Studies of the relative influence of partners’ fertility preferences on behaviors tend to treat preferences as fixed, largely independent traits despite existing theoretical arguments and empirical evidence suggesting that they are moving targets that may be jointly developed within relationships. In this study, we use couple-level panel data from married and unmarried young adults in southern Malawi to examine the relationship between partners’ family-size preferences. We find evidence of assortative mating: young Malawians are more likely to partner with individuals who have similar family-size goals. Additionally, although partners’ family-size preferences do not perfectly converge, changes among men’s and women’s preferences are significantly more likely to be “toward” than “away from” those of their partner. Our findings point to a need for studies regarding the relative influence of partners on reproductive outcomes to consider the interdependence of partners’ preferences and the varied ways in which partners can influence shared reproductive behaviors. PMID:25207497

Bet hedging based cooperation can limit kin selection and form a basis for mutualism.

PubMed

Uitdehaag, Joost C M

2011-07-07

Mutualism is a mechanism of cooperation in which partners that differ help each other. As such, mutualism opposes mechanisms of kin selection and tag-based selection (for example the green beard mechanism), which are based on giving exclusive help to partners that are related or carry the same tag. In contrast to kin selection, which is a basis for parochialism and intergroup warfare, mutualism can therefore be regarded as a mechanism that drives peaceful coexistence between different groups and individuals. Here the competition between mutualism and kin (tag) selection is studied. In a model where kin selection and tag-based selection are dominant, mutualism is promoted by introducing environmental fluctuations. These fluctuations cause reduction in reproductive success by the mechanism of variance discount. The best strategy to counter variance discount is to share with agents who experience the most anticorrelated fluctuations, a strategy called bet hedging. In this way, bet hedging stimulates cooperation with the most unrelated partners, which is a basis for mutualism. Analytic results and simulations reveal that, if this effect is large enough, mutualistic strategies can dominate kin selective strategies. In addition, mutants of these mutualistic strategies that experience fluctuations that are more anticorrelated to their partner, can outcompete wild type, which can lead to the evolution of specialization. In this way, the evolutionary success of mutualistic strategies can be explained by bet hedging-based cooperation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Influence of cumulated sexual trauma on sexual life and relationship of a patient].

PubMed

Sobański, Jerzy A; Klasa, Katarzyna; Cyranka, Katarzyna; Müldner-Nieckowski, Lukasz; Dembińska, Edyta; Rutkowski, Krzysztof; Smiatek-Mazgaj, Bogna; Mielimaka, Michal

2014-01-01

The assessment of links of accumulated traumatic events of a sexual nature, recollected from the past, with the current functioning of the patients in the area of sexual life and relationship. Comorbidity of memories of traumatic sexual events from childhood and puberty in patients with the features of their current partner relationships and sexual life were analyzed on the basis of Live Inventory completed by 2,582 women and 1,347 men, before treatment in day hospital (years 1980-2002). The accumulation was evaluated for a combination of two or three selected events. The presence of relatively numerous traumatic events in the field of sexuality early initiation or enforced initiation, incest or its attempt, sub-optimal sexual education and punishment for masturbation was indicated. In some patients, these events occurred simultaneously. Especially in women, the presence in the same person of two or three aggravating circumstances of life was associated with a higher risk of among others fleeting, casual sexual contacts, marriage under the influence of environment pressures, reluctance to partner. Increased accumulation - the presence in the same patient of more than one adverse circumstances associated with sexual development - leads to a higher incidence of interference in relationship with a partner including the elements of sexual dysfunction. The obtained results are generally consistent with clinical observations and literature despite different, simplified methodology of the study based on the analysis of single variables from questionnaire interviews. Finding fewer links in the group of men can be explained by their much lower number in the study group and less frequent burdening with certain traumatic events or different experiencing.

Human agency beliefs influence behaviour during virtual social interactions.

PubMed

Caruana, Nathan; Spirou, Dean; Brock, Jon

2017-01-01

In recent years, with the emergence of relatively inexpensive and accessible virtual reality technologies, it is now possible to deliver compelling and realistic simulations of human-to-human interaction. Neuroimaging studies have shown that, when participants believe they are interacting via a virtual interface with another human agent, they show different patterns of brain activity compared to when they know that their virtual partner is computer-controlled. The suggestion is that users adopt an "intentional stance" by attributing mental states to their virtual partner. However, it remains unclear how beliefs in the agency of a virtual partner influence participants' behaviour and subjective experience of the interaction. We investigated this issue in the context of a cooperative "joint attention" game in which participants interacted via an eye tracker with a virtual onscreen partner, directing each other's eye gaze to different screen locations. Half of the participants were correctly informed that their partner was controlled by a computer algorithm ("Computer" condition). The other half were misled into believing that the virtual character was controlled by a second participant in another room ("Human" condition). Those in the "Human" condition were slower to make eye contact with their partner and more likely to try and guide their partner before they had established mutual eye contact than participants in the "Computer" condition. They also responded more rapidly when their partner was guiding them, although the same effect was also found for a control condition in which they responded to an arrow cue. Results confirm the influence of human agency beliefs on behaviour in this virtual social interaction context. They further suggest that researchers and developers attempting to simulate social interactions should consider the impact of agency beliefs on user experience in other social contexts, and their effect on the achievement of the application's goals.

Reasons People Give for Using (or Not Using) Condoms.

PubMed

Farrington, Elizabeth M; Bell, David C; DiBacco, Aron E

2016-12-01

Study participants (N = 348) were asked about 46 reasons that have been suggested for why people use or do not use condoms. Participants were asked which of these reasons motivated them when they were deciding whether to use condoms in 503 sexual relationships. Participants were classified into one of three roles based on their HIV status and the status of each sexual partner: HIV+ people with HIV- partners; HIV- people with HIV+ partners; and HIV- people with HIV- partners. Motivations were looked at in the context of each of these roles. Of the 46 reasons, only 15 were selected by at least 1/3 of the participants, and only seven were selected by at least half. Frequently reported reasons primarily concern protecting self and partner from STDs including HIV. Less frequently reported reasons involved social norms, effects of condoms on sex, and concern for the relationship. These findings have implications for clinical interventions.

Intermediate-term emotional bookkeeping is necessary for long-term reciprocal grooming partner preferences in an agent-based model of macaque groups

PubMed Central

Evers, Ellen; de Vries, Han; Spruijt, Berry M.

2016-01-01

Whether and how primates are able to maintain long-term affiliative relationships is still under debate. Emotional bookkeeping (EB), the partner-specific accumulation of emotional responses to earlier interactions, is a candidate mechanism that does not require high cognitive abilities. EB is difficult to study in real animals, due to the complexity of primate social life. Therefore, we developed an agent-based model based on macaque behavior, the EMO-model, that implements arousal and two emotional dimensions, anxiety-FEAR and satisfaction-LIKE, which regulate social behavior. To implement EB, model individuals assign dynamic LIKE attitudes towards their group members, integrating partner-specific emotional responses to earlier received grooming episodes. Two key parameters in the model were varied to explore their effects on long-term affiliative relationships: (1) the timeframe over which earlier affiliation is accumulated into the LIKE attitudes; and (2) the degree of partner selectivity. EB over short and long timeframes gave rise to low variation in LIKE attitudes, and grooming partner preferences were only maintained over one to two months. Only EB over intermediate-term timeframes resulted in enough variation in LIKE attitudes, which, in combination with high partner selectivity, enables individuals to differentiate between regular and incidental grooming partners. These specific settings resulted in a strong feedback between differentiated LIKE attitudes and the distribution of grooming, giving rise to strongly reciprocated partner preferences that could be maintained for longer periods, occasionally up to one or two years. Moreover, at these settings the individual’s internal, socio-emotional memory of earlier affiliative episodes (LIKE attitudes) corresponded best to observable behavior (grooming partner preferences). In sum, our model suggests that intermediate-term LIKE dynamics and high partner selectivity seem most plausible for primates relying on emotional bookkeeping to maintain their social bonds. PMID:26839737

Intermediate-term emotional bookkeeping is necessary for long-term reciprocal grooming partner preferences in an agent-based model of macaque groups.

PubMed

Evers, Ellen; de Vries, Han; Spruijt, Berry M; Sterck, Elisabeth H M

2016-01-01

Whether and how primates are able to maintain long-term affiliative relationships is still under debate. Emotional bookkeeping (EB), the partner-specific accumulation of emotional responses to earlier interactions, is a candidate mechanism that does not require high cognitive abilities. EB is difficult to study in real animals, due to the complexity of primate social life. Therefore, we developed an agent-based model based on macaque behavior, the EMO-model, that implements arousal and two emotional dimensions, anxiety-FEAR and satisfaction-LIKE, which regulate social behavior. To implement EB, model individuals assign dynamic LIKE attitudes towards their group members, integrating partner-specific emotional responses to earlier received grooming episodes. Two key parameters in the model were varied to explore their effects on long-term affiliative relationships: (1) the timeframe over which earlier affiliation is accumulated into the LIKE attitudes; and (2) the degree of partner selectivity. EB over short and long timeframes gave rise to low variation in LIKE attitudes, and grooming partner preferences were only maintained over one to two months. Only EB over intermediate-term timeframes resulted in enough variation in LIKE attitudes, which, in combination with high partner selectivity, enables individuals to differentiate between regular and incidental grooming partners. These specific settings resulted in a strong feedback between differentiated LIKE attitudes and the distribution of grooming, giving rise to strongly reciprocated partner preferences that could be maintained for longer periods, occasionally up to one or two years. Moreover, at these settings the individual's internal, socio-emotional memory of earlier affiliative episodes (LIKE attitudes) corresponded best to observable behavior (grooming partner preferences). In sum, our model suggests that intermediate-term LIKE dynamics and high partner selectivity seem most plausible for primates relying on emotional bookkeeping to maintain their social bonds.

The costs and benefits of sexism: resistance to influence during relationship conflict.

PubMed

Overall, Nickola C; Sibley, Chris G; Tan, Rosabel

2011-08-01

This study tested whether men's and women's hostile sexism (HS) and benevolent sexism (BS) were associated with resistance to influence in couples' conflict interactions. Ninety-one heterosexual couples were recorded while trying to produce desired changes in each other. Participants reviewed their discussions and rated how open they were to their partner's perspective. Objective coders also rated the extent to which each partner exhibited hostile communication. We tested key principles arising from ambivalent sexism theory (Glick & Fiske, 1996). First, BS is necessary because mutual interdependence reduces the power of HS to influence women within intimate relationships. We found that the more men endorsed HS, the less open and more hostile both partners were, and the less successful their discussions were in producing desired change. Second, BS reduces the threat of women's dyadic power by revering and respecting women's interpersonal roles while restricting women's influence outside the relationship domain. We found that men who expressed higher agreement with BS were more open to their partners' influence and behaved with less hostility, and their discussions were more successful. These relationship benefits illustrate why BS is effective at disarming women's resistance to wider inequalities. These benefits, however, were contingent on men adopting BS attitudes. When women strongly endorsed BS but their male partner did not, women were less open, behaved with greater hostility, and perceived their discussions as less successful. These results indicate that, because BS increases the stakes within the relationship domain, women who endorse BS will react more negatively when their expectations are not realized.

Patient preferences for partner notification.

PubMed

Apoola, A; Radcliffe, K W; Das, S; Robshaw, V; Gilleran, G; Kumari, B S; Boothby, M; Rajakumar, R

2006-08-01

To identify patient preferences for notification of sexual contacts when a sexually transmitted infection (STI) is diagnosed. A questionnaire survey of 2544 patients attending three large genitourinary clinics at Derby, Birmingham, and Coventry in the United Kingdom. The median age of the respondents was 24 with 1474 (57.9%) women, 1835 (72.1%) white, 1826 (71.8%) single. The most favoured method of partner notification was patient referral, which was rated a "good" method by 65.8% when they had to be contacted because a sexual partner has an STI. Notifying contacts by letter as a method of provider partner notification is more acceptable than phoning, text messaging, or email. Respondents with access to mobile telephones, private emails, and private letters were more likely to rate a method of partner notification using that mode of communication as "good" compared to those without. With provider referral methods of partner notification respondents preferred to receive a letter, email, or text message asking them to contact the clinic rather than a letter, email or text message informing them that they may have an STI. Most respondents think that being informed directly by a partner is the best method of being notified of the risk of an STI. Some of the newer methods may not be acceptable to all but a significant minority of respondents prefer these methods of partner notification. The wording of letters, emails, or text messages when used for partner notification has an influence on the acceptability of the method and may influence success of the partner notification method. Services should be flexible enough to utilise the patients' preferred method of partner notification.

Relationship and partner moderator variables increase self-efficacy of performing skin self-examination

PubMed Central

Robinson, June K.; Stapleton, Jerod; Turrisi, Rob

2010-01-01

Objective We sought to identify relationship and partner-related moderating variables that influence the effectiveness of both a couples and a solo learning intervention designed to increase skin self-examination behavior in a sample of patients at risk for developing melanoma. Methods Patients received a brief intervention designed to teach skin self-examination skills and were randomly assigned into either a solo learning condition where the intervention was administered to the patient alone (n = 65) or a couple learning condition where the intervention was administered to the patient and patient’s spouse or cohabiting partner (n = 65). The main outcome measure was skin self-examination self-efficacy, which is the strongest mediator of skin self-examination. The relationship moderator variables measured were quality of relationship, partner motivation, and ability to assist in implementation of the intervention. Results When quality of the marital/partner relationship was high, the beneficial effects provided by the partner being included in the skin self-examination skills training were the highest and patients exhibited higher self-efficacy. Similar effects were observed for those with partners who were motivated to implement the intervention, and for those with partners high in ability to provide support. Limitations Study limitations include the need to evaluate whether the effects can be sustained long term and the exclusion of patients with melanoma without partners. Conclusions The amount of beneficial effects gained by the patient from the skin self-examination intervention was influenced by marital/partner relationships. Clinicians may need to consider these relationship and partner characteristics when communicating to patients about skin cancer screening. PMID:18258332

Partner selection among Latino immigrant men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Bianchi, Fernanda T; Shedlin, Michele G; Brooks, Kelly D; Montes Penha, Marcelo; Reisen, Carol A; Zea, Maria Cecilia; Poppen, Paul J

2010-12-01

This qualitative study explored partner selection in a sample of immigrant Latino men who have sex with men (MSM). In-depth interviews were conducted with men living in the greater New York metropolitan area who had been born in Brazil (n = 10), Colombia (n = 14), or the Dominican Republic (n = 9). One focus group was conducted with MSM from each of the three countries (9 Brazilian, 11 Colombian, and 5 Dominican participants). A grounded theory approach revealed three main themes relating to partner selection. The first concerned stereotypes of how Latino and Anglo-American men tend to behave in their sexual encounters and relationships. The participants perceived Latinos to be more affectionate and passionate, whereas they saw Anglo-American men as more independent and practical. These cultural discrepancies sometimes resulted in a preference for Latino partners. A second theme concerned stereotypes of the national groups, including expectations that Brazilians would be sexy and sensual and that Dominicans would have large penises. As found in other research on MSM of color, ethnic and national stereotypes were associated with experiences of sexual objectification. The third theme addressed the importance of masculine characteristics in sexual attraction and partner selection. Negative feelings towards effeminate men who did not conform to normative male physical or behavioral presentation reflect a stigma found inside and outside of the gay community. These findings suggest that gender and ethnic stereotypes play an important role in shaping partner choice and have implications for sexual risk and relationship formation.

24 CFR 943.148 - What procurement standards apply to PHAs selecting partners for a joint venture?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... INDIAN HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY CONSORTIA AND JOINT... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What procurement standards apply to PHAs selecting partners for a joint venture? 943.148 Section 943.148 Housing and Urban Development...

24 CFR 943.148 - What procurement standards apply to PHAs selecting partners for a joint venture?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false What procurement standards apply to PHAs selecting partners for a joint venture? 943.148 Section 943.148 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUED) OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AND...

Treatment algorithm in 2014 for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: therapy selection by tumour histology and molecular biology.

PubMed

Manegold, Christian

2014-09-01

The availability of antineoplastic monoclonal antibodies, small molecules and newer cytotoxics such as pemetrexed, the EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib as well as the anti-angiogenic bevacizumab and the ALK-inhibitor crizotinib has recently changes the treatment algorithm of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Decision making in 2014 is characterized by customizing therapy, by selecting a specific therapeutic regimen based on the histotype and the genotype of the tumour. This refers to first-line induction therapy and maintenance therapy as well, but also to subsequent lines of therapy since anti-neoplastic drugs and regimens used upfront clinically influence the selection of agents/regimes considered for second-/third-line treatment. Consequently, therapy customization through tumour histology and molecular markers has significantly influenced the work of pathologists around the globe and the process of obtaining an extended therapeutically relevant tumour diagnosis. Not only histological sub-typing became standard but molecular information is also considered of increasing importance for treatment selection. Routine molecular testing in certified laboratories must be established, and the diagnostic process should ideally be performed under the guidance of evidence based recommendation. The process of investigating and implementing medical targeting in lung cancer therefore, requires advanced diagnostic techniques and expertise and because of its large dimension is costly and influenced by the limitation of financial and clinical resources. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o.

Fillers as Signals: Evidence from a Question-Answering Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Esther J.; Risko, Evan F.; Kingstone, Alan

2014-01-01

The present study examined the influence of a human or computer "partner" on the production of fillers ("um" and "uh") during a question and answer task. Experiment 1 investigated whether or not responding to a human partner as opposed to a computer partner results in a higher rate of filler production. Participants…

Involving Support Partners in Obesity Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorin, Amy; Phelan, Suzanne; Tate, Deborah; Sherwood, Nancy; Jeffery, Robert; Wing, Rena

2005-01-01

In this study, the authors examined whether the number or success of weight loss partners influences participants' outcomes in behavioral weight loss treatment. Overweight participants (n=109) assigned to an exercise intensive group in a larger trial were encouraged to invite up to 3 partners to attend treatment. Weight losses at 6, 12, and 18…

Partnered Decisions? U.S. Couples and Medical Help-Seeking for Infertility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Katherine M.; Johnson, David R.

2009-01-01

We examined male partners' influence on the decision to seek medical help for infertility using the National Study of Fertility Barriers. Building upon an existing help-seeking framework, we incorporated characteristics of both partners from 219 heterosexual couples who had ever perceived a fertility problem. In logistic regression analyses, we…

Influence of indirect information on interpersonal trust despite direct information.

PubMed

Zarolia, Pareezad; Weisbuch, Max; McRae, Kateri

2017-01-01

Trust is integral to successful relationships. The development of trust stems from how one person treats others, and there are multiple ways to learn about someone's trust-relevant behavior. The present research captures the development of trust to examine if trust-relevant impressions and behavior are influenced by indirect behavioral information (i.e., descriptions of how a person treated another individual)-even in the presence of substantial direct behavioral information (i.e., self-relevant, first-hand experience with a person). Participants had repeated interpersonal exchanges with a partner who was trustworthy or untrustworthy with participants' money. The present studies vary the frequency with which (Studies 1 & 2), the order in which (Study 3) and the number of people for whom (Study 4) indirect information (i.e., brief vignettes describing trustworthy or untrustworthy behavior) were presented. As predicted, across 4 studies, we observed a robust effect of indirect-information despite the presence of substantial direct information. Even after dozens of interactions in which a partner betrayed (or not), a brief behavioral description of a partner influenced participants' willingness to actually trust the partner with money, memory-based estimates of partner-behavior, and impressions of the partner. These effects were observed even though participants were also sensitive to partners' actual trust behavior, and even when indirect behavioral descriptions were only presented a single time. Impressions were identified as a strong candidate mechanism for the effect of indirect-information on behavior. We discuss implications of the persistence of indirect information for impression formation, relationship development, and future studies of trust. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Review of perinatal partner-focused smoking cessation interventions.

PubMed

Duckworth, Adrienne L; Chertok, Ilana R Azulay

2012-01-01

One of the primary barriers to smoking cessation among pregnant women who smoke is having a partner who smokes. Prenatal tobacco exposure has been demonstrated to negatively affect infant health outcomes. Many smoking cessation interventions have been targeted at women who smoke in pregnancy, although research has indicated that one of the main barriers to cessation is lack of partner support. The family systems theory frames prenatal smoking cessation interventions in an inclusive manner for the woman and her partner. The aim of this article is to review smoking cessation intervention studies for partners of pregnant women. Efforts to promote smoking cessation among pregnant women should be inclusive of partners, recognizing that partners influence maternal prenatal health behaviors.

Mental distress predicts divorce over 16 years: the HUNT study.

PubMed

Idstad, Mariann; Torvik, Fartein Ask; Borren, Ingrid; Rognmo, Kamilla; Røysamb, Espen; Tambs, Kristian

2015-04-01

The association between mental distress and divorce is well established in the literature. Explanations are commonly classified within two different frameworks; social selection (mentally distressed people are selected out of marriage) and social causation (divorce causes mental distress). Despite a relatively large body of literature on this subject, selection effects are somewhat less studied, and research based on data from both spouses is scarce. The purpose of the present study is to investigate selection effects both at the individual level and the couple level. The current study is based on couple-level data from a Norwegian representative sample including 20,233 couples. Long-term selection effects were tested for by means of Cox proportional hazard models, using mental distress in both partners at baseline as predictors of divorce the next 16 years. Three identical sets of analyses were run. The first included the total sample, whereas the second and third excluded couples who divorced within the first 4 or 8 years after baseline, respectively. An interaction term between mental distress in husband and in wife was specified and tested. Hazard of divorce was significantly higher in couples with one mentally distressed partner than in couples with no mental distress in all analyses. There was also a significant interaction effect showing that the hazard of divorce for couples with two mentally distressed partners was higher than for couples with one mentally distressed partner, but lower than what could be expected from the combined main effects of two mentally distressed partners. Our results suggest that mentally distressed individuals are selected out of marriage. We also found support for a couple-level effect in which spouse similarity in mental distress to a certain degree seems to protect against divorce.

PERSONAL VULNERABILITIES AND ASSORTATIVE MATE SELECTION AMONG NEWLYWED SPOUSES.

PubMed

Trombello, Joseph M; Schoebi, Dominik; Bradbury, Thomas N

2015-06-01

Assortative-mating theories propose that individuals select romantic relationship partners who are similar to them on positive and negative qualities. Furthermore, stress-generation and intergenerational transmission of divorce models argue that one's depression history or family-of-origin relationship problems predict qualities of a marital partner that predispose them to relationship distress. We analyzed data from 172 newlywed couples to examine predictors and mediators of a marital partner's risk index. First, an index of one's own and one's partner risk was created through factor analysis and was comprised of measures that indicate insecurity about oneself. This index was significantly correlated with baseline marital satisfaction and, among men, steps toward divorce at follow-up. Then, structural equation modeling tested direct and indirect pathways predicting partner's risk index, analyzing prior depression history and family-of-origin relational impairment as predictors and one's own risk index as the mediator. Results demonstrated that own risk index reliably predicted partner's risk, while own risk index also mediated the relationship between own family-of-origin relational dysfunction/depression history and partner's risk index. These results support assortative mating theories and suggest that the association between adverse family-of-origin relationships or depression history and the risk profile in one's marital partner is explained by one's own risk profile.

Factors influencing the adoption of a healthy eating campaign by federal cross-sector partners: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Fernandez, Melissa Anne; Desroches, Sophie; Turcotte, Mylène; Marquis, Marie; Dufour, Joëlle; Provencher, Véronique

2016-08-30

The Eat Well Campaign (EWC) was a social marketing campaign developed by Health Canada and disseminated to the public with the help of cross-sector partners. The purpose of this study was to describe factors that influenced cross-sector partners' decision to adopt the EWC. Thematic content analysis, based primarily on an a priori codebook of constructs from Roger's diffusion of innovations decision process model, was conducted on hour-long semi-structured telephone interviews with Health Canada's cross-sector partners (n = 18). Dominant themes influencing cross-sector partners' decision to adopt the EWC were: high compatibility with the organization's values; being associated with Health Canada; and low perceived complexity of activities. Several adopters indicated that social norms (e.g., knowing that other organizations in their network were involved in the collaboration) played a strong role in their decision to participate, particularly for food retailers and small organizations. The opportunity itself to work in partnership with Health Canada and other organizations was seen as a prominent relative advantage by many organizations. Adopters were characterized as having high social participation and positive attitudes towards health, new ideas and Health Canada. The lack of exposure to the mass media channels used to diffuse the campaign and reserved attitudes towards Health Canada were prominent obstacles identified by a minority of health organizations, which challenged the decision to adopt the EWC. Most other barriers were considered as minor challenges and did not appear to impede the adoption process. Understanding factors that influence cross-sector adoption of nutrition initiatives can help decision makers target the most appropriate partners to advance public health objectives. Government health agencies are likely to find strong partners in organizations that share the same values as the initiative, have positive attitudes towards health, are extremely implicated in social causes and value the notion of partnership.

Partner Preference Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Potential Contribution to Spread of HIV Within Minority Populations.

PubMed

Phillips, Gregory; Birkett, Michelle; Hammond, Sydney; Mustanski, Brian

2016-06-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. Most prior research into drivers of HIV transmission has focused on individual characteristics rather than on dyadic-level behaviors such as sex partner selection. This article explores racial/ethnic preferences in sex and relationship partner selection among MSM to further contextualize the spread of HIV within minority groups. Participants were recruited through a mobile application (app) for men to meet other men in 2015 and completed an online survey on behaviors related to HIV risk. All analyses on the sample of 530 MSM were conducted in 2015. There was significant homophily in partner selection within racial/ethnic minorities, but not for white MSM. In general, mobile app-using MSM reported a general preference for white and Hispanic men and a dispreference for black and Asian men, both for sex and relationship partners. Racial/ethnic preferences were found to drive intentions to form partnerships within this sample. Combined with the stigma many of these racial/ethnic minorities may also feel from homophobic attitudes within their own racial/ethnic communities, these MSM may be at particular risk for social isolation. These partner preferences likely affect the structure of the sexual networks of MSM and may contribute to increased clustering within high HIV incident sexual networks.

Partner Preference Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Potential Contribution to Spread of HIV Within Minority Populations

PubMed Central

Birkett, Michelle; Hammond, Sydney; Mustanski, Brian

2016-01-01

Abstract Purpose: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. Most prior research into drivers of HIV transmission has focused on individual characteristics rather than on dyadic-level behaviors such as sex partner selection. This article explores racial/ethnic preferences in sex and relationship partner selection among MSM to further contextualize the spread of HIV within minority groups. Methods: Participants were recruited through a mobile application (app) for men to meet other men in 2015 and completed an online survey on behaviors related to HIV risk. All analyses on the sample of 530 MSM were conducted in 2015. Results: There was significant homophily in partner selection within racial/ethnic minorities, but not for white MSM. In general, mobile app-using MSM reported a general preference for white and Hispanic men and a dispreference for black and Asian men, both for sex and relationship partners. Conclusion: Racial/ethnic preferences were found to drive intentions to form partnerships within this sample. Combined with the stigma many of these racial/ethnic minorities may also feel from homophobic attitudes within their own racial/ethnic communities, these MSM may be at particular risk for social isolation. These partner preferences likely affect the structure of the sexual networks of MSM and may contribute to increased clustering within high HIV incident sexual networks. PMID:26907954

It takes two: the role of partner ethnicity and age characteristics on condom negotiations of heterosexual Chinese and Filipina American college women.

PubMed

Lam, Amy G; Barnhart, James E

2006-02-01

To date, limited attention is paid to how partners influence the condom negotiation process. This study examined whether partner ethnicity and age were associated with condom negotiations (i.e., verbal-direct, verbal-indirect, nonverbal-direct, nonverbal-indirect) in heterosexual Chinese and Filipina American college women. Results from 181 women across four California universities indicated significant effects of partner ethnicity and age on condom negotiation strategies. Asian women with non-Asian partners were more likely to use nonverbal-direct strategies than those with Asian partners. Asian women with older partners were less likely to use verbal strategies (verbal-direct, verbal-indirect) than those with same-age partners. This study suggests that Asian women's safer sex communication varies by partner characteristics. Obtaining information such as partner ethnicity and age can help health educators provide more culturally appropriate sexual communication skills to clients.

Partner choice, relationship satisfaction, and oral contraception: the congruency hypothesis.

PubMed

Roberts, S Craig; Little, Anthony C; Burriss, Robert P; Cobey, Kelly D; Klapilová, Kateřina; Havlíček, Jan; Jones, Benedict C; DeBruine, Lisa; Petrie, Marion

2014-07-01

Hormonal fluctuation across the menstrual cycle explains temporal variation in women's judgment of the attractiveness of members of the opposite sex. Use of hormonal contraceptives could therefore influence both initial partner choice and, if contraceptive use subsequently changes, intrapair dynamics. Associations between hormonal contraceptive use and relationship satisfaction may thus be best understood by considering whether current use is congruent with use when relationships formed, rather than by considering current use alone. In the study reported here, we tested this congruency hypothesis in a survey of 365 couples. Controlling for potential confounds (including relationship duration, age, parenthood, and income), we found that congruency in current and previous hormonal contraceptive use, but not current use alone, predicted women's sexual satisfaction with their partners. Congruency was not associated with women's nonsexual satisfaction or with the satisfaction of their male partners. Our results provide empirical support for the congruency hypothesis and suggest that women's sexual satisfaction is influenced by changes in partner preference associated with change in hormonal contraceptive use. © The Author(s) 2014.

Saving the Best for Last: How Adults Treat Social Partners of Different Ages

PubMed Central

Fingerman, Karen; Miller, Laura; Charles, Susan

2009-01-01

Older adults report more positive feelings and fewer problems in their relationships than do younger adults. These positive experiences may partially reflect how people treat older adults. Social partners may treat older adults more kindly due to their sense that time remaining to interact with these older adults is limited. Younger (n = 87, aged 22 to 35) and older participants (n = 89, aged 65 to 77) indicated how positively they would behave (i.e., express affection, proffer respect, send sentimental cards) and what types of conflict strategies they would use in response to hypothetical negative interactions with two close social partners, a younger adult and an older adult. Multilevel models revealed that participants were more avoidant and less confrontational when interacting with older adults than when interacting with younger adults. Time perspective of the relationship partially mediated these age differences. Young and older participants also were more likely to select sentimental cards for older partners than for younger partners. Findings build on socioemotional selectivity theory and the social input model to suggest that social partners facilitate better relationships in late life. PMID:18573013

Saving the best for last: how adults treat social partners of different ages.

PubMed

Fingerman, Karen L; Miller, Laura; Charles, Susan

2008-06-01

Older adults report more positive feelings and fewer problems in their relationships than do younger adults. These positive experiences may partially reflect how people treat older adults. Social partners may treat older adults more kindly due to their sense that time remaining to interact with these older adults is limited. Younger (n = 87, age 22 to 35) and older (n = 89, age 65 to 77) participants indicated how positively they would behave (i.e., express affection, proffer respect, send sentimental cards) and what types of conflict strategies they would use in response to hypothetical negative interactions with two close social partners, a younger adult and an older adult. Multilevel models revealed that participants were more avoidant and less confrontational when interacting with older adults than when interacting with younger adults. Time perspective of the relationship partially mediated these age differences. Younger and older participants were also more likely to select sentimental cards for older partners than for younger partners. Findings build on socioemotional selectivity theory and the social input model to suggest that social partners facilitate better relationships in late life.

Empowerment, partner’s behaviours and intimate partner physical violence among married women in Uganda

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background There is dearth of knowledge and research about the role of empowerment, partners’ behaviours and intimate partner physical violence (IPPV) among married women in Uganda. This paper examined the influence of women’s empowerment and partners’ behaviours on IPPV among married women in Uganda. Methods The 2011 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey data were used, selecting a weighted sample of 1,307 women in union considered for the domestic violence module. Cross tabulations (chi-square tests) and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with IPPV. Results The prevalence of IPPV among women in union in Uganda is still high (41%). Women’s occupation was the only measure of empowerment that was significantly associated with IPPV, where women in professional employment were less likely to experience IPPV. Women from wealthy households were less likely to experience IPPV. IPPV was more likely to be reported by women who had ever had children and witnessed parental IPPV. IPPV was also more likely to be reported by women whose husbands or partners: accused them of unfaithfulness, did not permit them to meet female friends, insisted on knowing their whereabouts and sometimes or often got drunk. Women who were afraid their partners were also more likely to report IPPV. Conclusion In the Ugandan context, women’s empowerment as assessed by the UDHS has limited mitigating effect on IPPV in the face of partners’ negative behaviours and history of witnessing parental violence. PMID:24289495

Suggestions and Procedures for Choosing a Chinese Institution of Higher Education as a Partner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Mike

2007-01-01

China has one of the largest and most complex higher education systems in the world, and a key challenge facing any foreign education institution is how to select an appropriate potential partner. This paper considers how a number of foreign university managers selected a university in China. Issues of location, ranking, status, programs, mutual…

Perceived Partner Reactions to Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer: Impact on Psychosocial and Psychosexual Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wimberly, Sarah R.; Carver, Charles S.; Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe; Harris, Suzanne D.; Antoni, Michael H.

2005-01-01

Two studies examined breast cancer patients' perceptions of their partners' reactions to their diagnosis and treatment as influences on 3 aspects of patients' well-being: psychosexual adjustment, emotional distress, and marital satisfaction. Study 1, cross-sectional, indicated that partner initiation of sex, frequency of sex, a positive 1st sexual…

A Mixed-Methods Inquiry into the Intimate Practices of Partnered Mature Students and Influences on Relationship, Sexual, and School Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Rhijn, Tricia M.; Murray, Sarah H.; Mizzi, Robert C.

2015-01-01

Through the use of mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, the current study explored the impact of postsecondary study on the intimate relationships and school experiences of partnered mature students. Quantitative regression analyses indicated that parental status, family support, partner support, and sexual desire significantly predicted…

Working models of attachment to parents and partners: implications for emotional behavior between partners.

PubMed

Mehta, Neera; Cowan, Philip A; Cowan, Carolyn P

2009-12-01

This study examined whether working models of attachment are associated with observed positive emotion, sadness, and anger during marital conflict. Individuals (n = 176) from a longitudinal study of families participated in the current cross-sectional study. Narrative interviews assessed the unique and combined contribution of attachment representations based on parents (adult attachment) and partner (couple attachment). The influence of partner's attachment, depression symptoms, and sex of participant was also examined. Hierarchical linear models demonstrated that one's couple attachment security predicts one's observed positive emotion, whereas the partner's couple attachment security predicts one's observed negative emotion. Partner's depression symptoms moderated the effects of partner's couple attachment. Adult attachment was not related to observed emotional behavior between partners. These findings have important clinical implications for individual, couple, and family therapy.

The Influence of Community Disadvantage and Masculinity Ideology on Number of Sexual Partners: A Prospective Analysis of Young Adult, Rural Black Men.

PubMed

Kogan, Steven M; Cho, Junhan; Barton, Allen W; Duprey, Erinn B; Hicks, Megan R; Brown, Geoffrey L

2017-01-01

Young, rural Black men are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs), a consequence, in part, of multiple sexual partnerships. We conducted a prospective study that examined the influence of masculinity ideology on changes in numbers of sexual partners in this population. We focused on a set of high-risk attitudes termed reputational masculinity. Community disadvantage during young adulthood was examined as a risk factor for reputational masculinity ideology, and vocational commitment was examined as a potential protective factor. The sample included 505 African American men ages 19 to 22 from high-poverty rural communities. Men reported their numbers of sexual partners during the past three months, masculinity ideology, community disadvantage, and vocational commitment. Follow-up data were collected 18 months after baseline assessment. Negative binomial modeling was used to test study hypotheses. Results indicated that community disadvantage was associated with increases in reputational masculinity during early adulthood, which in turn were linked to increases in numbers of sexual partners. Vocational commitment interacted with reputational masculinity to forecast numbers of sexual partners, attenuating the influence of reputational masculinity. Reputational masculinity and promotion of engagement with the workplace may be important targets for interventions designed to reduce sexual risk behavior.

The Complexities of Adolescent Dating and Sexual Relationships: Fluidity, Meaning(s), and Implications for Young Adults’ Well-Being

PubMed Central

Manning, Wendy D.; Longmore, Monica A.; Copp, Jennifer; Giordano, Peggy C.

2017-01-01

The complexity of adolescents’ dating and sexual lives is not easily operationalized with simple indicators of dating or sexual activity. While building on prior work that emphasizes the “risky” nature of adolescents’ intimate relationships, we assess whether a variety of indicators reflecting the complexity of adolescents’ relationships influence early adult well-being (i.e., depressive symptoms, self-esteem, gainful activity, intimate partner violence, and relationship quality). Our analysis of longitudinal data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study showed that the number of adolescent dating and sexual partners does not uniformly influence indicators of young adult well-being, which is at odds with a risk framework. The number of dating partners with whom the individual was sexually active, and not the number of “casual” sex partners, increased the odds of intimate partner violence during young adulthood. Relationship churning and sexual nonexclusivity during adolescence were associated with lower relationship quality during young adulthood. Sexual nonexclusivity during adolescence influenced self-reports of depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem among young adults. Future research should develop more nuanced conceptualizations of adolescent dating and sexual relationships and integrate adolescent dating and sexual experiences into research on early adult well-being. PMID:24962362

The Role of Health Care Provider and Partner Decisional Support in Patients' Cancer Treatment Decision-Making Satisfaction.

PubMed

Palmer-Wackerly, Angela L; Krieger, Janice L; Rhodes, Nancy D

2017-01-01

Cancer patients rely on multiple sources of support when making treatment decisions; however, most research studies examine the influence of health care provider support while the influence of family member support is understudied. The current study fills this gap by examining the influence of health care providers and partners on decision-making satisfaction. In a cross-sectional study via an online Qualtrics panel, we surveyed cancer patients who reported that they had a spouse or romantic partner when making cancer treatment decisions (n = 479). Decisional support was measured using 5-point, single-item scales for emotional support, informational support, informational-advice support, and appraisal support. Decision-making satisfaction was measured using Holmes-Rovner and colleagues' (1996) Satisfaction With Decision Scale. We conducted a mediated regression analysis to examine treatment decision-making satisfaction for all participants and a moderated mediation analysis to examine treatment satisfaction among those patients offered a clinical trial. Results indicated that partner support significantly and partially mediated the relationship between health care provider support and patients' decision-making satisfaction but that results did not vary by enrollment in a clinical trial. This study shows how and why decisional support from partners affects communication between health care providers and cancer patients.

The Effects of Sexual Partnerships and Relationship Characteristics on Three Sexual Risk Variables in Young Men Who Have Sex with Men

PubMed Central

Newcomb, Michael E.; Ryan, Daniel T.; Garofalo, Robert; Mustanski, Brian

2014-01-01

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in the United States are experiencing an alarming increase in HIV incidence. Recent evidence suggests that the majority of new HIV infections in YMSM occur in the context of serious relationships, which underscores the importance of examining predictors of sexual risk behavior in the context of sexual partnerships, including relationship type, sexual partner characteristics, and relationship dynamics. The current study aimed to evaluate relationship and sexual partnership influences on sexual risk behavior in YMSM, including differentiating between multiple sexual risk variables (i.e., any unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse, unprotected insertive anal or vaginal intercourse, and unprotected receptive anal intercourse). More serious/familiar partnerships were associated with more sexual risk across all three risk variables, while wanting a relationship to last was protective against risk across all three risk variables. Some variables were differentially linked to unprotected insertive sex (partner gender) or unprotected receptive sex (partner age, partner race, believing a partner was having sex with others, and partners repeated across waves). Sexual risk behavior in YMSM is inconsistent across sexual partnerships and appears to be determined in no small part by sexual partner characteristics, relationship dynamics, and sexual role (i.e., insertive or receptive partner). These influences are critical in understanding sexual risk in YMSM and provide important targets for intervention. PMID:24217953

What difference does a day make? Examining temporal variations in partner maltreatment.

PubMed

McCarthy, Randy J; Rabenhorst, Mandy M; Milner, Joel S; Travis, Wendy J; Collins, Pamela S

2014-06-01

Routine activities (RA) theory posits that changes in people's typical daily activities covary with increases or decreases in criminal behaviors, including, but not limited to, partner maltreatment. Using a large clinical database, we examined temporal variations among 24,460 incidents of confirmed partner maltreatment across an 11-year period within the U.S. Air Force (USAF). Specifically, we created regression models that predicted the number of partner maltreatment incidents per day. In addition to several control variables, we coded temporal variables for days of the week, month, year, and several significant days (e.g., holidays, Super Bowl Sunday), which allowed us to examine the independent influence of these variables on partner maltreatment prevalence. While accounting for the influence of all other study variables, we observed significant increases in partner maltreatment for weekend days, New Year's Day, Independence Day, and Super Bowl Sunday. Similar results were found for partner maltreatment incidents involving offender alcohol/drug use. Furthermore, the proportion of incidents involving offender alcohol/drug use increased on New Year's Day and Independence Day. Consistent with RA theory and data from civilian samples, the current results indicate that certain days are associated with increased incidents of partner maltreatment within the USAF. These findings should be used to inform future preventive efforts. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

The effects of sexual partnership and relationship characteristics on three sexual risk variables in young men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Newcomb, Michael E; Ryan, Daniel T; Garofalo, Robert; Mustanski, Brian

2014-01-01

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in the United States are experiencing an alarming increase in HIV incidence. Recent evidence suggests that the majority of new HIV infections in YMSM occur in the context of serious relationships, which underscores the importance of examining predictors of sexual risk behavior in the context of sexual partnerships, including relationship type, sexual partner characteristics, and relationship dynamics. The current study aimed to evaluate relationship and sexual partnership influences on sexual risk behavior in YMSM, including differentiating between multiple sexual risk variables (i.e., any unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse, unprotected insertive anal or vaginal intercourse, and unprotected receptive anal intercourse). More serious/familiar partnerships were associated with more sexual risk across all three risk variables, while wanting a relationship to last was protective against risk across all three risk variables. Some variables were differentially linked to unprotected insertive sex (partner gender) or unprotected receptive sex (partner age, partner race, believing a partner was having sex with others, and partners repeated across waves). Sexual risk behavior in YMSM is inconsistent across sexual partnerships and appears to be determined in no small part by sexual partner characteristics, relationship dynamics, and sexual role (i.e., insertive or receptive partner). These influences are critical in understanding sexual risk in YMSM and provide important targets for intervention.

Generous to whom? The influence of oxytocin on social discounting.

PubMed

Pornpattananangkul, Narun; Zhang, Junfeng; Chen, Qiaoyu; Kok, Bing Cai; Yu, Rongjun

2017-05-01

Oxytocin is thought to play an essential role in pro-social behaviors, such as generosity and altruism, in humans. Yet, most research in humans that demonstrated the pro-social effect of oxytocin had participants interact with partners who were total strangers to them. In real life, however, people often interact with others varying in social relatedness with them (a concept known as social distance), ranging from their parents to total strangers. Here we employed the social-discounting framework to investigate whether the effect of oxytocin on prosociality depends on the social distance between the participants and their interaction partners. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment (n=172 participants), we measured the amount of money participants were willing to forgo to another person as a function of social distance. We found that oxytocin administration selectively enhanced amount of money forgone toward total strangers, as opposed to someone closer to participants, suggesting that social distance constrained the pro-social effect of oxytocin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The significant influence of having children on the postoperative prognosis of patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer: A propensity score-matched analysis.

PubMed

Takamori, Shinkichi; Tagawa, Tetsuzo; Toyokawa, Gouji; Ueo, Hiroki; Shimokawa, Mototsugu; Kinoshita, Fumihiko; Matsubara, Taichi; Kozuma, Yuka; Haratake, Naoki; Akamine, Takaki; Katsura, Masakazu; Takada, Kazuki; Hirai, Fumihiko; Shoji, Fumihiro; Okamoto, Tatsuro; Oda, Yoshinao; Maehara, Yoshihiko

2018-05-29

The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between family-associated factors and the postoperative prognosis in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Additionally, we investigated whether having children was associated with the postoperative maintenance of the nutritional status. We selected 438 NSCLC patients who had undergone curative lung resection between 2004 and 2011 at Kyushu University (Fukuoka, Japan), whose family-associated factors were available. Nutritional indices, including the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), were used to estimate the change in the nutritional status for 1 year after surgery. A propensity score analysis was conducted after adjusting the following variables: sex, age, smoking history, performance status, pathological stage, and histological type. Three hundred patients (68.5%) had both children and partners. Forty-nine patients (11.2%) only had children, and 56 (12.8%) patients only had a partner. Thirty-three patients (7.5%) did not have a partner or children. The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of the partner-present and partner-absent patients did not differ to a statistically significant extent (P = .862 and P = .712, respectively). However, childless patients showed significantly shorter OS and DFS in comparison with patients with children (P = .005 and P = .002, respectively). The postoperative exacerbation of PNI was significantly greater in childless patients than in patients with children (P = .003). These results remained after propensity score matching. Childless patients had a significantly poorer postoperative prognosis than those with children. Surgeons caring for childless NSCLC patients should be aware of the poorer postoperative outcomes in this population. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Gender minority stress, mental health, and relationship quality: A dyadic investigation of transgender women and their cisgender male partners

PubMed Central

Gamarel, Kristi E.; Reisner, Sari L.; Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe; Nemoto, Tooru; Operario, Don

2014-01-01

Research has demonstrated associations between experiences of discrimination, relationship quality, and mental health. However, critical questions remain unanswered with regard to how stigma enacted and experienced at the dyadic-level influences relationship quality and mental health for transgender women and their cisgender (non-transgender) male partners. The present study sought to examine how experiences of transgender-related discrimination (i.e., unfair treatment, harassment) and relationship stigma (i.e., the real or anticipated fear of rejection based on one’s romantic affiliation), were associated with both partners relationship quality and mental health. Couples (N=191) were recruited to participate in cross-sectional survey. Actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) were fit to examine the influence of minority stressors on clinically significant depressive distress and relationship quality. For both partners, financial hardship, discrimination, and relationship stigma were associated with an increased odds of depressive distress. For both partners, financial hardship was associated with lower relationship quality. Among transgender women, their own and their partner’s higher relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality; however, among male partners, only their partner’s greater relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality. Findings provide preliminary support for dyadic crossover effects of relationship stigma on the health of partners. Findings illustrate the importance of minority stress and dyadic stress frameworks in understanding and intervening upon mental health disparities among transgender women and their male partners. Couples-based interventions and treatment approaches to help transgender women and their male partners cope with minority stressors are warranted to improve the health and well-being of both partners. PMID:24932942

Longitudinal Examination of Peer and Partner Influences on Gender-specific Pathways From Child Abuse to Adult Crime

PubMed Central

Lee, Jungeun Olivia; Herrenkohl, Todd I.; Jung, Hyunzee; Skinner, Martie L.; Klika, J. Bart

2015-01-01

Research provides increasing evidence of the association of child abuse with adult antisocial behavior. However, less is known about the developmental pathways that underlie this association. Building on the life course model of antisocial behavior, the present study examined possible developmental pathways linking various forms of child abuse (physical, emotional, sexual) to adult antisocial behavior. These pathways include child and adolescent antisocial behavior, as well as adulthood measures of partner risk taking, warmth, and antisocial peer influences. Data are from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective longitudinal study examining long-term developmental outcomes subsequent to child maltreatment. Participant families in the Lehigh Longitudinal Study were followed from preschool age into adulthood. Analyses of gender differences addressed the consistency of path coefficients across genders. Results for 297 adult participants followed from early childhood showed that, for both genders, physical and emotional child abuse predicted adult crime indirectly through child and adolescent antisocial behavior, as well as adult partner and antisocial peer influences. However, for females, having an antisocial partner predicted an affiliation with antisocial peers, and that in turn predicted adult crime. For males, having an antisocial partner was associated with less partner warmth, which in turn predicted an affiliation with antisocial peers, itself a proximal predictor of adult crime. Sexual abuse also predicted adolescent antisocial behavior, but only for males, supporting what some have called “a delayed-onset pathway” for females, whereby the exposure to early risks produce much later developmental outcomes. PMID:26271556

Carbon dioxide sensing in an obligate insect-fungus symbiosis: CO2 preferences of leaf-cutting ants to rear their mutualistic fungus.

PubMed

Römer, Daniela; Bollazzi, Martin; Roces, Flavio

2017-01-01

Defense against biotic or abiotic stresses is one of the benefits of living in symbiosis. Leaf-cutting ants, which live in an obligate mutualism with a fungus, attenuate thermal and desiccation stress of their partner through behavioral responses, by choosing suitable places for fungus-rearing across the soil profile. The underground environment also presents hypoxic (low oxygen) and hypercapnic (high carbon dioxide) conditions, which can negatively influence the symbiont. Here, we investigated whether workers of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex lundii use the CO2 concentration as an orientation cue when selecting a place to locate their fungus garden, and whether they show preferences for specific CO2 concentrations. We also evaluated whether levels preferred by workers for fungus-rearing differ from those selected for themselves. In the laboratory, CO2 preferences were assessed in binary choices between chambers with different CO2 concentrations, by quantifying number of workers in each chamber and amount of relocated fungus. Leaf-cutting ants used the CO2 concentration as a spatial cue when selecting places for fungus-rearing. A. lundii preferred intermediate CO2 levels, between 1 and 3%, as they would encounter at soil depths where their nest chambers are located. In addition, workers avoided both atmospheric and high CO2 levels as they would occur outside the nest and at deeper soil layers, respectively. In order to prevent fungus desiccation, however, workers relocated fungus to high CO2 levels, which were otherwise avoided. Workers' CO2 preferences for themselves showed no clear-cut pattern. We suggest that workers avoid both atmospheric and high CO2 concentrations not because they are detrimental for themselves, but because of their consequences for the symbiotic partner. Whether the preferred CO2 concentrations are beneficial for symbiont growth remains to be investigated, as well as whether the observed preferences for fungus-rearing influences the ants' decisions where to excavate new chambers across the soil profile.

Gender and Casual Sexual Activity From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood: Social and Life Course Correlates

PubMed Central

Lyons, Heidi A.; Manning, Wendy D.; Longmore, Monica A.; Giordano, Peggy C.

2015-01-01

The prevalence of casual sexual activity among teens and emerging adults has led to much public attention. Yet limited research has investigated whether the number of casual sexual partners per year changes as heterosexual men and women transition from adolescence into emerging adulthood. We considered the influence of social context and life course factors on the number of casual sex partners. We examined four waves of interviews from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) and used negative binomial growth curve models to investigate patterns of change in the number of casual sex partners (N = 1,196) ages 15 to 22. Men and women both reported increases in the number of casual sex partners over time and did not differ from each other in the rate of change over time. In all, 40% of respondents reported a recent casual sex partner at age 22. Number of prior dating relationships, education status, substance use, and perceptions of peer sexual behavior significantly influenced the number of casual sex partners. Emerging adults who did not complete high school, compared to those enrolled in four-year degree programs, reported significantly more partners. The findings contribute to research on intimate relationships and provide insights for programs targeting emerging adults. PMID:24992285

Influences on loneliness, depression, sexual-risk behaviour and suicidal ideation among Thai transgender youth.

PubMed

Yadegarfard, Mohammadrasool; Ho, Robert; Bahramabadian, Fatemeh

2013-01-01

This study examined the influence of age, education level and number of sex partners on levels of loneliness, depression, suicidal ideation and sexual-risk behaviour in Thai male-to-female transgender youth. A total of 190 participants filled in the study's questionnaire, designed to tap the primary variables of age, level of education, number of sex partners, loneliness, depression, suicidal ideation and sexual-risk behaviour. Results reveal that level of education has a significant influence on depression and loneliness, the number of sex partners has a significant influence on sexual-risk behaviour and suicidal ideation and age has a significant influence on sexual-risk behaviour and suicidal ideation. Participants with higher levels of education reported more loneliness than participants who did not graduate from high school. In addition, participants who did not graduate from high school reported more depression than participants with some university credit. Furthermore, participants aged 15 to 19 years, compared with those of 20 to 25 years, reported higher level of sexual-risk behaviour and higher levels of suicidal ideation.

Induced abortion, pregnancy loss and intimate partner violence in Tanzania: a population based study.

PubMed

Stöckl, Heidi; Filippi, Veronique; Watts, Charlotte; Mbwambo, Jessie K K

2012-03-05

Violence by an intimate partner is increasingly recognized as an important public and reproductive health issue. The aim of this study is to investigate the extent to which physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence is associated with induced abortion and pregnancy loss from other causes and to compare this with other, more commonly recognized explanatory factors. This study analyzes the data of the Tanzania section of the WHO Multi-Country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence, a large population-based cross-sectional survey of women of reproductive age in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya, Tanzania, conducted from 2001 to 2002. All women who answered positively to at least one of the questions about specific acts of physical or sexual violence committed by a partner towards her at any point in her life were considered to have experienced intimate partner violence. Associations between self reported induced abortion and pregnancy loss with intimate partner violence were analysed using multiple regression models. Lifetime physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence was reported by 41% and 56% of ever partnered, ever pregnant women in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya respectively. Among the ever pregnant, ever partnered women, 23% experienced involuntary pregnancy loss, while 7% reported induced abortion. Even after adjusting for other explanatory factors, women who experienced intimate partner violence were 1.6 (95%CI: 1.06,1.60) times more likely to report an pregnancy loss and 1.9 (95%CI: 1.30,2.89) times more likely to report an induced abortion. Intimate partner violence had a stronger influence on induced abortion and pregnancy loss than women's age, socio-economic status, and number of live born children. Intimate partner violence is likely to be an important influence on levels of induced abortion and pregnancy loss in Tanzania. Preventing intimate partner violence may therefore be beneficial for maternal health and pregnancy outcomes. © 2012 Stöckl et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Induced abortion, pregnancy loss and intimate partner violence in Tanzania: a population based study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Violence by an intimate partner is increasingly recognized as an important public and reproductive health issue. The aim of this study is to investigate the extent to which physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence is associated with induced abortion and pregnancy loss from other causes and to compare this with other, more commonly recognized explanatory factors. Methods This study analyzes the data of the Tanzania section of the WHO Multi-Country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence, a large population-based cross-sectional survey of women of reproductive age in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya, Tanzania, conducted from 2001 to 2002. All women who answered positively to at least one of the questions about specific acts of physical or sexual violence committed by a partner towards her at any point in her life were considered to have experienced intimate partner violence. Associations between self reported induced abortion and pregnancy loss with intimate partner violence were analysed using multiple regression models. Results Lifetime physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence was reported by 41% and 56% of ever partnered, ever pregnant women in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya respectively. Among the ever pregnant, ever partnered women, 23% experienced involuntary pregnancy loss, while 7% reported induced abortion. Even after adjusting for other explanatory factors, women who experienced intimate partner violence were 1.6 (95%CI: 1.06,1.60) times more likely to report an pregnancy loss and 1.9 (95%CI: 1.30,2.89) times more likely to report an induced abortion. Intimate partner violence had a stronger influence on induced abortion and pregnancy loss than women's age, socio-economic status, and number of live born children. Conclusions Intimate partner violence is likely to be an important influence on levels of induced abortion and pregnancy loss in Tanzania. Preventing intimate partner violence may therefore be beneficial for maternal health and pregnancy outcomes. PMID:22390254

Perceptions Towards Condom Use, Sexual Activity, and HIV Disclosure among HIV-Positive African American Men Who Have Sex with Men: Implications for Heterosexual Transmission

PubMed Central

Harawa, Nina T.; Ramamurthi, Hema Codathi; Bingham, Trista A.

2006-01-01

Disproportionately high HIV/AIDS rates and frequent non-gay identification (NGI) among African American men who have sex with men or with both men and women (MSM/W) highlight the importance of understanding how HIV-positive African American MSM/W perceive safer sex, experience living with HIV, and decide to disclose their HIV status. Thirty predominately seropositive and non-gay identifying African American MSM/W in Los Angeles participated in three semi-structured focus group interviews, and a constant comparison method was used to analyze responses regarding condom use, sexual activity after an HIV diagnosis, and HIV serostatus disclosure. Condom use themes included its protective role against disease and pregnancy, acceptability concerns pertaining to aesthetic factors and effectiveness, and situational influences such as exchange sex, substance use, and suspicions from female partners. Themes regarding the impact of HIV on sexual activity included rejection, decreased partner seeking, and isolation. Serostatus disclosure themes included disclosure to selective partners and personal responsibility. Comprehensive HIV risk-reduction strategies that build social support networks, condom self-efficacy, communication skills, and a sense of collective responsibility among NGI African American MSM/W while addressing HIV stigma in the African American community as a whole are suggested. PMID:16736115

Can Strategic Ignorance Explain the Evolution of Love?

PubMed

Bear, Adam; Rand, David G

2018-04-24

People's devotion to, and love for, their romantic partners poses an evolutionary puzzle: Why is it better to stop your search for other partners once you enter a serious relationship when you could continue to search for somebody better? A recent formal model based on "strategic ignorance" suggests that such behavior can be adaptive and favored by natural selection, so long as you can signal your unwillingness to "look" for other potential mates to your current partner. Here, we re-examine this conclusion with a more detailed model designed to capture specific features of romantic relationships. We find, surprisingly, that devotion does not typically evolve in our model: Selection favors agents who choose to "look" while in relationships and who allow their partners to do the same. Non-looking is only expected to evolve if there is an extremely large cost associated with being left by your partner. Our results therefore raise questions about the role of strategic ignorance in explaining the evolution of love. Copyright © 2018 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Reverse Correlating Love: Highly Passionate Women Idealize Their Partner’s Facial Appearance

PubMed Central

Gunaydin, Gul; DeLong, Jordan E.

2015-01-01

A defining feature of passionate love is idealization—evaluating romantic partners in an overly favorable light. Although passionate love can be expected to color how favorably individuals represent their partner in their mind, little is known about how passionate love is linked with visual representations of the partner. Using reverse correlation techniques for the first time to study partner representations, the present study investigated whether women who are passionately in love represent their partner’s facial appearance more favorably than individuals who are less passionately in love. In a within-participants design, heterosexual women completed two forced-choice classification tasks, one for their romantic partner and one for a male acquaintance, and a measure of passionate love. In each classification task, participants saw two faces superimposed with noise and selected the face that most resembled their partner (or an acquaintance). Classification images for each of high passion and low passion groups were calculated by averaging across noise patterns selected as resembling the partner or the acquaintance and superimposing the averaged noise on an average male face. A separate group of women evaluated the classification images on attractiveness, trustworthiness, and competence. Results showed that women who feel high (vs. low) passionate love toward their partner tend to represent his face as more attractive and trustworthy, even when controlling for familiarity effects using the acquaintance representation. Using an innovative method to study partner representations, these findings extend our understanding of cognitive processes in romantic relationships. PMID:25806540

Risk Comparison among Youth Who Report Sex with Same-Sex versus Both-Sex Partners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moon, Martha W.; Fornili, Katherine; O'Briant, Amanda L.

2007-01-01

This article examines risk behavior among youth attending support groups for sexual minority youth in Richmond, Virginia, using a structured survey, with particular attention to partner selection and its relationship to risk. Within this generally high-risk group, youth reporting sex partners of both sexes had significantly higher risk profiles,…

It Takes Two: The Role of Partner Ethnicity and Age Characteristics on Condom Negotiations of Heterosexual Chinese and Filipina American College Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Amy G.; Barnhart, James E.

2006-01-01

To date, limited attention is paid to how partners influence the condom negotiation process. This study examined whether partner ethnicity and age were associated with condom negotiations (i.e., verbal-direct, verbal-indirect, nonverbal-direct, nonverbal-indirect) in heterosexual Chinese and Filipina American college women. Results from 181 women…

[Psychosocial factors predicting postnatal anxiety symptoms and their relation to symptoms of postpartum depression].

PubMed

Navarrete, Laura Elena; Lara-Cantú, María Asunción; Navarro, Claudia; Gómez, María Eugenia; Morales, Francisco

2012-01-01

To study perinatal anxiety symptoms in a sample of Mexican mothers. A) To evaluate the effect of certain psychosocial factors during pregnancy on anxiety symptoms at two postpartum time intervals; and B) to determine whether this symptomatology is related to symptoms of postnatal depression. In this secondary data analysis, 156 women were interviewed during pregnancy (T1): 149 were interviewed again at 6 weeks postpartum (T2) and 156 at 4-6 months postpartum (T3). Subjects were selected from women seeking prenatal attention at three health centers in Mexico City who presented with depressive symptomatology and/or previous history of depression. Two models were subjected to multivariate regression analysis to determine the influence of psychosocial factors in pregnancy (age, education, partner status, social support [APGAR], stress events, self-esteem [Coopersmith], depressive symptomatology [BDI-II], and anxiety [SCL-90]) on anxiety symptomatology (SCL-90) in T2 and T3. Two additional linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the influence of prenatal anxiety symptomatology (SCL-90) on postpartum depression symptoms (BDI-II), one for each postnatal period (T2, T3). The variables that predicted postpartum anxiety symptomatology in T2 were anxiety symptoms and lack of social support; in T3 they were anxiety symptoms, lack of a partner, and lack of social support. Prenatal anxiety symptoms predicted postpartum depressive symptomatology at both postpartum intervals (T2, T3). Untreated prenatal anxiety symptomatology is predictive of symptoms of anxiety and depression in the postpartum period, suggesting the need for timely detection and treatment. Women lacking social support or partners are a population particularly vulnerable to anxiety symptoms, and merit interventions that address these issues.

Human agency beliefs influence behaviour during virtual social interactions

PubMed Central

Brock, Jon

2017-01-01

In recent years, with the emergence of relatively inexpensive and accessible virtual reality technologies, it is now possible to deliver compelling and realistic simulations of human-to-human interaction. Neuroimaging studies have shown that, when participants believe they are interacting via a virtual interface with another human agent, they show different patterns of brain activity compared to when they know that their virtual partner is computer-controlled. The suggestion is that users adopt an “intentional stance” by attributing mental states to their virtual partner. However, it remains unclear how beliefs in the agency of a virtual partner influence participants’ behaviour and subjective experience of the interaction. We investigated this issue in the context of a cooperative “joint attention” game in which participants interacted via an eye tracker with a virtual onscreen partner, directing each other’s eye gaze to different screen locations. Half of the participants were correctly informed that their partner was controlled by a computer algorithm (“Computer” condition). The other half were misled into believing that the virtual character was controlled by a second participant in another room (“Human” condition). Those in the “Human” condition were slower to make eye contact with their partner and more likely to try and guide their partner before they had established mutual eye contact than participants in the “Computer” condition. They also responded more rapidly when their partner was guiding them, although the same effect was also found for a control condition in which they responded to an arrow cue. Results confirm the influence of human agency beliefs on behaviour in this virtual social interaction context. They further suggest that researchers and developers attempting to simulate social interactions should consider the impact of agency beliefs on user experience in other social contexts, and their effect on the achievement of the application’s goals. PMID:28948104

DETERMINANT FACTORS OF VISUAL INSPECTION WITH ACETIC ACID (VIA) POSITIVE LESIONS AMONG HIV POSITIVE WOMEN IN MEKELLE HOSPITAL, NORTHERN ETHIOPIA: A CASE CONTROL STUDY.

PubMed

Gessesse, Zekariase; Tadesse, Zemen; Alemayehu, Mussie; Hiruye, Abiy; Getachew, Yeneneh; Derbew, Miliard; Mariam, Damen Haile; Mammo, Dereje; Eva, Kantelhardt; Yebyo, Henock; Michael, Hailay Gebre

2015-07-01

Cervical cancer is the second commonest type and third cause of cancer death among women in low-income countries. Women living with HIV/AIDS are at greater risk of developing cervical cancer. The study aimed to identify the determinant factors forsuspected precancerous cervical lesions among HIV- positive women in Mekelle hospital, Ethiopia. Anunmatched case-control study was conducted among randomly selected HIV positive women in Mekelle hospital in 2014. In Mekelle Hospital, routine screening for lesions of the cervix uteri by visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) is done in HIV positive women by trained nurses. Suspicious findings are treated by cryotherapy or referred to the Gynaecologist. A number of 116 cases, who had suspicious findings on VIA, and 232 HIV-positive controls without suspicious findings on VIA were randomly selected and enrolled into the study The determinant factors for precancerous cervical lesion were analyzed using multiple logistic regression and described as adjusted odds ratio (AOR). HIV positive women who had CD4 cells less than 350/mm3 were two times more likely to have precancerous cervical lesion compared to those with CD4 cells above 350/mm3. Women with two (AOR = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.7, 7.7) and three (AOR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.2, 5.4) sexual partners were four and three times more likely to have precancerous cervical lesion, respectively, as compared to those who had one sexual partner. Age, History of STI and duration of ART had no influence on presence of VIA positive lesions in HIV positive women. CD4 count cells and number of sexual partners were predictors of VIA positive cervical lesion among HIV positive women.

Changing Places and Partners: Associations of Neighborhood Conditions With Sexual Network Turnover Among African American Adults Relocated From Public Housing.

PubMed

Linton, Sabriya L; Cooper, Hannah L F; Luo, Ruiyan; Karnes, Conny; Renneker, Kristen; Haley, Danielle F; Dauria, Emily F; Hunter-Jones, Josalin; Ross, Zev; Wingood, Gina M; Adimora, Adaora A; Bonney, Loida; Rothenberg, Richard

2017-05-01

Neighborhood conditions and sexual network turnover have been associated with the acquisition of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, few studies investigate the influence of neighborhood conditions on sexual network turnover. This longitudinal study used data collected across 7 visits from a predominantly substance-misusing cohort of 172 African American adults relocated from public housing in Atlanta, Georgia, to determine whether post-relocation changes in exposure to neighborhood conditions influence sexual network stability, the number of new partners joining sexual networks, and the number of partners leaving sexual networks over time. At each visit, participant and sexual network characteristics were captured via survey, and administrative data were analyzed to describe the census tracts where participants lived. Multilevel models were used to longitudinally assess the relationships of tract-level characteristics to sexual network dynamics over time. On average, participants relocated to neighborhoods that were less economically deprived and violent, and had lower alcohol outlet densities. Post-relocation reductions in exposure to alcohol outlet density were associated with fewer new partners joining sexual networks. Reduced perceived community violence was associated with more sexual partners leaving sexual networks. These associations were marginally significant. No post-relocation changes in place characteristics were significantly associated with overall sexual network stability. Neighborhood social context may influence sexual network turnover. To increase understanding of the social-ecological determinants of HIV/STIs, a new line of research should investigate the combined influence of neighborhood conditions and sexual network dynamics on HIV/STI transmission over time.

Same-Sex Gaze Attraction Influences Mate-Choice Copying in Humans

PubMed Central

Yorzinski, Jessica L.; Platt, Michael L.

2010-01-01

Mate-choice copying occurs when animals rely on the mating choices of others to inform their own mating decisions. The proximate mechanisms underlying mate-choice copying remain unknown. To address this question, we tracked the gaze of men and women as they viewed a series of photographs in which a potential mate was pictured beside an opposite-sex partner; the participants then indicated their willingness to engage in a long-term relationship with each potential mate. We found that both men and women expressed more interest in engaging in a relationship with a potential mate if that mate was paired with an attractive partner. Men and women's attention to partners varied with partner attractiveness and this gaze attraction influenced their subsequent mate choices. These results highlight the prevalence of non-independent mate choice in humans and implicate social attention and reward circuitry in these decisions. PMID:20161739

Gender differences in medical students' motives and career choice.

PubMed

Heiligers, Phil J M

2012-08-23

The main subject is the influence of gender and the stage of life on the choice of specialty in medical education. In particular we looked at the influence of intrinsic and external motives on this relationship. The choice of specialty was divided into two moments: the choice between medical specialties and general practice; and the preference within medical specialties. In earlier studies the topic of motivation was explored, mostly related to gender. In this study stage of life in terms of living with a partner -or not- and stage of education was added. A questionnaire concerning career preferences was used. The online questionnaire was sent to all student members of the KNMG (Royal Dutch Medical Association). 58% of these students responded (N = 2397). Only 1478 responses could be used for analyses (36%). For stipulating the motives that played a role, principal components factor analysis has been carried out. For testing the mediation effect a set of regression analyses was performed: logistic regressions and multiple regressions. Although basic findings about gender differences in motivations for preferred careers are consistent with earlier research, we found that whether or not living with a partner is determinant for differences in profession-related motives and external motives (lifestyle and social situation). Furthermore living with a partner is not a specific female argument anymore, since no interactions are found between gender and living with a partner. Another issue is that motives are mediating the relationship between, living with a partner, and the choice of GP or medical specialty. For more clarity in the mediating effect of motives a longitudinal study is needed to find out about motives and changing circumstances. The present study provides a contribution to the knowledge of career aspirations of medical students, especially the impact of motivation. Gender and living with a partner influence both choices, but they are not interacting, so living with a partner is similarly important for male and female students in choosing their preferences. Moreover, external and intrinsic motives mediate this relationship to a greater of lesser degree. First stage students are influenced by life-style and intrinsic motives in their choice of general practice. For second stage students, the results show influences of life-style motives next to profession-related motives on both moments of choice.

Gender differences in medical students’ motives and career choice

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The main subject is the influence of gender and the stage of life on the choice of specialty in medical education. In particular we looked at the influence of intrinsic and external motives on this relationship. The choice of specialty was divided into two moments: the choice between medical specialties and general practice; and the preference within medical specialties. In earlier studies the topic of motivation was explored, mostly related to gender. In this study stage of life in terms of living with a partner -or not- and stage of education was added. Methods A questionnaire concerning career preferences was used. The online questionnaire was sent to all student members of the KNMG (Royal Dutch Medical Association). 58% of these students responded (N = 2397). Only 1478 responses could be used for analyses (36%). For stipulating the motives that played a role, principal components factor analysis has been carried out. For testing the mediation effect a set of regression analyses was performed: logistic regressions and multiple regressions. Results Although basic findings about gender differences in motivations for preferred careers are consistent with earlier research, we found that whether or not living with a partner is determinant for differences in profession-related motives and external motives (lifestyle and social situation). Furthermore living with a partner is not a specific female argument anymore, since no interactions are found between gender and living with a partner. Another issue is that motives are mediating the relationship between, living with a partner, and the choice of GP or medical specialty. For more clarity in the mediating effect of motives a longitudinal study is needed to find out about motives and changing circumstances. Conclusions The present study provides a contribution to the knowledge of career aspirations of medical students, especially the impact of motivation. Gender and living with a partner influence both choices, but they are not interacting, so living with a partner is similarly important for male and female students in choosing their preferences. Moreover, external and intrinsic motives mediate this relationship to a greater of lesser degree. First stage students are influenced by life-style and intrinsic motives in their choice of general practice. For second stage students, the results show influences of life-style motives next to profession-related motives on both moments of choice. PMID:22913471

International Research on ISS - The Benefits of Working Together

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uri, John J.; Thomas, Donald A.

2005-01-01

International Space Station is the most complex multinational cooperative space endeavor in history. Interagency agreements define utilization accommodations and resources available to each partner. Based on these arrangements, the partners select and implement research to meet agency goals and objectives. But to optimize the limited resources available to utilization, cooperation among the partners is essential. This paper describes various avenues available for partner cooperation and provides specific examples to demonstrate the value of such cooperation to accelerate and enhance science return.

Dishonesty in the name of equity.

PubMed

Gino, Francesca; Pierce, Lamar

2009-09-01

Under what conditions do people act dishonestly to help or hurt others? We addressed this question by examining the influence of a previously overlooked factor-the beneficiary or victim of dishonest acts. In two experiments, we randomly paired participants and manipulated their wealth levels through an initial lottery. We then observed how inequity between partners influenced the likelihood of one dishonestly helping or hurting the other, while varying the financial incentives for dishonest behavior. The results show that financial self-interest cannot fully explain people's tendency to dishonestly help or hurt others. Rather, such dishonesty is influenced by emotional reactions to wealth-based inequity, even when the dishonesty bears a personal financial cost. Envy evoked by negative inequity led to hurting behavior, whereas guilt induced by positive inequity motivated helping behavior. Finally, inequity between the partner and third parties triggered dishonest helping through empathy with the partner.

Air Force Office of Scientific Research

Science.gov Websites

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Confirming preferences or collecting data? Information search strategies and romantic partner selection.

PubMed

Hennessy, Michael H; Fishbein, Marty; Curtis, Brenda; Barrett, Daniel

2008-03-01

This article investigates two kinds of information search strategies in the context of selecting romantic partners. Confirmatory searching occurs when people ask for more information about a romantic partner in order to validate or confirm their assessment. Balanced searches are characterized by a search for risk information for partners rated as attractive and for attractiveness information about partners rated as risky in order to attain a more complete evaluation. A factorial survey computer program randomly constructed five types of partner descriptions and college-age respondents evaluated nine descriptions in terms of both health risk and romantic attractiveness outcomes. The results show little evidence of balanced search strategies: for all vignette types the respondents searched for attractiveness information. Regression analysis of the search outcomes showed no difference between males and females in the desire for attractiveness or risk information, the amount of additional information desired, or the proportion of descriptions for which more information was desired. However, an attractive physical appearance did increase the amount of additional information desired and the proportion of vignettes for which more information was desired. The results were generally inconsistent with a balanced search hypothesis; a better characterization of the respondents' strategy might be "confirmatory bias."

Selected Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Two or More Lifetime Sexual Intercourse Partners and Non-Condom Use during Last Coitus among U.S. Rural High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarber, William L.; Milhausen, Robin; Crosby, Richard A.; DiClemente, Ralph J.

2002-01-01

This analysis determined the association between 13 selected health risk and protective factors and reporting two or more lifetime sexual intercourse partners and non-condom use for last coitus among sexually experienced U.S. rural high school students. The sample was 569 sexually experienced adolescent females and 561 sexually experienced…

Partner's Resources and Adjusting Working Hours in the Netherlands: Differences over Time, between Levels of Human Capital, and over the Family Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verbakel, Ellen

2010-01-01

We study to what extent adjustments in labor market participation, defined as employment entry and exit, and as increases and reductions of weekly working hours, depend on resources of the partner. Moreover, we investigate whether the influence of the partner depends on historical period, human capital, and children. We are especially interested…

Longitudinal examination of peer and partner influences on gender-specific pathways from child abuse to adult crime.

PubMed

Lee, Jungeun Olivia; Herrenkohl, Todd I; Jung, Hyunzee; Skinner, Martie L; Klika, J Bart

2015-09-01

Research provides increasing evidence of the association of child abuse with adult antisocial behavior. However, less is known about the developmental pathways that underlie this association. Building on the life course model of antisocial behavior, the present study examined possible developmental pathways linking various forms of child abuse (physical, emotional, sexual) to adult antisocial behavior. These pathways include child and adolescent antisocial behavior, as well as adulthood measures of partner risk taking, warmth, and antisocial peer influences. Data are from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective longitudinal study examining long-term developmental outcomes subsequent to child maltreatment. Participant families in the Lehigh Longitudinal Study were followed from preschool age into adulthood. Analyses of gender differences addressed the consistency of path coefficients across genders. Results for 297 adult participants followed from early childhood showed that, for both genders, physical and emotional child abuse predicted adult crime indirectly through child and adolescent antisocial behavior, as well as adult partner and antisocial peer influences. However, for females, having an antisocial partner predicted an affiliation with antisocial peers, and that in turn predicted adult crime. For males, having an antisocial partner was associated with less partner warmth, which in turn predicted an affiliation with antisocial peers, itself a proximal predictor of adult crime. Sexual abuse also predicted adolescent antisocial behavior, but only for males, supporting what some have called "a delayed-onset pathway" for females, whereby the exposure to early risks produce much later developmental outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Associations between Perceived HIV Stigma and Quality of Life at the Dyadic Lvel: The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

PubMed Central

Liu, Hongjie; Xu, Yongfang; Lin, Xinjin; Shi, Jian; Chen, Shiyi

2013-01-01

Background Few studies have investigated the relationship between HIV-related stigma and quality life at the dyadic level. The objective of this study was to examine the actor and partner effects of stigma that was perceived by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) and caregivers on quality of life at the dyadic level. Method A survey was conducted among 148 dyads consisting of one PLWHA and one caregiver (296 participants) in Nanning, China. The interdependent relationship between a pair of dyadic members that influences the associations between stigma and quality of life was analyzed, using an innovative dyadic analysis technique: the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). Results We found in this dyadic analysis that (1) PLWHAs compared to their caregivers exhibited a higher level of perceived HIV stigma and lower level of quality of life measured in four domains; (2) both PLWHAs' and caregivers' perceived HIV stigma influenced their own quality of life; (3) The quality of life was not substantially influenced by their partners' perceived stigma; and (4) Both actor and partner effects of stigma on quality of life were similar among PLWHAs and their caregivers. Conclusion As HIV stigma and quality of life are complex phenomena rooted in cultures, intervention programs should be carefully planned based on social or cognitive theories and should be culturally adopted. PMID:23383343

Associations between perceived HIV stigma and quality of life at the dyadic level: the actor-partner interdependence model.

PubMed

Liu, Hongjie; Xu, Yongfang; Lin, Xinjin; Shi, Jian; Chen, Shiyi

2013-01-01

Few studies have investigated the relationship between HIV-related stigma and quality life at the dyadic level. The objective of this study was to examine the actor and partner effects of stigma that was perceived by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) and caregivers on quality of life at the dyadic level. A survey was conducted among 148 dyads consisting of one PLWHA and one caregiver (296 participants) in Nanning, China. The interdependent relationship between a pair of dyadic members that influences the associations between stigma and quality of life was analyzed, using an innovative dyadic analysis technique: the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). We found in this dyadic analysis that (1) PLWHAs compared to their caregivers exhibited a higher level of perceived HIV stigma and lower level of quality of life measured in four domains; (2) both PLWHAs' and caregivers' perceived HIV stigma influenced their own quality of life; (3) The quality of life was not substantially influenced by their partners' perceived stigma; and (4) Both actor and partner effects of stigma on quality of life were similar among PLWHAs and their caregivers. As HIV stigma and quality of life are complex phenomena rooted in cultures, intervention programs should be carefully planned based on social or cognitive theories and should be culturally adopted.

Not good enough and on a tether: exploring how violent relationships impact women's sense of self.

PubMed

Lynch, Shannon M

2013-01-01

There is general agreement among researchers that partner violence and self-esteem are significantly inversely correlated. Several qualitative researchers have examined women's narratives within small samples for self statements and discovered references to lost or damaged sense of self. However, the process by which partner violence impacts women's sense of self and the extent of its influence on women's sense of self remains unclear. To further our understanding, the current study explored 100 women's sense of self in the context of their relationships. Women responded to open ended questions about how they describe themselves, influences on their sense of self, and perceived self changes. Participants in troubled relationships were recruited with fliers and advertisements. Over half of the women reported physically or psychologically abusive partners (n = 57) in the prior 12 months while 43 women reported no physical violence and little to no psychological abuse in the past year. All women made positive self references, but women with violent partners also included more numerous negative self descriptions. Women with violent partners also described more negative self-change (decreased assertiveness, confidence), loss of identity or a sense of themselves as different in different contexts; themes not commonly found in the comparison sample. For both groups, however, other influences, such as work and friends, appeared to provide opportunities for positive and affirming self-perceptions.

Me After You: Partner Influence and Individual Effort Predict Rejection of Self-Aspects and Self-Concept Clarity After Relationship Dissolution.

PubMed

Slotter, Erica B; Emery, Lydia F; Luchies, Laura B

2014-07-01

Individuals in ongoing romantic relationships incorporate attributes from their partner into their own self-concepts. However, little research has investigated what happens to these attributes should the relationship end. Across three studies, the present research sought to examine factors that predicted whether individuals retain or reject attributes from their self-concept that they initially gained during a relationship. We predicted that individuals would be more likely to reject attributes from their self post-dissolution if their ex-partner was influential in them adding those attributes to the self in the first place. However, we expected this effect to be moderated such that individuals who exerted greater, versus lesser, effort in maintaining relevant attributes would retain them as part of the self, regardless of whether the attribute originated from the partner. In addition, in two of our three studies, we explored the roles of partner influence, effort, and attribute rejection on individuals' post-dissolution self-concept clarity. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Conflict, negative emotion, and reports of partners' relationship maintenance in same-sex couples.

PubMed

Ogolsky, Brian G; Gray, Christine R

2016-03-01

The literature on relationship maintenance has focused primarily on the beneficial outcomes of maintenance, and, as a result, little is known about relational processes that may interfere with reports of partners' maintenance. The authors examine how daily conflict influences individuals' reports of their partners' maintenance, and how a constructive communication style buffers this influence by reducing negative emotion on conflict days. In a daily diary study of 98 same-sex couples in romantic relationships, they found that the negative association between conflict and reports of a partner's relationship maintenance was mediated by negative emotion. That is, there was an indirect effect by which daily conflict was associated with higher levels of daily negative emotion, which was associated with reports of lower levels of partners' relationship maintenance. This indirect effect was moderated by couples' overall level of constructive communication such that higher levels diminished the degree to which couples experienced negative emotion on days with episodes of relational conflict. The authors discuss results in the context of interpersonal theory and provide implications for clinicians and practitioners. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Young People’s Sexual Partnerships in KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa: Patterns, Contextual Influences, and HIV Risk

PubMed Central

Harrison, Abigail; Cleland, John; Frohlich, Janet

2013-01-01

Certain sexual partnering practices, such as multiple, concurrent or age-discrepant partnerships, are known to increase HIV risk. Yet the underlying dynamics of young people’s relationships are less understood. Using household survey and qualitative data, this study examines the partnership context of HIV risk, including partner types, their characteristics, and key aspects of partnership dynamics, including partner numbers and age differences, duration, concurrency, and frequency of contact among youth aged 15–24 in rural KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa. One-third of men reported multiple and/or concurrent partnering, while one-quarter of women had partners > 5 years older. Non-participation in civic organizations or schooling was correlated with higher risk partnerships for women, but not men. On average, relationships lasted >1 year for women and men, and were frequently characterized as ‘serious’. However, qualitative findings pointed to the sequential and overlapping nature of relationships, with distance and mobility as important influences. These fluid partnership patterns are an important feature of young people’s sexual risk in the context of South Africa’s severe HIV epidemic. PMID:19248716

Interaction with a high-versus low-competence influence source in inductive reasoning.

PubMed

Butera, Fabrizio; Caverni, Jean-Paul; Rossi, Sandrine

2005-04-01

Literature on inductive reasoning shows that when testing hypotheses, people are biased toward the use of confirmatory strategies (P. C. Wason, 1960). In the present article, the authors presented 2 studies showing how people use confirmation and disconfirmation strategies during actual interaction in problem solving. Study 1 showed that participants were able to learn to use disconfirmation when confronted with a low-competence, nonthreatening partner. When the partner was high in competence (thereby threatening the participant's competence), participants used confirmation, even when the partner used disconfirmation. In Study 2, the authors aimed at generalizing the aforementioned results by exploring the hypothesis that disconfirmation stems from the possibility of diverging from norms. Participants who were confronted with the violation of a conversational norm used a high proportion of disconfirmation, whatever the source of influence. When there was no violation but there was a low-competence partner, the proportion of disconfirmation was high; when there was no violation but there was a high-competence partner, the proportion of disconfirmation was low. The authors discussed the interpersonal functions of confirmation and disconfirmation.

Using the trauma film paradigm to explore interpersonal processes after trauma exposure.

PubMed

Woodward, Matthew J; Beck, J Gayle

2017-07-01

The present study sought to examine ways in which social support might influence trauma symptoms using a variation of the trauma film paradigm. Sixty-seven undergraduate female students in romantic relationships were randomized to watch a stressful film clip depicting a sexual assault, either in the presence (PP) or absence (PA) of their romantic partner. Analyses showed that the PP condition experienced more intrusive memories of the film than the PA condition. In addition, participants in the PP condition whose romantic partner reported low relationship trust had higher film-related distress than participants in the PP condition whose romantic partner reported high relationship trust. Observational coding of partner behaviors after viewing the film clip found that greater expression of negative emotion from partners predicted participants' negative affect and intrusive memories over time. Positive emotional support did not have any effect upon participants' distress. Findings identify possible ways in which interpersonal processes influence trauma adjustment and suggest that the trauma film paradigm can be adapted to examine the role of interpersonal processes in post-trauma adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Maintaining close relationships: gratitude as a motivator and a detector of maintenance behavior.

PubMed

Kubacka, Kaska E; Finkenauer, Catrin; Rusbult, Caryl E; Keijsers, Loes

2011-10-01

This research examined the dual function of gratitude for relationship maintenance in close relationships. In a longitudinal study among married couples, the authors tested the dyadic effects of gratitude over three time points for approximately 4 years following marriage. They found that feelings of gratitude toward a partner stem from the partner's relationship maintenance behaviors, partly because such behaviors create the perception of responsiveness to one's needs. In turn, gratitude motivates partners to engage in relationship maintenance. Hence, the present model emphasizes that gratitude between close partners (a) originates from partners' relationship maintenance behaviors and the perception of a partner's responsiveness and (b) promotes a partner's reciprocal maintenance behaviors. Thus, the authors' findings add credence to their model, in that gratitude contributes to a reciprocal process of relationship maintenance, whereby each partner's maintenance behaviors, perceptions of responsiveness, and feelings of gratitude feed back on and influence the other's behaviors, perceptions, and feelings.

The impact of a national poverty reduction program on the characteristics of sex partners among Kenyan adolescents.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Molly; Pettifor, Audrey; Thirumurthy, Harsha; Halpern, Carolyn Tucker; Handa, Sudhanshu

2014-02-01

Cash transfer programs have the potential to prevent the spread of HIV, particularly among adolescents. One mechanism through which these programs may work is by influencing the characteristics of the people adolescents choose as sex partners. We examined the four-year impact of a Kenyan cash transfer program on partner age, partner enrollment in school, and transactional sex-based relationships among 684 adolescents. We found no significant impact of the program on partner characteristics overall, though estimates varied widely by gender, age, schooling, and economic status. Results highlight the importance of context in exploring the potential HIV preventive effects of cash transfers.

Effects of selection for cooperation and attention in dogs.

PubMed

Gácsi, Márta; McGreevy, Paul; Kara, Edina; Miklósi, Adám

2009-07-24

It has been suggested that the functional similarities in the socio-cognitive behaviour of dogs and humans emerged as a consequence of comparable environmental selection pressures. Here we use a novel approach to account for the facilitating effect of domestication in dogs and reveal that selection for two factors under genetic influence (visual cooperation and focused attention) may have led independently to increased comprehension of human communicational cues. In Study 1, we observed the performance of three groups of dogs in utilizing the human pointing gesture in a two-way object choice test. We compared breeds selected to work while visually separated from human partners (N = 30, 21 breeds, clustered as independent worker group), with those selected to work in close cooperation and continuous visual contact with human partners (N = 30, 22 breeds, clustered as cooperative worker group), and with a group of mongrels (N = 30).Secondly, it has been reported that, in dogs, selective breeding to produce an abnormal shortening of the skull is associated with a more pronounced area centralis (location of greatest visual acuity). In Study 2, breeds with high cephalic index and more frontally placed eyes (brachycephalic breeds, N = 25, 14 breeds) were compared with breeds with low cephalic index and laterally placed eyes (dolichocephalic breeds, N = 25, 14 breeds). In Study 1, cooperative workers were significantly more successful in utilizing the human pointing gesture than both the independent workers and the mongrels.In study 2, we found that brachycephalic dogs performed significantly better than dolichocephalic breeds. After controlling for environmental factors, we have provided evidence that at least two independent phenotypic traits with certain genetic variability affect the ability of dogs to rely on human visual cues. This finding should caution researchers against making simple generalizations about the effects of domestication and on dog-wolf differences in the utilization of human visual signals.

Differentiating weak ties and strong ties among external sources of influences for enterprise resource planning (ERP) adoption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubert, Benoit; Léger, Pierre-Majorique; Larocque, Denis

2012-05-01

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems represent a major IT adoption decision. ERP adoption decisions, in the chemicals and allied products sectors, were examined between 1994 and 2005. Networks of strong ties and weak ties partners are investigated. Results show that neighbouring companies linked with strong ties can have an influence on organisations making such adoption decision. Past decisions made by major trading partners have a significant influence on the decision to adopt an ERP system for a given organisation. This reflects the complex nature of the knowledge required for such adoption.

Influences on Sexual Partnering Among African American Adolescents With Concurrent Sexual Relationships

PubMed Central

Reed, Sarah J.; Bangi, Audrey; Sheon, Nicolas; Harper, Gary W.; Catania, Joseph A.; Richards, Kimberly A. M.; Dolcini, M. Margaret; Boyer, Cherrie B.

2012-01-01

Adolescents often engage in concurrent sexual partnerships as part of a developmental process of gaining experience with sexuality. The authors qualitatively examined patterns of concurrency and variation in normative and motivational influences on this pattern of sexual partnering among African American adolescents (31 males; 20 females), ages 15 to 17 years. Using content analysis, gender and contextual differences in social norms and motivations for concurrency were explored. Findings describe the normative influences on adolescent males and females with regard to sexual concurrency and the transfer of these norms from one generation to the next. PMID:22505843

Bringing HIV partner services into the age of social media and mobile connectivity.

PubMed

Udeagu, Chi-Chi N; Bocour, Angelica; Shah, Sharmila; Ramos, Yasmin; Gutierrez, Rodolfo; Shepard, Colin W

2014-10-01

A substantial proportion of recent sex partners named by persons with sexually transmitted infections are not notified about their exposure despite attempts by public health officials. Although text messaging (texting) and Internet-based communications (dating Web sites, e-mail, etc) are used by a large segment of the public for regular communications, these tools have been underused for partner services (PS). We augmented PS for HIV in New York City using texting and Internet-based means to contact persons for whom traditional information (landline telephone number, postal address) was unavailable. We compared traditional PS (traditionalPS), Internet-based PS (IPS) in January 2011 to October 2012, and texting PS (txtPS) from January 2012 (when txtPS was initiated) through October 2012 on outcomes of contact attempts, notification, and HIV testing. From January 2011 to October 2012, of 3319 partners elicited, 2604 and 275 partners had traditional and only Internet-based contact information and were selected for traditionalPS and IPS, respectively. From January to October 2012, 368 of 1569 partners had only texting-enabled cellphone numbers and were selected for txtPS. The contact rate for txtPS (285/368 [77%]) was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than the contact rates for traditionalPS (1803/2604 [69%]) and IPS (112/275 [41%]). There was a higher likelihood of notifying contacted IPS (odds ratio, 2.1; 1.2-3.4) and txtPS (odds ratio, 2.4; 1.7-3.2) than traditionalPS partners (P ≤ 0.0001). However, among the notified partners, traditionalPS partners were significantly (P < 0.0001) more likely than txtPS or IPS partners to test for HIV after partner notification (69% vs 45% and 34%, respectively). Augmenting traditionalPS with txtPS and IPS enabled notification of hundreds of previously untraceable partners and several new HIV diagnoses.

Homosexual mating preferences from an evolutionary perspective: sexual selection theory revisited.

PubMed

Gobrogge, Kyle L; Perkins, Patrick S; Baker, Jessica H; Balcer, Kristen D; Breedlove, S Marc; Klump, Kelly L

2007-10-01

Studies in evolutionary psychology and sexual selection theory show that heterosexual men prefer younger mating partners than heterosexual women in order to ensure reproductive success. However, previous research has generally not examined differences in mating preferences as a function of sexual orientation or the type of relationship sought in naturalistic settings. Given that homosexual men seek partners for reasons other than procreation, they may exhibit different mating preferences than their heterosexual counterparts. Moreover, mating preferences may show important differences depending on whether an individual is seeking a long-term versus a short-term relationship. The purpose of the present study was to examine these issues by comparing partner preferences in terms of age and relationship type between homosexual and heterosexual men placing internet personal advertisements. Participants included 439 homosexual and 365 heterosexual men who placed internet ads in the U.S. or Canada. Ads were coded for the participant's age, relationship type (longer-term or short-term sexual encounter) sought, and partner age preferences. Significantly more homosexual than heterosexual men sought sexual encounters, although men (regardless of sexual orientation) seeking sexual encounters preferred a significantly wider age range of partners than men seeking longer-term relationships. These findings suggest that partner preferences are independent of evolutionary drives to procreate, since both types of men preferred similar ages in their partners. In addition, they highlight the importance of examining relationship type in evolutionary studies of mating preferences, as men's partner preferences show important differences depending upon the type of relationship sought.

The neural correlates of emotion alignment in social interaction.

PubMed

Prehn, Kristin; Korn, Christoph W; Bajbouj, Malek; Klann-Delius, Gisela; Menninghaus, Winfried; Jacobs, Arthur M; Heekeren, Hauke R

2015-03-01

Talking about emotion and sharing emotional experiences is a key component of human interaction. Specifically, individuals often consider the reactions of other people when evaluating the meaning and impact of an emotional stimulus. It has not yet been investigated, however, how emotional arousal ratings and physiological responses elicited by affective stimuli are influenced by the rating of an interaction partner. In the present study, pairs of participants were asked to rate and communicate the degree of their emotional arousal while viewing affective pictures. Strikingly, participants adjusted their arousal ratings to match up with their interaction partner. In anticipation of the affective picture, the interaction partner's arousal ratings correlated positively with activity in anterior insula and prefrontal cortex. During picture presentation, social influence was reflected in the ventral striatum, that is, activity in the ventral striatum correlated negatively with the interaction partner's ratings. Results of the study show that emotional alignment through the influence of another person's communicated experience has to be considered as a complex phenomenon integrating different components including emotion anticipation and conformity. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Evaluate the influence of psychosocial factors on sexuality soldiers participating in the Polish Military Contingent in Afghanistan].

PubMed

Brunowski, Jerzy; Florkowski, Antoni; Denys, Katarzyna; Zboralski, Krzysztof

2013-12-01

Sexual health problems of stabilization missions soldiers, contrary to other specific populations, have not been fully studied. However, effects of being in a war zone have been thoroughly investigated. Modern warfare soldier experiences stress related not only to life and health threat but also to separation from loved ones. Anxiety and depression as adaptive disorders, rarer posttraumatic disorder were diagnosed in participants of stabilization missions. These disorders as well as not diagnosed dysfunctions may have impact on sexual health. To assess the selected psychosocial factors on sexuality of veterans of Polish Military Contingent (PMC) in Afghanistan. The study was carried out on 68 soldiers, participants of stabilization mission in Afghanistan. The following diagnostic tools were used: sexual history related to military service specificity was taken, IIEF questionnaire, Mell-Krat Scale for Men, scale of sexual pathology in men, questionnaire: 'Self-esteem on relationship with a partner'. According to the investigated individuals, taking part in a military mission did not increase present or trigger new problems in sex life. The examined soldiers were satisfied with their sexual activity, assessed themselves as good lovers and claimed to be perceived so by their partners. The results of the study show that taking part in Polish Military Contingent seems to have had no negative effect on veterans sex life. Majority of the investigated veterans assessed well the relationship with a wife/partner as well as satisfaction from sexual activity and were aware of being well assessed by a wife/partner with reference to sexual activity.

A new perspective on sexual mixing among men who have sex with men by body image.

PubMed

Leung, Ka-Kit; Wong, Horas T H; Naftalin, Claire M; Lee, Shui Shan

2014-01-01

"Casual sex" is seldom as non-selective and random as it may sound. During each sexual encounter, people consciously and unconsciously seek their casual sex partners according to different attributes. Influential to a sexual network, research focusing on quantifying the effects of physical appearance on sexual network has been sparse. We evaluated the application of Log odds score (LOD) to assess the mixing patterns of 326 men who have sex with men (MSM) in Hong Kong in their networking of casual sex partners by Body Image Type (BIT). This involved an analysis of 1,196 respondents-casual sex partner pairs. Seven BITs were used in the study: Bear, Chubby, Slender, Lean toned, Muscular, Average and Other. A hierarchical pattern was observed in the preference of MSM for casual sex partners by the latter's BIT. Overall, Muscular men were most preferred, followed by Lean toned while the least preferred was Slender, as illustrated by LOD going down along the hierarchy in the same direction. Marked avoidance was found between men who self-identified as Chubby and men of Other body type (within-group-LOD: 1.25-2.89; between-group-LOD: <-1). None of the respondents reported to have networked a man who self-identified as Average for casual sex. We have demonstrated the possibility of adopting a mathematical prototype to investigate the influence of BIT in a sexual network of MSM. Construction of matrix based on culture-specific BIT and cross-cultural comparisons would generate new knowledge on the mixing behaviors of MSM.

Partner relationships and long-term sick leave among female workers: consequences and impact on dimensions of health and return to work.

PubMed

Dellve, Lotta; Ahlborg, Tone

2012-12-01

Few efforts have been made to prospectively identify resources and obstacles outside work that may predict regained work ability and return to work when workers are on sick leave. This study investigates the association between partner relationships and sick leave. Our research questions were as follows: (i) What is the influence of sick leave, pain, stress and domestic strain on the quality of the dyadic partner relationship?, and (ii) What is the influence of the partner and social relationship on pain, stress, work ability, self-rated health and return to work? A cohort of female workers (n = 225) on long-term sick leave (>60 days), all in a partner relationship, at 6-month intervals completed a questionnaire based on the Quality of Dyadic Relationship (QDR) instrument, the Interview Schedule of Social Interaction (ISSI), the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Univariate and multivariate analyses of baseline and prospective data were performed. The results showed that decreased partner relationship quality was related to having major responsibility for household work despite being on sick leave, having pain and having decreased social integration. Among younger individuals on sick leave, a reduction in the quality of the partner relationship was shown already at the first (6-month) follow-up, while among middle-aged women, such a reduction was seen only at the 12-month follow-up. No dimensions of partner relationship quality at baseline were related to dimensions of return to work, either as a resource or as an obstacle. Consequently, our results show that a good relationship does not keep the woman from returning to work. Having main responsibility for household work, which implies domestic strain while on sick leave, predicts lower partner relationship quality. The practical implications are that healthcare professionals treating women on sick leave should emphasize the importance of keeping a social network as well as making sufficient adjustments at home for the relationship quality to be safeguarded. Special attention should be given to the young woman on sick leave as being on sick leave seems to influence her partner relationship considerably. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Child Behavior Problems among Latina Adolescent Mothers: The Buffering Effect of Mother-reported Partner Child Care Involvement

PubMed Central

Smith, Erin N.; Grau, Josefina M.; Duran, Petra A.; Castellanos, Patricia

2013-01-01

We examined the relations between maternal depressive symptoms and child internalizing and externalizing problems in a sample of 125 adolescent Latina mothers (primarily Puerto Rican) and their toddlers. We also tested the influence of mother-reported partner child care involvement on child behavior problems and explored mother-reported partner characteristics that related to this involvement. Results suggested that maternal depressive symptoms related to child internalizing and externalizing problems when accounting for contextual risk factors. Importantly, these symptoms mediated the link between life stress and child behavior problems. Mother-reported partner child care interacted with maternal depressive symptoms for internalizing, not externalizing, problems. Specifically, depressive symptoms related less strongly to internalizing problems at higher levels of partner child care than at lower levels. Participants with younger partners, co-residing partners, and in longer romantic relationships reported higher partner child care involvement. Results are discussed considering implications for future research and interventions for mothers, their children, and their partners. PMID:24339474

Conservative Beliefs, Attitudes Toward Bisexuality, and Willingness to Engage in Romantic and Sexual Activities With a Bisexual Partner.

PubMed

Feinstein, Brian A; Dyar, Christina; Bhatia, Vickie; Latack, Jessica A; Davila, Joanne

2016-08-01

Negative attitudes toward bisexuals have been documented among heterosexuals as well as lesbians/gay men, and a common theme is that bisexuals would not be suitable romantic or sexual partners. While gender, sexual orientation, and attitudes toward bisexuality influence people's willingness to engage in romantic or sexual activities with a bisexual partner, there are other individual differences that may contribute. The current study examined the associations between four types of conservative beliefs and willingness to engage in romantic/sexual activities with a bisexual partner in a sample of heterosexuals and lesbians/gay men (N = 438). Attitudes toward bisexuality were examined as a mediator of these associations. In general, results indicated that higher social dominance orientation, political conservatism, and essentialist beliefs about the discreteness of homosexuality were associated with lower willingness to engage in romantic/sexual activities with a bisexual partner. Further, more negative attitudes toward bisexuality mediated these associations. There were several meaningful differences in these associations between heterosexual women, heterosexual men, lesbian women, and gay men, suggesting that influences on people's willingness to be romantically or sexually involved with a bisexual partner may differ for different gender and sexual orientation groups. Implications for reducing stigma and discrimination against bisexual individuals are addressed.

Discriminating binding mechanisms of an intrinsically disordered protein via a multi-state coarse-grained model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knott, Michael; Best, Robert B.

2014-05-01

Many proteins undergo a conformational transition upon binding to their cognate binding partner, with intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) providing an extreme example in which a folding transition occurs. However, it is often not clear whether this occurs via an "induced fit" or "conformational selection" mechanism, or via some intermediate scenario. In the first case, transient encounters with the binding partner favour transitions to the bound structure before the two proteins dissociate, while in the second the bound structure must be selected from a subset of unbound structures which are in the correct state for binding, because transient encounters of the incorrect conformation with the binding partner are most likely to result in dissociation. A particularly interesting situation involves those intrinsically disordered proteins which can bind to different binding partners in different conformations. We have devised a multi-state coarse-grained simulation model which is able to capture the binding of IDPs in alternate conformations, and by applying it to the binding of nuclear coactivator binding domain (NCBD) to either ACTR or IRF-3 we are able to determine the binding mechanism. By all measures, the binding of NCBD to either binding partner appears to occur via an induced fit mechanism. Nonetheless, we also show how a scenario closer to conformational selection could arise by choosing an alternative non-binding structure for NCBD.

Associations of group level popularity with observed behavior and influence in a dyadic context.

PubMed

Lansu, Tessa A M; Cillessen, Antonius H N

2015-12-01

This study examined the association between popularity in the peer group and adolescents' behavior in a dyadic context. After collecting peer nominations for popularity, 218 early adolescents (M(age) = 11.0 years) in 109 randomly composed same-sex dyads participated in a discussion task where they planned a party for their classroom. From digital recordings of the sessions, each participant's influence, involvement, skillful leadership, coercive resource control, submissiveness, positivity, and negativity were observed. Analyses with the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) demonstrated that for girls high group level popularity was associated with a socially sensitive interaction style and influence in the dyadic context. For both boys and girls, the interaction partner's group level popularity negatively predicted their use of coercive resource control strategies and negative behavior in the dyad. For girls, in addition, the interaction partner's group level popularity also positively predicted their submissiveness and negatively predicted their task influence. These results indicate that, in particular for girls, adolescents' group level popularity plays an important role in the behavior of both peers in a cooperative dyadic context. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Among U.S. Veterans: Comparing Associations with Intimate Partner Substance Abuse and Veteran Psychopathology

PubMed Central

Miller, Mark W.; Reardon, Annemarie F.; Wolf, Erika J.; Prince, Lauren B.; Hein, Christina L.

2013-01-01

This study examined the relative influences of PTSD, other psychopathology, and intimate partner alcohol and drug use on substance-related problems in U.S. veterans (242 couples, N = 484). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that partner alcohol and drug use severity explained more variance in veteran alcohol use and drug use (20% and 13%, respectively) than did veteran PTSD, adult antisocial behavior, or depression symptoms combined (6% for veteran alcohol use; 7% for veteran drug use). Findings shed new light on the influence of relationship factors on veteran alcohol and drug use and underscore the importance of couples-oriented approaches to treating veterans with comorbid PTSD and substance abuse. PMID:23325433

Nonmaternal Care’s Association With Mother’s Parenting Sensitivity: A Case of Self-Selection Bias?

PubMed Central

Nomaguchi, Kei M.; DeMaris, Alfred

2013-01-01

Although attachment theory posits that the use of nonmaternal care undermines quality of mothers’ parenting, empirical evidence for this link is inconclusive. Using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,233), the authors examined the associations between nonmaternal care characteristics and maternal sensitivity during the first 3 years of children’s lives, with special attention to selection effects and moderation by resource levels. Findings from fixed-effects regression models suggested that, on average, there is little relationship between nonmaternal care characteristics and maternal sensitivity, once selection factors are held constant. Some evidence of moderation effects was found, however. Excellent-quality care is related to more sensitivity for mothers with lower family income. Poor-quality care is related to lower sensitivity for single mothers, but not partnered mothers. In sum, nonmaternal care characteristics do not seem to have as much influence on mothers’ parenting as attachment theory claims. PMID:23772093

Interviewing with or without the partner present?--an underexposed dilemma between ethics and methodology in nursing research.

PubMed

Norlyk, Annelise; Haahr, Anita; Hall, Elisabeth

2016-04-01

To discuss ethical and methodological challenges related to in-depth interviews with patients and partners when interviewed together or separately. Increased interest in exploring illness phenomena from both patients' and partners' perspectives has emerged. The decision about how to collect data is challenging. Patients and partners can be interviewed separately or together; in both scenarios researchers face complex questions of methodology and ethics. This paper contributes to the ongoing debate on individual or joint interviewing and the effect of absence/presence of the partner on data collection. Discussion paper that draws on data from three phenomenological studies. Referring to three cases from our phenomenological studies, we discuss the different types of ethical and methodological dilemmas faced when undertaking joint and separate interviews with couples. Furthermore, we discuss how the unexpected presence of the partner potentially influences the data gathered from the patient. The cases demonstrate the interrelatedness of ethics and methodology in studies based on in-depth interviews with couples. Nurse researchers may be caught up in a dilemma between ethical concerns and methodological considerations. We argue that the presence of the partner during an interview session might influence the data and favour expressions of shared rather than individual experiences of the phenomenon studied. Furthermore, we argue that ethical concerns must be given higher priority than methodology when interviewing couples. An increased awareness of the tension between ethical and methodological challenges in joint or individual interviewing with patients and partners is necessary, as this issue is underexposed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A cross-sectional study of knowledge of sex partner serostatus among high-risk Peruvian men who have sex with men and transgender women: implications for HIV prevention

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Knowledge of a sex partner’s HIV serostatus can influence sexual behavior and inform harm-reduction strategies. We sought to determine how often Peruvian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) knew the HIV serostatus of their sex partners, if this knowledge was associated with any predictive factors or unprotected anal intercourse (UAI), and if UAI was associated with partner serostatus. Methods We analyzed data from the 2008 Peruvian MSM Sentinel Surveillance Survey. Data were collected by CASI about each participant’s three most recent male sex partners. Primary outcome was knowledge of a partner's HIV test result. Multivariate analysis assessed the effect of age, education, sexual identity, number of male partners, alcohol use during intercourse, type of partnership and length of partnership using logistic regression. Results 735 participants provided data on 1,643 of their most recent sex partners from the last 3 months. 179/735 (24.4%) of all participants knew HIV test results for at least one of their 3 most recent partners, corresponding to 230/1643 (14.0%) of all sexual partnerships in the last 3 months. In multivariate analysis, casual (OR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.17-0.42) and exchange sex (OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.88) partners, compared to stable partners, were negatively associated with knowledge of partner serostatus, whereas relationships lasting longer than one night (<3 months OR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.39-3.51; 3 months to 1 year OR: 3.00, 95% CI: 1.80-5.01; ≥ 1 year OR: 4.13, 95% CI: 2.40-7.10) were positively associated with knowledge of partner serostatus. Knowledge of partner serostatus was not associated with unprotected anal intercourse with that partner. Conclusions Few MSM and TW in Peru know their partners’ HIV serostatus. Our findings suggest that the type and length of partnership influence the likelihood of knowing a partner’s serostatus. Further research should explore the contexts and practices of partner communication, their effect on sexual behavior, and interventions to promote discussion of HIV testing and serostatus as an HIV prevention strategy in this population. PMID:23448153

“I pick you”: the impact of fairness and race on infants’ selection of social partners

PubMed Central

Burns, Monica P.; Sommerville, Jessica A.

2014-01-01

By 15 months of age infants are sensitive to violations of fairness norms as assessed via their enhanced visual attention to unfair versus fair outcomes in violation-of-expectation paradigms. The current study investigated whether 15-month-old infants select social partners on the basis of prior fair versus unfair behavior, and whether infants integrate social selections on the basis of fairness with the race of the distributors and recipients involved in the exchange. Experiment 1 demonstrated that after witnessing one adult distribute toys to two recipients fairly (2:2 distribution), and another adult distribute toys to two recipients unfairly (1:3 distribution), Caucasian infants selected fair over unfair distributors when both distributors were Caucasian; however, this preference was not present when the fair actor was Asian and the unfair actor was Caucasian. In Experiment 2, when fairness, the race of the distributor, and the race of the recipients were fully crossed, Caucasian infants’ social selections varied as a function of the race of the recipient advantaged by the unfair distributor. Specifically, infants were more likely to select the fair distributor when the unfair recipient advantaged the Asian (versus the Caucasian) recipient. These findings provide evidence that infants select social partners on the basis of prior fair behavior and that infants also take into account the race of distributors and recipients when making their social selections. PMID:24575069

Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence in China

PubMed Central

Xu, Xiao; Zhu, Fengchuan; O’Campo, Patricia; Koenig, Michael A.; Mock, Victoria; Campbell, Jacquelyn

2005-01-01

Objectives. We estimated the prevalence of and risk factors for intimate partner violence in China. Methods. Our cross-sectional, comparative prevalence study used a face-to-face survey of randomly selected women attending an urban outpatient gynecological clinic at a major teaching hospital in Fuzhou, China. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess risk factors for intimate partner violence. Results. Of the 600 women interviewed, the prevalence of lifetime intimate partner violence and violence taking place within the year before the interview was 43% and 26%, respectively. For lifetime intimate partner violence, partners who had extramarital affairs and who refused to give respondents money were the strongest independent predictors. For intimate partner violence taking place within the year before the interview, frequent quarreling was the strongest predictor. Conclusions. Intimate partner violence is prevalent in China, with strong associations with male patriarchal values and conflict resolutions. Efforts to reduce intimate partner violence should be given high priority in health care settings where women can be reached. PMID:15623864

Sexual Partner Typologies among Single Young Men who Have Sex with Men

PubMed Central

Bauermeister, José A.

2014-01-01

Using data from a sample of single YMSM (N=1,359; ages 18-24; 65% White; 93% gay), we examined whether the number of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) partners with differed across relationship typologies (e.g., friends with benefits, hookups, romantic interests). We then examined how safer sex self-efficacy, decisional balance to forego condoms, ideal relationship attributes (i.e., intimacy, passion and commitment), and limerence were associated with UAI. Different partner types were associated with greater UAI partners; single partner types were associated with fewer UAI partners, irrespective of how they were categorized. UAI partners was associated with decisional balance (OR=1.89; p<.001), passion ideation (OR=1.38; p<.001), and difficulty negotiating safer sex with romantic partners (OR=1.16; p<.001). Odds of UAI partners decreased with higher scores of commitment ideation (OR=.91; p<.05) and difficulty negotiating safer sex with casual partners (OR=.96; p<.05). We discuss the importance of acknowledging how different sexual partnerships, alongside its motivational correlates, influence UAI risk in order to inform HIV-prevention interventions. PMID:25358726

The Risk of Sexually Transmitted Infection and Its Influence on Condom Use among Pregnant Women in the Kintampo North Municipality of Ghana

PubMed Central

Afari-Asiedu, Samuel; Gyabaa-Febir, Lawrence; Adjei, Kwame Kesse; Mahama, Emmanuel; Tawiah-Agyemang, Charlotte; Newton, Sam K.; Asante, Kwaku Poku; Owusu-Agyei, Seth

2017-01-01

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) affects the reproductive health of both men and women worldwide. Condoms are important part of the available preventive strategies for STI control. The lack of proper risk-perception continues to impede women's ability to negotiate condom use with their partners. This paper is the outcome of secondary analysis of data collected in a cross-sectional survey that explored the perception of risk of STI and its influence on condom use among 504 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at two health facilities in the Kintampo North Municipality. Consecutively, three Focus Group Discussions were conducted among 22 pregnant women which was analyzed using thematic analysis technique. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify possible predictors of condom use and risk of STI. Respondents mean age was 26.0 ± 5.9 years. 47% of respondents self-identified themselves as high risk for contracting STI, 50% of whom were married. High risk status (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1–4.4), ability to ask for condoms during sex (OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1–0.73), and partner's approval of condom use (OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.01–0.05) were independent predictors of condom use. Condom use (OR 2.9 (1.5–5.7); p = 0.001) and marital status (engaged, OR 2.6 (1.5–4.5); p = 0.001) were independent predictors of risk of STI. Women who self-identified themselves as high risk for STI successfully negotiated condom use with their partners. This is however influenced by partner's approval and ability to convince partner to use condoms. Self-assessment of STI risk by women and the cooperation of male partners remain critical. PMID:28246570

The Influence of Trauma History and Relationship Power on Latinas' Sexual Risk for HIV/STIs

PubMed Central

Randolph, Mary E.; Gamble, Heather L.; Buscemi, Joanna

2014-01-01

A community sample of Latinas completed surveys that included measures of sexual abuse and intimate partner violence history, relationship power, negotiating power regarding condom use, perceived HIV/STI risk of sexual partner, and sexual behavior. Over half of the women reported a history of intimate partner violence in the past year and/or sexual abuse in their lifetime. Intimate partner violence was correlated with lower overall sexual relationship power scores, while sexual abuse was correlated with lower condom use negotiating power. More extensive intimate partner violence had the strongest association with higher HIV/STI risk, controlling for relationship status, sexual abuse, and relationship power. PMID:25067990

To Punish or to Leave: Distinct Cognitive Processes Underlie Partner Control and Partner Choice Behaviors

PubMed Central

Martin, Justin W.; Cushman, Fiery

2015-01-01

When a cooperative partner defects, at least two types of response are available: Punishment, aimed at modifying behavior, and ostracism, aimed at avoiding further social interaction with the partner. These options, termed partner control and partner choice, have been distinguished at behavioral and evolutionary levels. However, little work has compared their cognitive bases. Do these disparate behaviors depend on common processes of moral evaluation? Specifically, we assess whether they show identical patterns of dependence on two key dimensions of moral evaluation: A person’s intentions, and the outcomes that they cause. We address this issue in a “trembling hand” economic game. In this game, an allocator divides a monetary stake between themselves and a responder based on a stochastic mechanism. This allows for dissociations between the allocator’s intent and the actual outcome. Responders were either given the opportunity to punish or reward the allocator (partner control) or to switch to a different partner for a subsequent round of play (partner choice). Our results suggest that partner control and partner choice behaviors are supported by distinct underlying cognitive processes: Partner control exhibits greater sensitivity to the outcomes a partner causes, while partner choice is influenced almost exclusively by a partner’s intentions. This cognitive dissociation can be understood in light of the unique adaptive functions of partner control and partner choice. PMID:25915550

Confirming Preferences or Collecting Data? Information Search Strategies and Romantic Partner Selection

PubMed Central

Hennessy, Michael; Fishbein, Martin; Curtis, Brenda; Barrett, Daniel W.

2010-01-01

This article investigates two kinds of information search strategies in the context of selecting romantic partners. Confirmatory searching occurs when people ask for more information about a romantic partner in order to validate or confirm their assessment. Balanced searches are characterized by a search for risk information for partners rated as attractive and for attractiveness information about partners rated as risky in order to attain a more complete evaluation. A factorial survey computer program randomly constructed 5 types of partner descriptions and college-age respondents evaluated nine descriptions in terms of both health risk and romantic attractiveness outcomes. The results show little evidence of balanced search strategies: for all vignette types the respondents searched for attractiveness information. Regression analysis of the search outcomes showed no difference between males and females in the desire for attractiveness or risk information, the amount of additional information desired, or the proportion of descriptions for which more information was desired. However, an attractive physical appearance did increase the amount of additional information desired and the proportion of vignettes for which more information was desired. The results were generally inconsistent with a balanced search hypothesis; a better characterization of the respondents' strategy might be “confirmatory bias.” PMID:18350465

Gender-based violence and socioeconomic inequalities: does living in more deprived neighbourhoods increase women's risk of intimate partner violence?

PubMed

Kiss, Ligia; Schraiber, Lilia Blima; Heise, Lori; Zimmerman, Cathy; Gouveia, Nelson; Watts, Charlotte

2012-04-01

This study investigates the influence of neighbourhood socioeconomic conditions on women's likelihood of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Data from 940 women who were interviewed as part of the WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence against women, and census data for Sao Paulo City, were analyzed using multilevel regression techniques. A neighbourhood socioeconomic-level scale was created, and proxies for the socioeconomic positions of the couple were included. Other individual level variables included factors related to partner's behaviour and women's experiences and attitudes. Women's risk of IPV did not vary across neighbourhoods in Sao Paulo nor was it influenced by her individual socioeconomic characteristics. However, women in the middle range of the socioeconomic scale were significantly more likely to report having experienced violence by a partner. Partner behaviours such as excessive alcohol use, controlling behaviour and multiple sexual partnerships were important predictors of IPV. A women's likelihood of IPV also increased if either her mother had experienced IPV or if she used alcohol excessively. These findings suggest that although the characteristics of people living in deprived neighbourhoods may influence the probability that a woman will experience IPV, higher-order contextual dynamics do not seem to affect this risk. While poverty reduction will improve the lives of individuals in many ways, strategies to reduce IPV should prioritize shifting norms that reinforce certain negative male behaviours. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acceptability, Knowledge, Beliefs, and Partners as Determinants of Zambian Men's Readiness to Undergo Medical Male Circumcision

PubMed Central

Jones, Deborah; Cook, Ryan; Arheart, Kris; Redding, Colleen A.; Zulu, Robert; Castro, Jose; Weiss, Stephen M.

2013-01-01

There is limited information about the influence of partners on medical male circumcision (MMC) uptake. This study aimed to evaluate attitudes, knowledge, and preferences about MMC among men and their partners, and their relative impact on male readiness to undergo the MMC procedure. Male participants (n = 354) and their partners (n = 273) were recruited from community health centers in Lusaka, Zambia. Men reported their readiness to undergo MMC, and both men and women were assessed regarding their attitudes and knowledge regarding MMC. Men who had discussed MMC with their partners, those who endorsed MMC for HIV risk reduction, and those viewing MMC as culturally acceptable reported increased readiness to undergo MMC. Additionally, endorsement of MMC by female partners was associated with increased men’s readiness. Results support promotion of cultural acceptability of MMC, and efforts to increase MMC uptake may benefit from incorporating partners in the decision making process. PMID:23757123

Sexual HIV Risk Among Male Parolees and Their Female Partners: The Relate Project

PubMed Central

Comfort, Megan; Reznick, Olga Grinstead; Dilworth, Samantha E.; Binson, Diane; Darbes, Lynae A.; Neilands, Torsten B.

2014-01-01

Background The massively disproportionate impact of America’s prison boom on communities of color has raised questions about how incarceration may affect health disparities, including disparities in HIV. Primary partners are an important source of influence on sexual health. In this paper, we investigate sexual HIV risk among male-female couples following a man’s release from prison. Methods We draw upon data from the Relate Project, a novel cross-sectional survey of recently released men and their female partners in Oakland and San Francisco, California (N=344). Inferential analyses use the actor-partner model to explore actor and partner effects on sexual HIV risk outcomes. Results Dyadic analyses of sexual HIV risk among male parolees and their female partners paint a complex portrait of couples affected by incarceration and of partners’ influences on each other. Findings indicate that demographic factors such as education level and employment status, individual psycho-social factors such as perception of risk, and relationship factors such as commitment and power affect sexual HIV risk outcomes. Conclusion The Relate Project provides a novel dataset for the dyadic analysis of sexual risk among male parolees and their female partners, and results highlight the importance of focusing on the couple as a unit when assessing HIV risk and protective behaviors. Results also indicate potentially fruitful avenues for population-specific interventions that may help to reduce sexual health disparities among couples affected by incarceration. PMID:25642396

Effects of having a baby on weight gain.

PubMed

Brown, Wendy J; Hockey, Richard; Dobson, Annette J

2010-02-01

Women often blame weight gain in early adulthood on having a baby. The aim was to estimate the weight gain attributable to having a baby, after disentangling the effects of other factors that influence weight change at this life stage. A longitudinal study of a randomly selected cohort of 6458 Australian women, aged 18-23 years in 1996, was conducted. Self-report mailed surveys were completed in 1996, 2000, 2003, and 2006, and data were analyzed in 2008. On average, women gained weight at the rate of 0.93% per year (95% CI=0.89, 0.98) or 605 g/year (95% CI=580, 635) for a 65-kg woman. Over the 10-year study period, partnered women with one baby gained almost 4 kg more, and those with a partner but no baby gained 1.8 kg more, than unpartnered childless women (after adjustment for other significant factors: initial BMI and age; physical activity, sitting time, energy intake (2003); education level, hours in paid work, and smoking). Having a baby has a marked effect on 10-year weight gain, but there is also an effect attributable to getting married or living with a partner. Social and lifestyle as well as energy balance variables should be considered when developing strategies to prevent weight gain in young adult women. Copyright 2010 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modern contraceptive use among women living with HIV/AIDS at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana.

PubMed

Samba, Ali; Mumuni, Kareem; Adu, Joseph A; Sefogah, Promise E; Kudzi, William; Nartey, Edmund T

2018-04-01

To examine factors influencing contraceptive use among women living with HIV/AIDS. The present cross-sectional study included a randomly selected sample of sexually active females aged 15-60 years who were living with HIV/AIDS and receiving care at the HIV Clinic, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana, between September 1 and November 31, 2016. Data were collected via a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Among 202 women who completed the survey, 50 (24.7%) were using contraceptives. Of the women using contraception, 39 (78%) were married and 6 (12%) were cohabiting. Twenty-eight (56%) reported that their primary sexual partners were HIV-positive, 14 (28%) had HIV-negative partners, and 8 (16%) did not know their partner's HIV status. Condoms were used by 42 (84%) women and the majority (41 [82%]) wanted to have more children; almost all (47 [94%]) had received counseling on contraceptive use. Overall, 133 (65.8%) and 45 (22.3%) women reported that they would prefer to share their family planning concerns with a doctor and nurse, respectively, at the HIV clinic. Women living with HIV/AIDS desired more children but preferred to share their family planning concerns with their clinician at the HIV clinic. Integrating HIV care and reproductive health services could help these women achieve childbearing goals safely. © 2018 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Evolutionary stability of mutualism: interspecific population regulation as an evolutionarily stable strategy.

PubMed

Holland, J Nathaniel; DeAngelis, Donald L; Schultz, Stewart T

2004-09-07

Interspecific mutualisms are often vulnerable to instability because low benefit : cost ratios can rapidly lead to extinction or to the conversion of mutualism to parasite-host or predator-prey interactions. We hypothesize that the evolutionary stability of mutualism can depend on how benefits and costs to one mutualist vary with the population density of its partner, and that stability can be maintained if a mutualist can influence demographic rates and regulate the population density of its partner. We test this hypothesis in a model of mutualism with key features of senita cactus (Pachycereus schottii)-senita moth (Upiga virescens) interactions, in which benefits of pollination and costs of larval seed consumption to plant fitness depend on pollinator density. We show that plants can maximize their fitness by allocating resources to the production of excess flowers at the expense of fruit. Fruit abortion resulting from excess flower production reduces pre-adult survival of the pollinating seed-consumer, and maintains its density beneath a threshold that would destabilize the mutualism. Such a strategy of excess flower production and fruit abortion is convergent and evolutionarily stable against invasion by cheater plants that produce few flowers and abort few to no fruit. This novel mechanism of achieving evolutionarily stable mutualism, namely interspecific population regulation, is qualitatively different from other mechanisms invoking partner choice or selective rewards, and may be a general process that helps to preserve mutualistic interactions in nature.

Stable same-sex friendships with higher achieving partners promote mathematical reasoning in lower achieving primary school children.

PubMed

DeLay, Dawn; Laursen, Brett; Kiuru, Noona; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2015-11-01

This study was designed to investigate friend influence over mathematical reasoning in a sample of 374 children in 187 same-sex friend dyads (184 girls in 92 friendships; 190 boys in 95 friendships). Participants completed surveys that measured mathematical reasoning in the 3rd grade (approximately 9 years old) and 1 year later in the 4th grade (approximately 10 years old). Analyses designed for dyadic data (i.e., longitudinal actor-partner interdependence model) indicated that higher achieving friends influenced the mathematical reasoning of lower achieving friends, but not the reverse. Specifically, greater initial levels of mathematical reasoning among higher achieving partners in the 3rd grade predicted greater increases in mathematical reasoning from 3rd grade to 4th grade among lower achieving partners. These effects held after controlling for peer acceptance and rejection, task avoidance, interest in mathematics, maternal support for homework, parental education, length of the friendship, and friendship group norms on mathematical reasoning. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Stable Same-Sex Friendships with Higher Achieving Partners Promote Mathematical Reasoning in Lower Achieving Primary School Children

PubMed Central

DeLay, Dawn; Laursen, Brett; Kiuru, Noona; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2015-01-01

This study is designed to investigate friend influence over mathematical reasoning in a sample of 374 children in 187 same-sex friend dyads (184 girls in 92 friendships; 190 boys in 95 friendships). Participants completed surveys that measured mathematical reasoning in the 3rd grade (approximately 9 years old) and one year later in the 4th grade (approximately 10 years old). Analyses designed for dyadic data (i.e., longitudinal Actor-Partner Interdependence Models) indicated that higher achieving friends influenced the mathematical reasoning of lower achieving friends, but not the reverse. Specifically, greater initial levels of mathematical reasoning among higher achieving partners in the 3rd grade predicted greater increases in mathematical reasoning from 3rd grade to 4th grade among lower achieving partners. These effects held after controlling for peer acceptance and rejection, task avoidance, interest in mathematics, maternal support for homework, parental education, length of the friendship, and friendship group norms on mathematical reasoning. PMID:26402901

Mediation in dyadic data at the level of the dyads: a Structural Equation Modeling approach.

PubMed

Ledermann, Thomas; Macho, Siegfried

2009-10-01

An extended version of the Common Fate Model (CFM) is presented to estimate and test mediation in dyadic data. The model can be used for distinguishable dyad members (e.g., heterosexual couples) or indistinguishable dyad members (e.g., homosexual couples) if (a) the variables measure characteristics of the dyadic relationship or shared external influences that affect both partners; if (b) the causal associations between the variables should be analyzed at the dyadic level; and if (c) the measured variables are reliable indicators of the latent variables. To assess mediation using Structural Equation Modeling, a general three-step procedure is suggested. The first is a selection of a good fitting model, the second a test of the direct effects, and the third a test of the mediating effect by means of bootstrapping. The application of the model along with the procedure for assessing mediation is illustrated using data from 184 couples on marital problems, communication, and marital quality. Differences with the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model and the analysis of longitudinal mediation by using the CFM are discussed.

Factors affecting sexual function in menopause: A review article.

PubMed

Nazarpour, Soheila; Simbar, Masoumeh; Tehrani, Fahimeh Ramezani

2016-08-01

This study aimed to systematically review the articles on factors affecting sexual function during menopause. Searching articles indexed in Pubmed, Science Direct, Iranmedex, EMBASE, Scopus, and Scientific Information Database databases, a total number of 42 studies published between 2003 and 2013 were selected. Age, estrogen deficiency, type of menopause, chronic medical problems, partner's sex problems, severity of menopause symptoms, dystocia history, and health status were the physical factors influencing sexual function of menopausal women. There were conflicting results regarding the amount of androgens, hormonal therapy, exercise/physical activity, and obstetric history. In the mental-emotional area, all studies confirmed the impact of depression and anxiety. Social factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, the quality of relationship with husband, partner's loyalty, sexual knowledge, access to health care, a history of divorce or the death of a husband, living apart from a spouse, and a negative understanding of women's health were found to affect sexual function; however, there were conflicting results regarding the effects of education, occupation, socioeconomic status, marital duration, and frequency of sexual intercourse. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Audience drives male songbird response to partner's voice.

PubMed

Vignal, Clémentine; Mathevon, Nicolas; Mottin, Stéphane

2004-07-22

According to the social intelligence hypothesis, social context represents an important force driving the selection of animal cognitive abilities such as the capacity to estimate the nature of the social relationships between other individuals. Despite this importance, the influence of this force has been assessed only in primates and never in other animals showing social interactions. In this way, avian communication generally takes place in a network of signallers and receivers, which represents an audience altering individual signalling behaviours. Indeed, vocal amplitude and repertoire are known to be socially regulated and the attitude towards the opposite sex may change depending on the audience. This 'audience effect' provides support for the reality of social awareness in some bird species. However no evidence has yet been found to suggest that birds are able to estimate the characteristics of the social relationships between group-mates. Here we show that the male of a gregarious songbird species--the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)--pays attention to the mating status of conspecific pairs, and uses this information to control its behaviour towards its female partner.

Troubled times, troubled relationships: how economic resources, gender beliefs, and neighborhood disadvantage influence intimate partner violence.

PubMed

Golden, Shelley D; Perreira, Krista M; Durrance, Christine Piette

2013-07-01

We evaluate race/ethnicity and nativity-based disparities in three different types of intimate partner violence (IPV) and examine how economic hardship, maternal economic dependency, maternal gender beliefs, and neighborhood disadvantage influence these disparities. Using nationally representative data from urban mothers of young children who are living with their intimate partners (N = 1,886), we estimate a series of unadjusted and adjusted logit models on mothers' reports of physical assault, emotional abuse, and coercion. When their children were age 3, more than one in five mothers were living with a partner who abused them. The prevalence of any IPV was highest among Hispanic (26%) and foreign-born (35%) mothers. Economic hardship, economic dependency on a romantic partner, and traditional gender beliefs each increased women's risk for exposure to one or more types of IPV, whereas neighborhood conditions were not significantly related to IPV in adjusted models. These factors also explained most of the racial/ethnic and nativity disparities in IPV. Policies and programs that reduce economic hardship among women with young children, promote women's economic independence, and foster gender equity in romantic partnerships can potentially reduce multiple forms of IPV.

Intimate Partner Homicide and Corollary Victims in 16 States: National Violent Death Reporting System, 2003–2009

PubMed Central

Fowler, Katherine A.; Niolon, Phyllis H.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We estimated the frequency and examined the characteristics of intimate partner homicide and related deaths in 16 US states participating in the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), a state-based surveillance system. Methods. We used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze NVDRS data from 2003 to 2009. We selected deaths linked to intimate partner violence for analysis. Results. Our sample comprised 4470 persons who died in the course of 3350 intimate partner violence–related homicide incidents. Intimate partners and corollary victims represented 80% and 20% of homicide victims, respectively. Corollary homicide victims included family members, new intimate partners, friends, acquaintances, police officers, and strangers. Conclusions. Our findings, from the first multiple-state study of intimate partner homicide and corollary homicides, demonstrate that the burden of intimate partner violence extends beyond the couple involved. Systems (e.g., criminal justice, medical care, and shelters) whose representatives routinely interact with victims of intimate partner violence can help assess the potential for lethal danger, which may prevent intimate partner and corollary victims from harm. PMID:24432943

Intimate partner homicide and corollary victims in 16 states: National Violent Death Reporting System, 2003-2009.

PubMed

Smith, Sharon G; Fowler, Katherine A; Niolon, Phyllis H

2014-03-01

We estimated the frequency and examined the characteristics of intimate partner homicide and related deaths in 16 US states participating in the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), a state-based surveillance system. We used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze NVDRS data from 2003 to 2009. We selected deaths linked to intimate partner violence for analysis. Our sample comprised 4470 persons who died in the course of 3350 intimate partner violence-related homicide incidents. Intimate partners and corollary victims represented 80% and 20% of homicide victims, respectively. Corollary homicide victims included family members, new intimate partners, friends, acquaintances, police officers, and strangers. Our findings, from the first multiple-state study of intimate partner homicide and corollary homicides, demonstrate that the burden of intimate partner violence extends beyond the couple involved. Systems (e.g., criminal justice, medical care, and shelters) whose representatives routinely interact with victims of intimate partner violence can help assess the potential for lethal danger, which may prevent intimate partner and corollary victims from harm.

The effects of partner togetherness on salivary testosterone in women in long distance relationships

PubMed Central

Hamilton, Lisa Dawn; Meston, Cindy M.

2009-01-01

The present study examined whether testosterone levels are influenced by being with a sexual and romantic partner after a period of sexual abstinence. Women in long distance relationships (n = 15) provided five saliva samples: at least one week before seeing their partner (and at least 2 weeks since their last visit), the day before seeing their partner, when they were with their partner but prior to engaging in sexual activity, the day after their first sexual activity, and three days after they were separated from their partners. Salivary testosterone was lowest when participants had been away from their partners for at least two weeks and highest the day before they were to see their partners and the day after sexual activity. Results from this study indicated that women’s testosterone increased both the day before they were with their partners and they day after they first engaged in sexual activity. However, something about initially reuniting with their partners returned their testosterone to baseline levels, which may be an effect of being in the same location as a partner, or just a state fluctuation due to nervousness or other psychological state. PMID:19900454

The effects of partner togetherness on salivary testosterone in women in long distance relationships.

PubMed

Hamilton, Lisa Dawn; Meston, Cindy M

2010-02-01

The present study examined whether women's testosterone levels are influenced by being with a sexual and romantic partner after a period of sexual abstinence. Women in long distance relationships (n=15) provided five saliva samples: at least 1 week before seeing their partner (and at least 2 weeks since their last visit), the day before seeing their partner, when they were with their partner but prior to engaging in sexual activity, the day after their first sexual activity, and 3 days after they were separated from their partners. Salivary testosterone was lowest when participants had been away from their partners for at least 2 weeks and highest the day before they were to see their partners and the day after sexual activity. Results from this study indicated that women's testosterone increased both the day before they were with their partners and they day after they first engaged in sexual activity. However, something about initially reuniting with their partners returned their testosterone to baseline levels, which may be an effect of being in the same location as a partner, or just a state fluctuation due to nervousness or other psychological state. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Amar te Duele" ("love hurts"): sexual relationship power, intimate partner violence, depression symptoms and HIV risk among female sex workers who use drugs and their non-commercial, steady partners in Mexico.

PubMed

Ulibarri, Monica D; Roesch, Scott; Rangel, M Gudelia; Staines, Hugo; Amaro, Hortensia; Strathdee, Steffanie A

2015-01-01

A significant body of research among female sex workers (FSWs) has focused on individual-level HIV risk factors. Comparatively little is known about their non-commercial, steady partners who may heavily influence their behavior and HIV risk. This cross-sectional study of 214 FSWs who use drugs and their male steady partners aged ≥18 in two Mexico-U.S. border cities utilized a path-analytic model for dyadic data based upon the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to examine relationships between sexual relationship power, intimate partner violence (IPV), depression symptoms, and unprotected sex. FSWs' relationship power, IPV perpetration and victimization were significantly associated with unprotected sex within the relationship. Male partners' depression symptoms were significantly associated with unprotected sex within the relationship. Future HIV prevention interventions for FSWs and their male partners should address issues of sexual relationship power, IPV, and mental health both individually and in the context of their relationship.

Experiences and Acceptance of Intimate Partner Violence: Associations with STI Symptoms and Ability to Negotiate Sexual Safety among Young Liberian Women

PubMed Central

Callands, Tamora A.; Sipsma, Heather L.; Betancourt, Theresa S.; Hansen, Nathan B.

2013-01-01

Women who experience intimate partner violence may be at elevated risk for poor sexual health outcomes including sexual transmitted infections (STIs). This association however, has not been consistently demonstrated in low-income or post-conflict countries; furthermore, the role that attitudes towards intimate partner violence play in sexual health outcomes and behaviour has rarely been examined. We examined associations between intimate partner violence experiences, accepting attitudes towards physical intimate partner violence, and sexual health and behavioural outcomes among 592 young women in post-conflict Liberia. Participants’ experiences with either moderate or severe physical violence or sexual violence were common. Additionally, accepting attitudes towards physical intimate partner violence were positively associated with reporting STI symptoms, intimate partner violence experiences and the ability to negotiate safe sex. Findings suggest that for sexual health promotion and risk reduction intervention efforts to achieve full impact, interventions must address the contextual influence of violence, including individual attitudes toward intimate partner violence. PMID:23586393

Do romantic partners' responses to entry dyspareunia affect women's experience of pain? The roles of catastrophizing and self-efficacy.

PubMed

Lemieux, Ashley J; Bergeron, Sophie; Steben, Marc; Lambert, Bernard

2013-09-01

Entry dyspareunia is a sexual health concern which affects about 21% of women in the general population. Characterized by pain provoked during vaginal penetration, introital dyspareunia has been shown by controlled studies to have a negative impact on the psychological well-being, sexual function, sexual satisfaction, and quality of life of afflicted women. Many cognitive and affective variables may influence the experience of pain and associated psychosexual problems. However, the role of the partner's cognitive responses has been studied very little. The aim of the present study was to examine the associations between partners' catastrophizing and their perceptions of women's self-efficacy at managing pain on one side and women's pain intensity, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction on the other. One hundred seventy-nine heterosexual couples (mean age for women = 31, SD = 10.0; mean age for men = 33, SD = 10.6) in which the woman suffered from entry dyspareunia participated in the study. Both partners completed quantitative measures. Women completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale and the Painful Intercourse Self-Efficacy Scale. Men completed the significant-other versions of these measures. Dependent measures were women's responses to (i) the Pain Numeric Visual Analog Scale; (ii) the Female Sexual Function Index; and (iii) the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction scale. Controlled for women's pain catastrophizing and self-efficacy, results indicate that higher levels of partner-perceived self-efficacy and lower levels of partner catastrophizing are associated with decreased pain intensity in women with entry dyspareunia, although only partner catastrophizing contributed unique variance. Partner-perceived self-efficacy and catastrophizing were not significantly associated with sexual function or satisfaction in women. The findings suggest that partners' cognitive responses may influence the experience of entry dyspareunia for women, pointing toward the importance of considering the partner when treating this sexual health problem. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Exploring co-parent experiences of sexuality in the first 3 months after birth.

PubMed

van Anders, Sari M; Hipp, Lauren E; Kane Low, Lisa

2013-08-01

Research on postpartum sexuality has focused primarily on mothers, though new findings suggest that relational perceptions may have a strong influence over sexual desire and behavior. Little investigation exists regarding sexuality in partners of postpartum women. Additionally, recent findings point to the importance of a partner's sexuality for postpartum women's perceptions of their own sexuality in this time. The goal of this research was to explore women's partners' sexuality in the early postpartum phase taking into account psychosocial context. Partners (N = 114; 95 men, 18 women, 1 unspecified) of postpartum women completed a retrospective online questionnaire about their sexuality during the 3 months following their youngest child's birth. Primary measures included sexual desire (Sexual Desire Inventory), latency to sexual behavior, and enjoyment and initiation of sexual behavior. Other psychosocial variables were investigated: partners' perceptions of the birth mother's sexual desire, perceptions of the birth experience (Questionnaire Measuring Attitudes About Labor and Delivery), postpartum stress (Perceived Stress Scale), body image self-consciousness (Body Image Self-Consciousness Scale), social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), fatigue, and experiences surrounding breastfeeding. Partners reported most frequent engagement in intercourse in the postpartum period, earliest engagement in masturbation, and highest enjoyment of receiving oral sex compared with other sexual activities. Partners' sexual desire was not correlated with the psychosocial variables measured in the study. Findings for partners' sexuality were similar by gender, except for perceptions of social support and likelihood to engage in intercourse. This study provided a novel perspective on the study of postpartum sexuality by investigating physical and psychosocial influences on the experiences of partners of parous women. Given parallels between sexuality reported by partners in this study and by birth mothers in past studies, this study provided evidence that sexuality in the postpartum period may be experienced similarly, highlighting the social and relational nature of the postpartum. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Intra-household work time synchronization: Togetherness or material benefits?

PubMed

van Klaveren, Chris; van den Brink, Henriette Maassen

2007-10-01

If partners derive utility from joint leisure time, it is expected that they will coordinate their work schedules in order to increase the amount of joint leisure. In order to control for differences in constraints and selection effects, this paper uses a new matching procedure, providing answers to the following questions: (1) Do partners coordinate their work schedules and does this result in work time synchronization?; (2) which partners synchronize more work hours?; and (3) is there a preference for togetherness? We find that coordination results in more synchronized work hours. The presence of children in the household is the main cause why some partners synchronize their work times less than other partners. Finally, partners coordinate their work schedules in order to have more joint leisure time, which is evidence for togetherness preferences.

Adverse childhood experiences, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and emotional intelligence in partner aggression.

PubMed

Swopes, Rachael M; Simonet, Daniel V; Jaffe, Anna E; Tett, Robert P; Davis, Joanne L

2013-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been linked to childhood abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and low emotional intelligence (EI). Relationships among adverse childhood experiences (ACE), PTSD symptoms, and partner aggression (i.e., generalized tendency to aggress toward one's partner) were assessed in 108 male IPV offenders. It was hypothesized that ACE is positively correlated with partner aggression, PTSD mediates the ACE-aggression relationship, and the ACE-PTSD-aggression mediation varies by selected EI facets. Results indicate that ACE has an indirect effect on partner aggression via PTSD and PTSD mediates the ACE-aggression link when emotional self-regulation is low and when intuition (vs. reason) is high. Trauma-exposed IPV offenders may benefit from comprehensive treatments focusing on PTSD symptoms, emotional control, and reasoning skills to reduce aggression.

Religion and intimate partner violence in Chile: macro- and micro-level influences.

PubMed

Lehrer, Evelyn L; Lehrer, Vivian L; Krauss, Ramona C

2009-09-01

The Catholic Church has had a strong influence on the Chilean legal and social landscape in ways that have adversely affected victims of intimate partner violence; e.g., it succeeded until just five years ago in blocking efforts to legalize divorce. At the same time, quantitative studies based on survey data from the United States and other countries show a generally favorable influence of religion on health and many other domains of life, including intimate partner violence. The present study explores the puzzle posed by these seemingly opposing macro- and micro-level forces. Results based on data from the 2005 Survey of Student Well-Being, a questionnaire on gender-based violence administered to students at a large public university in Chile, show that moderate or low levels of religiosity are associated with reduced vulnerability to violence, but high levels are not. This non-linearity sheds light on the puzzle, because at the macro level the religious views shaping Chile's legal and social environment have been extreme.

Androgen Receptor Gene Polymorphisms and Alterations in Prostate Cancer: Of Humanized Mice and Men

PubMed Central

Robins, Diane M.

2011-01-01

Germline polymorphisms and somatic mutations of the androgen receptor (AR) have been intensely investigated in prostate cancer but even with genomic approaches their impact remains controversial. To assess the functional significance of AR genetic variation, we converted the mouse gene to the human sequence by germline recombination and engineered alleles to query the role of a polymorphic glutamine (Q) tract implicated in cancer risk. In a prostate cancer model, AR Q tract length influences progression and castration response. Mutation profiling in mice provides direct evidence that somatic AR variants are selected by therapy, a finding validated in human metastases from distinct treatment groups. Mutant ARs exploit multiple mechanisms to resist hormone ablation, including alterations in ligand specificity, target gene selectivity, chaperone interaction and nuclear localization. Regardless of their frequency, these variants permute normal function to reveal novel means to target wild type AR and its key interacting partners. PMID:21689727

Change commitment in low-status merger partners: The role of information processing, relative ingroup prototypicality, and merger patterns.

PubMed

Rosa, Miriam; Kavanagh, Eithne; Kounov, Pavel; Jarosz, Sywlia; Waldzus, Sven; Collins, Elizabeth C; Giessner, Steffen

2017-09-01

Merger announcements cause stress among employees, often leading to low change commitment, especially among employees from the lower-status merger partner. Such stress influences how deeply employees process merger-relevant information. Previous research examined how merger patterns that preserve versus change status differences impact merger support, but did not address how employees' information processing may influence this relationship. The current research addresses this gap through a scenario experiment, focusing on the low-status merger partner. The interplay between merger patterns and information processing was examined regarding employees' prototypicality claims in relation to merger support. Results suggest that an integration-equality merger pattern increases change commitment via prototypicality claims in the new organization, conditional to employees' systematic information processing. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Rocking to the beat: effects of music and partner's movements on spontaneous interpersonal coordination.

PubMed

Demos, Alexander P; Chaffin, Roger; Begosh, Kristen T; Daniels, Jennifer R; Marsh, Kerry L

2012-02-01

People move to music and coordinate their movements with others spontaneously. Does music enhance spontaneous coordination? We compared the influence of visual information (seeing or not seeing another person) and auditory information (hearing movement or music or hearing no sound) on spontaneous coordination. Pairs of participants were seated side by side in rocking chairs, told a cover story, and asked to rock at a comfortable rate. Both seeing and hearing the other person rock elicited spontaneous coordination, and effects of hearing amplified those of seeing. Coupling with the music was weaker than with the partner, and the music competed with the partner's influence, reducing coordination. Music did, however, function as a kind of social glue: participants who synchronized more with the music felt more connected.

[Inconsistent condom use among Mexican women living with HIV: a challenge for health services].

PubMed

Kendall, Tamil; Castillo, Anabel; Herrera, Cristina; Campero, Lourdes

2015-01-01

To describe condom use among Mexican women living with HIV and analyze factors that facilitate or impede its utilization. Qualitative analysis of 55 interviews with women of reproductive age living with HIV. Inconsistent condom use and non-use at last sexual intercourse was common, and not clearly related to the male partners' HIV-status. Factors that influenced condom use included perceptions of health benefits, symbolic meaning assigned to the condom within the relationship, and the transformation or persistence of inequitable gender norms. Gender norms and male partners' attitudes strongly influence condom use among women living with HIV. To increase consistent condom use the health system must implement counseling and service delivery with a gender perspective and innovative actions to involve male partners.

Proximity of couples to parents: influences of gender, labor market, and family.

PubMed

Chan, Tak Wing; Ermisch, John

2015-04-01

We use household survey data from the UK to study how close middle-aged men and women in partnerships live to their parents and their partner's parents. We find a slight tendency for couples to live closer to the woman's parents than the man's. This tendency is more pronounced among couples in which neither partner has a college degree and in which there is a child. In other respects, proximity to parents is gender-neutral, with the two partners having equal influence on intergenerational proximity. Better-educated couples live farther from their parents. And although certain family characteristics matter, intergenerational proximity is primarily driven by factors affecting mobility over long distances, which are mainly associated with the labor market, as opposed to gender or family circumstances.

Using video playback to study the effect of an audience on male mating behavior in the Sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna).

PubMed

Makowicz, A M; Plath, M; Schlupp, I

2010-09-01

Sexual conflict in poeciliid fishes is well-documented, particularly male sexual harassment and its effects on females. For instance, male attempts to force copulations influence female feeding, energy allocation, and preference for shoaling partners. However, there has been little research conducted to determine how the social environment shapes the occurrence and intensity of sexual harassment. In this study we ask whether an audience male influences the sexual behaviors of a focal male, the correlated feeding time reduction of female Poecilia latipinna, and if the size of the audience male (larger or smaller than the focal male) influences these behaviors. We presented a video of a male, either smaller or larger than the focal male, or an empty tank (control) to a female interacting with a male or female partner and measured feeding times and sexual behaviors. We found that male sexual behaviors increased in the presence of an audience male, especially if the audience male was larger than the focal male. Females fed more in the presence of a partner female than in the presence of a male, which was independent of the audience (i.e., video treatment). Focal female aggression towards the partner female increased with the size of the audience male. The present study shows that an audience male has multiple interacting influences on both male and female behavior. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Treatment-Associated Anxiety among Pregnant Women and their Partners: What is the Influence of Sex, Parity, Age and Education?

PubMed

Kannenberg, K; Weichert, J; Rody, A; Banz-Jansen, C

2016-07-01

Anxiety during pregnancy can influence outcomes negatively. The aim of this study was to assess the fears of expectant parents in the setting of antenatal and obstetric care according to their sex, age, parity and education. 259 pregnant women and 183 partners, who had presented for antenatal investigation, routine antenatal care or for delivery in the UKSH women's hospital, Lübeck campus, completed a self-assessment questionnaire of fears and the German version of the STAI (Laux et al.). ANOVA and t-tests were used for significance testing. Pregnant women had higher levels of trait anxiety and state anxiety than their partners. Level of education had a significant, inverse effect on trait anxiety. Age had no influence. Fears for the child's health ranked highest among pregnancy-specific fears. Expectant fathers had the same level of anxiety for the birth irrespective of parity; for women fear of the birth decreased with increasing parity. Anxiety only increased significantly for expectant fathers from the 20th week of gestation onwards. Pregnant women and their partners have different levels of anxiety dependant on their age, education, parity and the stage of pregnancy. These findings could contribute towards improving support of couples during pregnancy. The fears of expectant fathers require particular attention.

The influence of pornography on sexual scripts and hooking up among emerging adults in college.

PubMed

Braithwaite, Scott R; Coulson, Gwen; Keddington, Krista; Fincham, Frank D

2015-01-01

The explosive growth in access to the Internet has led to a commensurate increase in the availability, anonymity, and affordability of pornography. An emerging body of research has shown associations between pornography and certain behaviors and attitudes; yet, how pornography actually influences these outcomes has not been documented. In two studies (Study 1 N = 969; Study 2 N = 992) we examined the hypothesis that pornography influences potentially risky sexual behavior (hooking up) among emerging adults via sexual scripts. Our results demonstrate that more frequent viewing of pornography is associated with a higher incidence of hooking up and a higher number of unique hook up partners. We replicated these effects both cross-sectionally and longitudinally while accounting for the stability of hook ups over the course of an academic semester. We also demonstrated that more frequent viewing of pornography is associated with having had more previous sexual partners of all types, more one occasion sexual partners ("one night stands"), and plans to have a higher number of sexual partners in the future. Finally, we provided evidence that more permissive sexual scripts mediated the association between more frequent pornography viewing and hooking up. We discuss these findings with an eye toward mitigating potential personal and public health risks among emerging adults.

Sexual Risk Taking Among Transgender Male-to-Female Youths With Different Partner Types

PubMed Central

Garofalo, Robert; Harris, D. Robert; Belzer, Marvin

2010-01-01

Objectives. We examined associations between partner types (categorized as main, casual, or commercial) and sexual risk behaviors of sexually active male-to-female (transgender female) youths. Methods. We interviewed 120 transgender female youths aged 15 to 24 years recruited from clinics, community-based agencies, club and bar venues, referrals, and the streets of Los Angeles, California, and Chicago, Illinois. Results. Sexual risk behaviors varied by partner type. Transgender female youths were less likely to use condoms during receptive anal intercourse with their main partner and were less likely to use condoms with a main partner while under the influence of substances. Youth participants were also more likely to talk to a main partner about their HIV status. Our data identified no demographic or social factors that predicted condom use during receptive anal intercourse by partner type. Conclusions. Research and interventions that focus on understanding and mitigating risk behaviors by partner type, especially those that tackle the unique risks incurred with main partners, may make important contributions to risk reduction among transgender female youths. PMID:20622176

Pay attention to me! Late ERPs reveal gender differences in attention allocated to romantic partners.

PubMed

Burdwood, Erin N; Simons, Robert F

2016-04-01

The present study employed late ERPs to examine differences in the association between neural responses to romantic partners and relationship quality factors across men and women. Participants passively viewed photos of their romantic partners, celebrities, and strangers during a computerized facial processing task. All participants demonstrated enhanced positivity to partner faces at late ERP components (P3 and LPP), furthering the notion that significant others elicit more motivated and sustained attention than do other familiar or unfamiliar individuals. Neural responses to romantic partner faces were influenced by factors including overall relationship quality, investment, and communication quality, with associations varying by gender. Results highlight the key role that relationship quality factors play in the immediate processing of romantic partners-a finding with implications for couples counseling and research. © 2015 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Partners' Empathy Increases Pain Ratings: Effects of Perceived Empathy and Attachment Style on Pain Report and Display

PubMed Central

Hurter, Sarah; Paloyelis, Yannis; de C. Williams, Amanda C.; Fotopoulou, Aikaterini

2014-01-01

Pain can be influenced by its social context. We aimed to examine under controlled experimental conditions how empathy from a partner and personal attachment style affect pain report, tolerance, and facial expressions of pain. Fifty-four participants, divided into secure, anxious, and avoidant attachment style groups, underwent a cold pressor task with their partners present. We manipulated how much empathy the participants perceived that their partners had for them. We observed a significant main effect of perceived empathy on pain report, with greater pain reported in the high perceived empathy condition. No such effects were found for pain tolerance or facial display. We also found a significant interaction of empathy with attachment style group, with the avoidant group reporting and displaying less pain than the secure and the anxious groups in the high perceived empathy condition. No such findings were observed in the low empathy condition. These results suggest that empathy from one's partner may influence pain report beyond behavioral reactions. In addition, the amount of pain report and expression that people show in high empathy conditions depends on their attachment style. Perspective Believing that one's partner feels high empathy for one's pain may lead individuals to rate the intensity of pain as higher. Individual differences in attachment style moderate this empathy effect. PMID:24953886

Dyadic dynamics of perceived social support in couples facing infertility.

PubMed

Martins, M V; Peterson, B D; Almeida, V; Mesquita-Guimarães, J; Costa, M E

2014-01-01

Is perceived social support from partner, family, and friends associated with increased infertility-related stress? While men's perceived support did not seem to influence their partners' stress, women's perceptions of spousal and familial support can affect the way men deal with the challenge of infertility. Previous studies showed that low levels of social support are associated with poor psychosocial adjustment and treatment termination in women and men. Studies examining the impact of social support using the couple as unit of analysis are lacking. A cross-sectional sample of 613 Portuguese patients participated in the research, online over a 3-month period, and in a public fertility clinic over 11 months. The final sample comprised 213 married or cohabiting couples (191 from the fertility clinic) who were actively attempting to have a child, were seeking infertility treatment and had not undergone previous preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Perceived social support was assessed through the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and infertility-related stress was assessed with the fertility problem inventory. Hypotheses were tested by applying the actor-partner interdependence model using structural equation modeling. Couples had been living together for an average (±SD) of 6 ± 3.5 years, and attempting a pregnancy for 3.8 ± 2.6 years. Nearly half of the couples had undergone infertility treatment (41.3%). Infertility stress was found to be associated with low family support for women (β = -0.27, P = .003), and low partner support for both men (β = -0.29, P = .001) and women (β = -0.45, P = .006). Both women and men's perceived friend support were not significantly related to male or female infertility stress. Men infertility stress was also associated with their partners low levels of partner (β = -0.24, P = .049) and family support (β = -0.23, P < .001). No significant partner effects were observed for women. Despite being related to actor effects alone (female partner and family support), the explained variance of the model in women's fertility stress was greater (R(2) = 21%) than that (R(2) = 15.6%) for the combined actor and partner effects in men's fertility stress (male partner support, female partner and family support). The study data are cross-sectional and the generalizability of results is limited by self-selection. The characteristics of non-participants in both the clinical and online samples were not available, the perception of infertility-specific supportive behaviors was not assessed and differential analyses according to infertility diagnosis were not included in this study. Our data underline the importance of partner support in alleviating the burden of infertility. Men may experience infertility indirectly through the impact that it has on their partners. Our findings reinforce the need to involve the male partner throughout the whole treatment process and for couple-based interventions when providing infertility counseling. Further prospective research should be aimed at investigating the male experience of infertility. This research was supported by a PhD scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology granted to M.M. (FCT, SFRH/BD/44232/2008). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Daily reports of intimate partner verbal aggression by self and partner: Short-term consequences and implications for measurement.

PubMed

Derrick, Jaye L; Testa, Maria; Leonard, Kenneth E

2014-10-01

Agreement within couples regarding the occurrence of aggression is surprisingly low. Survey research often collapses across partners' reports to create a pooled estimate of aggression in the relationship. This method ignores possible differences in partners' perceptions of the event, potentially weakening researchers' ability to detect consequences of aggression. The current study examines both partners' reports of verbal aggression to determine whether aggression reported by only one partner influences both partners' short-term outcomes. We used a 56-day daily diary to examine the effect of verbal aggression on short-term negative outcomes. We examined whether aggression reported by either partner is sufficient to predict consequences for both partners, or if an individual must report aggression to experience consequences. Victims' reports of receiving verbal aggression were a better predictor of next day victim consequences than perpetrators' reports. Perpetrators' reports of perpetrating verbal aggression were a better predictor of next day perpetrator consequences than victims' reports. Days when partners agreed that aggression had occurred generally predicted the worst outcomes. People's own reports of verbal aggression are the best predictor of short-term consequences. Pooling partner reports of aggression may make it more difficult to understand the consequences of intimate partner aggression.

Effects of potential partners' physical attractiveness and socioeconomic status on sexuality and partner selection.

PubMed

Townsend, J M; Levy, G D

1990-04-01

Male (n = 170) and female (n = 212) college students viewed photographs, which had been prerated for physical attractiveness, of three opposite-sex individuals. These photographs were paired with three levels of occupational status and income. Subjects indicated their willingness to engage in relationships of varying levels of sexual intimacy and marital potential with the portrayed individuals. Analyses of variance, correlations, and trend analyses supported the hypotheses. Compared to men, women are more likely to prefer or insist that sexual intercourse occur in relationships that involve affection and marital potential, and women place more emphasis than men do on partners' SES in such relationships. Consequently, men's SES and their willingness and ability to invest affection and resources in relationships may often outweigh the effects of their physical attractiveness in women's actual selection of partners. These results and the literature reviewed are more consistent with parental investment theory than with the view that these sex differences are solely the result of differential access to resources and differential socialization.

Religion, Marriage Markets, and Assortative Mating in the United States

PubMed Central

McClendon, David

2016-01-01

As interfaith marriage has become more common, religion is thought to be less important for sorting partners. However, prior studies on religious assortative mating use samples of prevailing marriages, which miss how local marriage markets shape both partner selection and marriage timing. Drawing on search theory and data from 8,699 young adults (ages 18–31) in the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1997, the author examined the association between the concentration of co-religionists in local marriage markets and marriage timing and partner selection using event history methods. Religious concentration is associated with higher odds of transitioning to marriage and religious homogamy (conditional on marriage) for women and men at older ages (24–31) but not at younger ages (18–23). The association was also stronger for non-Hispanic Whites compared to other race-ethnic groups. The findings indicate that religion remains relevant in sorting partners for many young adults in today’s marriage market. PMID:27818530

Modeling Homophily Over Time With an Actor–Partner Interdependence Model

PubMed Central

Popp, Danielle; Laursen, Brett; Kerr, Margaret; Stattin, Håkan; Burk, William J.

2009-01-01

Selection and socialization have been implicated in friendship homophily, but the relative contributions of each are difficult to measure simultaneously because of the nonindependent nature of the data. To address this problem, the authors applied a multiple-groups longitudinal actor–partner interdependence model (D. A. Kashy & D. A. Kenny, 2000) for distinguishable dyads to 3 consecutive years of intoxication frequency data from a large community-based sample of Swedish youth. Participants, ranging from 12 to 18 years old (M = 14.35, SD = 1.56) at the start of the study, included 902 adolescents (426 girls and 476 boys) with at least one reciprocated friend during at least one time point and 212 adolescents (84 girls and 128 boys) without reciprocated friends at any time. Similarity estimates indicated strong effects for selection and socialization in friends’ intoxication frequency. Over time, younger members of these dyads had less stable patterns of intoxication than older members, largely because younger partners changed their drinking behavior to resemble that of older partners. PMID:18605832

Environmental Defense Fund Oil and Gas Methane Studies: Principles for Collaborating with Industry Partners while Maintaining Scientific Objectivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamburg, S.

2016-12-01

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) launched a series of 16 research studies in 2012 to quantify methane emissions from the U.S. oil and gas (O&G) supply chain. In addition to EDF's funding from philanthropic individuals and foundations and in-kind contributions from universities, over forty O&G companies contributed money to the studies. For a subset of studies that required partner companies to provide site access to measure their equipment, five common principles were followed to assure that research was objective and scientifically rigorous. First, academic scientists were selected as principal investigators (PIs) to lead the studies. In line with EDF's policy of not accepting money from corporate partners, O&G companies provided funding directly to academic PIs. Technical work groups and steering committees consisting of EDF and O&G partner staff advised the PIs in the planning and implementation of research, but PIs had the final authority in scientific decisions including publication content. Second, scientific advisory panels of independent experts advised the PIs in the study design, data analysis, and interpretation. Third, studies employed multiple methodologies when possible, including top-down and bottom-up measurements. This helped overcome the limitations of individual approaches to decrease the uncertainty of emission estimates and minimize concerns with data being "cherry-picked". Fourth, studies were published in peer-reviewed journals to undergo an additional round of independent review. Fifth, transparency of data was paramount. Study data were released after publication, although operator and site names of individual data points were anonymized to ensure transparency and allow independent analysis. Following these principles allowed an environmental organization, O&G companies, and academic scientists to collaborate in scientific research while minimizing conflicts of interest. This approach can serve as a model for a scientifically rigorous process minimally influenced by study partners.

Food insecurity and intimate partner violence against women: results from the California Women's Health Survey.

PubMed

Ricks, Joni L; Cochran, Susan D; Arah, Onyebuchi A; Williams, John K; Seeman, Teresa E

2016-04-01

To investigate the association between food insecurity and intimate partner violence in a population-based sample of heterosexual women. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between three levels of food insecurity and intimate partner violence. Data from 6 years of the California Women's Health Survey. Randomly selected women (n 16 562) aged 18 years and older from the State of California, USA. We found: (i) that African-American women had a higher prevalence of food insecurity and were more likely to report severe intimate partner violence; (ii) a strong positive association between food insecurity and intimate partner violence; (iii) evidence of effect modification of the association between food insecurity and intimate partner violence by marital status; and (iv) higher odds of intimate partner violence among those reporting more severe food insecurity. Food insecurity is an important risk indicator for intimate partner violence among women. Understanding the factors that put women, especially minority women, at greatest risk facilitates intervention development.

The impact of different types of intimate partner violence on the mental and physical health of women in different ethnic groups.

PubMed

Lacey, Krim K; McPherson, Melnee Dilworth; Samuel, Preethy S; Powell Sears, Karen; Head, Doreen

2013-01-01

Intimate partner violence, including threats, stalking, emotional, physical, and sexual assault by a spouse or partner, has significant influences on the well-being of women of all racial and social backgrounds. This study of a nationally representative sample of women from varying racial and ethnic groups examined specific types of violent acts on health and well-being. An association between intimate partner violence and poor physical and mental health was found. Types of partner violence also had different associations with the well-being of women of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Social and demographic factors played an important role in moderating women's outcomes. Suggestions for future studies are discussed.

Partner Selection for People with Intellectual Disabilities.

PubMed

Bates, Claire; Terry, Louise; Popple, Keith

2017-07-01

The aim of this research was to understand the characteristics that adults with intellectual disabilities look for in a partner. There have been numerous studies that have explored partner selection for people without intellectual disabilities, but no research that specifically identified the traits valued in a partner by people with intellectual disabilities. In-depth interviews were conducted with eleven participants across two UK sites. All participants were adults with an intellectual disability who had been in a relationship with a partner for over a year. The narratives were analysed utilizing hermeneutic phenomenology, guided by the theory of Van Manen (1990). The findings highlighted that, regardless of age, participant's relationships typically developed within a segregated environment for people with intellectual disabilities over the past 10 years. People with intellectual disabilities expressed a wish to be loved, to be treated kindly and to have companionship. However, they did not place high value on attributes such as financial security, social status or intelligence. The research demonstrated how poorly integrated people with intellectual disabilities are within mainstream society. Desired characteristics and expectations for participant's relationships were rooted in a shared history and culture, which was shaped by their intellectual disability and support needs. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A strategy for selecting sexual partners believed to pose little/no risks for HIV: serosorting and its implications for HIV transmission.

PubMed

Eaton, Lisa A; Kalichman, Seth C; O'Connell, Daniel A; Karchner, William D

2009-10-01

A common HIV/AIDS risk reduction strategy among men who have sex with men (MSM) is to limit their unprotected sex partners to those who are of the same HIV status, a practice referred to as serosorting. Decisions to serosort for HIV risk reduction are based on personal impressions and beliefs, and there is limited guidance offered on this community derived strategy from public health services. This paper reviews research on serosorting for HIV risk reduction and offers an evidence-based approach to serosorting guidance. Following a comprehensive electronic and manual literature search, we reviewed 51 studies relating to the implications of serosorting. Studies showed that HIV negative MSM who select partners based on HIV status are inadvertently placing themselves at risk for HIV. Infrequent HIV testing, lack of HIV status disclosure, co-occurring sexually transmitted infections, and acute HIV infection impede the potential protective benefits of serosorting. Public health messages should continue to encourage reductions in numbers of sexual partners and increases in condom use. Risk reduction messages should also highlight the limitations of relying on one's own and partner's HIV status in making sexual risk decisions.

To qualify as a social partner, humans hide severe punishment, although their observed cooperativeness is decisive.

PubMed

Rockenbach, Bettina; Milinski, Manfred

2011-11-08

Conflicts of interest between the community and its members are at the core of human social dilemmas. If observed selfishness has future costs, individuals may hide selfish acts but display altruistic ones, and peers aim at identifying the most selfish persons to avoid them as future social partners. An interaction involving hiding and seeking information may be inevitable. We staged an experimental social-dilemma game in which actors could pay to conceal information about their contribution, giving, and punishing decisions from an observer who selects her future social partners from the actors. The observer could pay to conceal her observation of the actors. We found sophisticated dynamic strategies on either side. Actors hide their severe punishment and low contributions but display high contributions. Observers select high contributors as social partners; remarkably, punishment behavior seems irrelevant for qualifying as a social partner. That actors nonetheless pay to conceal their severe punishment adds a further puzzle to the role of punishment in human social behavior. Competition between hiding and seeking information about social behavior may be even more relevant and elaborate in the real world but usually is hidden from our eyes.

Selectivity in early prosocial behavior

PubMed Central

Kuhlmeier, Valerie A.; Dunfield, Kristen A.; O’Neill, Amy C.

2014-01-01

Prosocial behavior requires expenditure of personal resources for the benefit of others, a fact that creates a “problem” when considering the evolution of prosociality. Models that address this problem have been developed, with emphasis typically placed on reciprocity. One model considers the advantages of being selective in terms of one’s allocation of prosocial behavior so as to improve the chance that one will be benefitted in return. In this review paper, we first summarize this “partner choice” model and then focus on prosocial development in the preschool years, where we make the case for selective partner choice in early instances of human prosocial behavior. PMID:25120526

Multivariate Models of Men's and Women's Partner Aggression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Leary, K. Daniel; Smith Slep, Amy M.; O'Leary, Susan G.

2007-01-01

This exploratory study was designed to address how multiple factors drawn from varying focal models and ecological levels of influence might operate relative to each other to predict partner aggression, using data from 453 representatively sampled couples. The resulting cross-validated models predicted approximately 50% of the variance in men's…

Factors Influencing Contraceptive Behavior of Single College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, Joseph W.; And Others

1977-01-01

This study investigates the premarital contraceptive behavior of 222 male and female college students. Contraceptive practice was examined in relation to dating patterns, level of emotional involvement with sex partners, types of birth control used, number of different sex partners, and reasons for failure to use birth control. (Author)

Stigma and Status: The Interrelation of Two Theoretical Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, Jeffrey W.; Phelan, Jo C.

2012-01-01

This article explicates and distinguishes the processes that produce status orders and those that produce stigmatization. It describes an experimental study in which participants were assigned interaction partners before completing a task where they had opportunities to be influenced by the partners and opportunities to socially reject the…

Couple Consensus during Marital Joint Decision-Making: A Context, Process, Outcome Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godwin, Deborah D.; Scanzoni, John

1989-01-01

Tested conceptual model of context, processes, and outcomes of joint marital decision making of married couples (N=188) which specified spouses' process variables as individual-level measures and partners' consensus as a couple construct. Found context factor of spouses' emotional interdependence influenced both partners' coerciveness and degree…

Relational experiences of partnered Japanese immigrant women with affect disorders.

PubMed

Kozuki, Yoriko; Kennedy, Michael G; Tsai, Jenny Hsin-Chun

2006-03-01

This paper reports the findings of a study that explored characteristics of relationships of Japanese immigrant women partnered both intraculturally and interculturally, and analysed the role of Japanese culture in these relationships. Immigration can cause shifts in interpersonal structures with partners. When there are large discrepancies in gender roles and communication styles between the original and host cultures, the psychological impact on both partners may be significant. However, currently no empirical data are available to support this assumption. Ten cases selected from the 68 medical records of Japanese-speaking women seen at a mental health clinic from September 2001 to September 2004 were analysed. All of the 10 women met DSM IV-TR criteria of major depressive disorder and were taking antidepressants. Half of the 10 women were in intimate intercultural partnered relationships and the remainder of the matched cases were in intracultural relationships at the time of treatment. The two cohorts were matched in age (36.2 and 43.2 years), length of stay in the United States of America (12 and 16.2 years), and length of treatment (1.2 and 1 years). The length of time of the sample in individual psychodynamic psychotherapy ranged from 20 to 317 hours, depending on the intensity of therapy. Inductive data analysis revealed two themes: (1) Lack of awareness of differences in culturally bound communication by Japanese women in intercultural partnerships; (2) Lack of individuality in Japanese women in intracultural partnerships. Neither group appeared to consider relational aspects of partnership, or to make efforts to improve direct communication with their partners. The influence of Japanese culture on gender role and communication styles functions contrary to the mainstream Western culture of the United States of America. In the future, interpersonal elements of cultural differences between host and original cultures in immigration should be considered in research related to immigrants' mental health. This approach should lead to effective interventions to facilitate mental health among immigrants, and regardless of purposes of immigration or length of stay in a psychosocially foreign environment.

Multiple mating and its relationship to alternative modes of gestation in male-pregnant versus female-pregnant fish species

PubMed Central

Avise, John C.; Liu, Jin-Xian

2010-01-01

We construct a verbal and graphical theory (the “fecundity-limitation hypothesis”) about how constraints on the brooding space for embryos probably truncate individual fecundity in male-pregnant and female-pregnant species in ways that should differentially influence selection pressures for multiple mating by males or by females. We then review the empirical literature on genetically deduced rates of multiple mating by the embryo-brooding parent in various fish species with three alternative categories of pregnancy: internal gestation by males, internal gestation by females, and external gestation (in nests) by males. Multiple mating by the brooding gender was common in all three forms of pregnancy. However, rates of multiple mating as well as mate numbers for the pregnant parent averaged higher in species with external as compared with internal male pregnancy, and also for dams in female-pregnant species versus sires in male-pregnant species. These outcomes are all consistent with the theory that different types of pregnancy have predictable consequences for a parent's brood space, its effective fecundity, its opportunities and rewards for producing half-sib clutches, and thereby its exposure to selection pressures for seeking multiple mates. Overall, we try to fit these fecundity-limitation phenomena into a broader conceptual framework for mating-system evolution that also includes anisogamy, sexual-selection gradients, parental investment, and other selective factors that can influence the relative proclivities of males versus females to seek multiple sexual partners. PMID:20956296

Indonesian couple’s pregnancy ambivalence and contraceptive use

PubMed Central

Barden-O'Fallon, Janine L.; Speizer, Ilene S.

2013-01-01

CONTEXT: Recognizing pregnancy ambivalence is important for family planning policy and programming efforts. Most studies on pregnancy ambivalence are based on data from women; using partner’s perceived pregnancy intentions whenever partners are considered. This study examines couple’s pregnancy ambivalence and the association with contraceptive use in Indonesia. METHOD: Matched couple data from the 2002-2003 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey are used to examine contraceptive use, fertility desires, and responses to whether a pregnancy in the next few weeks would be a big problem, small problem or no problem. Inconsistent fertility desires and responses to the problem question are used to define ambivalence. Response patterns and concordance between partners is evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression analyses are used to assess whether couple’s pregnancy ambivalence is associated with contraceptive use. RESULTS: 71% of husbands and 54% of wives report that a pregnancy in the next few weeks would be “no problem.” Couple’s concordance on the problem question is 63% (kappa statistic = 0.26) among contraceptive users and 61% (0.24) among non-users. In the multivariate analysis, couples who were discordant on the problem question were 24% less likely to use contraception than were couples in which both partners agreed a pregnancy would be a big or small problem. Results were not statistically significant at p≥0.05 in a model with a disaggregated variable on couple’s discordance that identified which partner was ambivalent; this might be related to small cell sizes. Contraceptive use was also less likely for couples with discordant fertility desires. CONCLUSION: Husbands and wives influence each other’s fertility attitudes and family planning use. To improve effective contraceptive use and/or continuation, couple’s pregnancy attitudes should be taken into account at the time of screening and method selection. PMID:20403804

Sex-ratio control erodes sexual selection, revealing evolutionary feedback from adaptive plasticity.

PubMed

Fawcett, Tim W; Kuijper, Bram; Weissing, Franz J; Pen, Ido

2011-09-20

Female choice is a powerful selective force, driving the elaboration of conspicuous male ornaments. This process of sexual selection has profound implications for many life-history decisions, including sex allocation. For example, females with attractive partners should produce more sons, because these sons will inherit their father's attractiveness and enjoy high mating success, thereby yielding greater fitness returns than daughters. However, previous research has overlooked the fact that there is a reciprocal feedback from life-history strategies to sexual selection. Here, using a simple mathematical model, we show that if mothers adaptively control offspring sex in relation to their partner's attractiveness, sexual selection is weakened and male ornamentation declines. This weakening occurs because the ability to determine offspring sex reduces the fitness difference between females with attractive and unattractive partners. We use individual-based, evolutionary simulations to show that this result holds under more biologically realistic conditions. Sexual selection and sex allocation thus interact in a dynamic fashion: The evolution of conspicuous male ornaments favors sex-ratio adjustment, but this conditional strategy then undermines the very same process that generated it, eroding sexual selection. We predict that, all else being equal, the most elaborate sexual displays should be seen in species with little or no control over offspring sex. The feedback process we have described points to a more general evolutionary principle, in which a conditional strategy weakens directional selection on another trait by reducing fitness differences.

Thalassemia treatment and prevention in Uva Province, Sri Lanka: a public opinion survey.

PubMed

Mudiyanse, Rasnayaka M

2006-01-01

Due to its excessive cost thalassemia management is a major health care problem in Sri Lanka. The majority of doctors are using only desferrioxamine (DFO), in grossly inadequate doses mainly because of its unavailability. Deferiprone (L1), which is more affordable, is not used due to fear of toxicity, as previously reported. Arthropathy attributed to L1 has been observed in some patients, and has led to the discontinuation of the drug in all patients, without scientific rationale. The proposed thalassemia prevention project for Uva Province is based on prevention of marriages between carriers. This could be achieved by carrier screening and counseling of teenagers and adolescents well before they select their partners. In Sri Lanka, people find their marriage partners at their work place or universities, by themselves, or with the help of professional marriage brokers (they are called Kapuwa), through relatives and close friends. This process of finding a partner may also be helped by paper advertisements. However, in addition to the appearance and attitude of the prospective partner, the caste, social background and horoscope are major considerations in selecting a partner. Even when they select partners on their own at the work place or university, they keep these factors in the back of their minds to ensure social acceptance. Many relationships are given up due to objections and advice from parents when the caste or social background does not match. A horoscope is a written document that almost every child gets, written by a professional horoscope reader and depending on the time of birth. It is believed, according to the horoscope, that a person's attitudes, desires, future prospects of finding a suitable partner, could be predicted. It is rare to proceed with a marriage if the horoscope does not match. These customs are considered less seriously among educated people when they find their partner at the work place or university. The concept of thalassemia risk-free marriages advocates promotion of marriages where at least one partner is a non-carrier. Success of such a project could be monitored at the time of marriage. This opinion survey indicates that the public is motivated to promote carrier screening and the prevention of thalassemia.

Patient and partner perspectives on patient-delivered partner screening: acceptability, benefits, and barriers.

PubMed

McBride, Kimberly R; Goldsworthy, Richard C; Fortenberry, J Dennis

2010-10-01

The study examined willingness to engage in patient-delivered partner screening (PDPS) and preferences for expedited partner services (EPS). Forty urban U.S. sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic patients participated in individual mixed-methods interviews exploring EPS preferences and PDPS willingness. Most participants selected PDPS and PDPT together and uptake varied by patient–partner relationship closeness. For PDPS, several potentially important barriers and benefits were identified. Perceived benefits included improved sexual health for patients and their sexual partner(s) as well as convenience, privacy, and the potential to enhance trust between sexual partners. Perceived barriers included concerns about PDPS processes (e.g., time it would take to receive the result, risk of sample contamination), the accuracy of results, STI stigma and associated blame, lack of trust for a sexual partner, and the packaging/appearance of the screening kit. PDPS affords benefits and may overcome treatment barriers in some situations; however, it shares common PDPT barriers and has its own unique challenges. There are also concerns regarding how the offer of PDPS may interact with PDPT utilization.

The effects of social contact on cocaine intake in female rats.

PubMed

Robinson, Andrea M; Fronk, Gaylen E; Zhang, Huailin; Tonidandel, Scott; Smith, Mark A

2017-08-01

Studies conducted in male rats report that social contact can either facilitate or inhibit drug intake depending on the behavior of social partners. The purpose of the present study was to: (1) examine the effects of social contact on cocaine intake in female rats, (2) examine the behavioral mechanisms by which social contact influences cocaine intake, and (3) examine whether the estrous cycle moderates the effects of social contact on cocaine intake. Female rats were assigned to either isolated or pair-housed conditions in which a social partner either had access to cocaine (cocaine partner) or did not have access to cocaine (abstinent partner). Pair-housed rats were tested in custom-built operant conditioning chambers that allowed both rats to be tested simultaneously in the same chamber. Rats housed with a cocaine partner self-administered more cocaine than isolated rats and rats housed with an abstinent partner. A behavioral economic analysis indicated that these differences were driven by a greater intensity of cocaine demand (i.e., greater intake at lower unit prices) in rats housed with a cocaine partner. Multivariate modeling revealed that the estrous cycle did not moderate the effects of social contact on cocaine intake. These findings indicate that: (1) social contact influences cocaine self-administration in females in a manner similar to that reported in males, (2) these effects are due to differences in the effects of social contact on the intensity of cocaine demand, and (3) these effects are consistent across all phases of the estrous cycle. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Multiple sex partner behavior in female undergraduate students in China: a multi-campus survey.

PubMed

Yan, Hong; Chen, Weiqi; Wu, Haocheng; Bi, Yongyi; Zhang, Miaoxuan; Li, Shiyue; Braun, Kathryn L

2009-08-22

China is realizing increases in women engaged in premarital sex and multiple sex partner behavior. Our aim was to examine prevalence and determinants of multiple sex partner behavior among female undergraduates in China. Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 unmarried female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Items captured demographic, family, peer and work influence, and student factors (major, academic performance, and sex-related knowledge and attitudes). To examine risk factors for sexual behaviors, we used multi-level logistic regression, yielding odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Of 4,769 female students, 863 (18.10%) reported ever having sexual intercourse, and 5.31% reported having multiple sex partners (29.32% of all women having sexual intercourse). Several demographic, family, peer and work influences, and student factors (including major, performance, knowledge, and attitude toward sex) were risk factors for ever having sex. However, risk factors for multiple sex partners only included working in a place of entertainment, having current close friends that were living with boyfriends, poor academic performance, and positive attitudes toward multiple partners. These women also were more likely to practice masturbation, start having sex at a younger age, have sex with married men and/or men not their "boyfriends" at first coitus, and not use condoms consistently. A small but important subset of Chinese female undergraduates is engaged in unprotected sex with multiple sex partners. Interventions need to target at risk women, stressing the importance of consistent condom use.

Women's choices regarding HIV testing, disclosure and partner involvement in infant feeding and care in a rural district of Malawi with high HIV prevalence.

PubMed

Bedell, Richard A; van Lettow, Monique; Landes, Megan

2014-04-01

The influence of HIV-related stigma on women's choices with regard to HIV testing, disclosure and partner involvement in infant feeding and care is not well understood in rural Malawi but may influence the risk of vertical HIV transmission and infant health. In a study of HIV-infected and -uninfected women in 20 rural locations in Zomba District, Malawi, mothers were questioned at 18-20 months post-partum about these issues. Ten per cent of women claimed unknown HIV status in labour so HIV testing should be routinely offered in Labour & Delivery wards. HIV-infected women were somewhat less likely to disclose to their partners than HIV-uninfected women (89 and 97%, respectively; p = 0.007) or to be cohabiting with partners during pregnancy (74 and 86%, respectively; p = 0.03). Partners of women were less inclined to disclose their HIV testing or HIV status (49 and 66% of partners of HIV-infected and -uninfected women, respectively). Greater partner testing and disclosure may improve prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in this population. A majority of women were inclined to make feeding decisions on their own, whereas most felt that other health-related decisions should also involve the father. Most mothers believe that exclusive breast feeding (EBF) is the best infant feeding method (for the first six months) but it was actually practiced by a minority of women (20% of HIV-infected and 5% of HIV-uninfected mothers; p = 0.01). EBF needs systematic support in order to be practised.

Multiple sex partner behavior in female undergraduate students in China: A multi-campus survey

PubMed Central

Yan, Hong; Chen, Weiqi; Wu, Haocheng; Bi, Yongyi; Zhang, Miaoxuan; Li, Shiyue; Braun, Kathryn L

2009-01-01

Background China is realizing increases in women engaged in premarital sex and multiple sex partner behavior. Our aim was to examine prevalence and determinants of multiple sex partner behavior among female undergraduates in China. Methods Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 unmarried female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Items captured demographic, family, peer and work influence, and student factors (major, academic performance, and sex-related knowledge and attitudes). To examine risk factors for sexual behaviors, we used multi-level logistic regression, yielding odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results Of 4,769 female students, 863 (18.10%) reported ever having sexual intercourse, and 5.31% reported having multiple sex partners (29.32% of all women having sexual intercourse). Several demographic, family, peer and work influences, and student factors (including major, performance, knowledge, and attitude toward sex) were risk factors for ever having sex. However, risk factors for multiple sex partners only included working in a place of entertainment, having current close friends that were living with boyfriends, poor academic performance, and positive attitudes toward multiple partners. These women also were more likely to practice masturbation, start having sex at a younger age, have sex with married men and/or men not their "boyfriends" at first coitus, and not use condoms consistently. Conclusion A small but important subset of Chinese female undergraduates is engaged in unprotected sex with multiple sex partners. Interventions need to target at risk women, stressing the importance of consistent condom use. PMID:19698132

Perceived Neighborhood Partner Availability, Partner Selection And Risk For Sexually Transmitted Infections Within A Cohort Of Adolescent Females

PubMed Central

Matson, Pamela A.; Chung, Shang-en; Ellen, Jonathan M.

2014-01-01

Purpose This research examined the association between a novel measure of perceived partner availability and discordance between ideal and actual partner characteristics as well as trajectories of ideal partner preferences and perceptions of partner availability over time. Methods A clinic recruited cohort of adolescent females (N = 92), aged 16 -19, were interviewed quarterly for 12 months using audio computer-assisted self-interview. Participants ranked the importance of characteristics for their ideal main sex partner and then reported on these characteristics for their current main partner. Participants reported on perceptions of availability of ideal sex partners in their neighborhood. Paired t-tests examined discordance between ideal and actual partner characteristics. Random-intercept regression models examined repeated measures. Results Actual partner ratings were lower than ideal partner preferences for fidelity, equaled ideal preferences for emotional support and exceed ideal preferences for social/economic status and physical attractiveness. Discordance on emotional support and social/economic status was associated with sex partner concurrency. Participants perceived low availability of ideal sex partners. Those who perceived more availability were less likely to be ideal/actual discordant on fidelity [OR = 0.88, 95%CI: 0.78,1.0]. Neither ideal partner preferences nor perceptions of partner availability changed over 12 months. Conclusions Current main sex partners met or exceeded ideal partner preferences in all domains except fidelity. If emotional needs are met, adolescents may tolerate partner concurrency in areas of limited partner pools. Urban adolescent females who perceive low availability may be at increased risk for STI as they may be more likely to have non-monogamous partners. PMID:24393545

Perceived neighborhood partner availability, partner selection, and risk for sexually transmitted infections within a cohort of adolescent females.

PubMed

Matson, Pamela A; Chung, Shang-En; Ellen, Jonathan M

2014-07-01

This research examined the association between a novel measure of perceived partner availability and discordance between ideal and actual partner characteristics as well as trajectories of ideal partner preferences and perceptions of partner availability over time. A clinic-recruited cohort of adolescent females (N = 92), aged 1619 years, were interviewed quarterly for 12 months using audio computer-assisted self-interview. Participants ranked the importance of characteristics for their ideal main sex partner and then reported on these characteristics for their current main partner. Participants reported on perceptions of availability of ideal sex partners in their neighborhood. Paired t-tests examined discordance between ideal and actual partner characteristics. Random-intercept regression models examined repeated measures. Actual partner ratings were lower than ideal partner preferences for fidelity, equaled ideal preferences for emotional support and exceeded ideal preferences for social/economic status and physical attractiveness. Discordance on emotional support and social/economic status was associated with sex partner concurrency. Participants perceived low availability of ideal sex partners. Those who perceived more availability were less likely to be ideal/actual discordant on fidelity [OR = .88, 95% CI: .78, 1.0]. Neither ideal partner preferences nor perceptions of partner availability changed over 12 months. Current main sex partners met or exceeded ideal partner preferences in all domains except fidelity. If emotional needs are met, adolescents may tolerate partner concurrency in areas of limited partner pools. Urban adolescent females who perceive low availability may be at increased risk for sexually transmitted infection (STI) because they may be more likely to have nonmonogamous partners. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Couple-Level Economic and Career Concerns and Intimate Partner Violence in Young Adulthood

PubMed Central

Copp, Jennifer E.; Giordano, Peggy C.; Manning, Wendy D.; Longmore, Monica A.

2015-01-01

Family scholars have demonstrated that economic conditions influence marital quality and relationship instability. Similarly, researchers have identified low income and poverty as important risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV). Yet limited work has examined how economic factors influence the use of violence in the romantic context, particularly during young adulthood. Using the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (n = 928), we examine the influence of economic and career concerns as specific sources of conflict on IPV among a sample of young adults. Findings suggest that these areas of disagreement within romantic relationships are associated with IPV risk, net of traditional predictors. We discuss the implications of our findings for intervention and prevention efforts. PMID:27284209

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and use of antenatal care among rural women in southern Terai of Nepal.

PubMed

Singh, Jitendra Kumar; Evans-Lacko, Sara; Acharya, Dilaram; Kadel, Rajendra; Gautam, Salila

2018-04-01

Underutilisation of antenatal care services due to intimate partner violence during pregnancy has been well documented elsewhere, but it is understudied in Nepal. Our study aimed at exploring the impact of intimate partner violence on antenatal care service utilisation in southern Terai of Nepal. A community-based cross-sectional study was performed in 6 village development committees in Dhanusha district, Nepal. A total of 426 pregnant women in their second trimester were selected using a multistage cluster sampling method. Multivariable regression analyses were used to examine the association between exposure to intimate partner violence and selected antenatal care services, adjusting for covariates. Among 426 pregnant women, almost three out of ten women (28.9%) were exposed to intimate partner violence at some point during their pregnancy. Pregnant women who were exposed to intimate partner violence were less likely to: register for antenatal care (OR 0.31; 95% CI (0.08-0.50)), take iron and folic acid (OR 0.55; 95% CI (0.12-0.90)), report dietary diversity (middle vs low: OR 0.34; 95% CI (0.11-0.58) and high vs low: OR 0.18; 95% CI (0.08-0.37)), have rest and sleep during day time (OR 0.47; 95% CI (0.61-0.58)), and attend mother's group meetings (OR 0.29; 95% CI (0.10-0.83)). Intimate partner violence during pregnancy is associated with low utilisation of antenatal care services. Therefore, effective strategies to prevent or reduce intimate partner violence during pregnancy is needed, which may lead to improved antenatal care service utilization in Nepal with healthier mothers and children's outcome. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

History of childhood abuse, sensation seeking, and intimate partner violence under/not under the influence of a substance: a cross-sectional study in Russia.

PubMed

Zhan, Weihai; Shaboltas, Alla V; Skochilov, Roman V; Krasnoselskikh, Tatiana V; Abdala, Nadia

2013-01-01

To examine correlates of perpetration and victimization of intimate partner violence (IPV) under and not under the influence of a substance, we conducted a study among women in Russia. In 2011, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients receiving services at a clinic for sexually transmitted infections in St. Petersburg, Russia. Multinomial logistic regression was used for analysis. Of 299 women, 104 (34.8%) and 113 (37.8%) reported a history of IPV perpetration and victimization, respectively. Nearly half (47.1%) of perpetrators and 61.1% of victims reported that the latest IPV event (perpetration and victimization, respectively) was experienced under the influence of a substance. Factors independently associated with IPV victimization under the influence of a substance were alcohol misuse and a higher number of lifetime sex partners, whereas only experience of childhood abuse (emotional and physical abuse) was independently associated with IPV victimization that did not occur under the influence of a substance. Childhood physical abuse, lower age of first sex, sensation seeking, and alcohol misuse were independently associated with IPV perpetration under the influence of a substance, while only childhood abuse (emotional and physical abuse) was independently associated with IPV perpetration that did not occur under the influence of a substance. IPV under and not under the influence of a substance had different correlates (e.g., alcohol misuse and sensation seeking). Despite the strong association between substance use and IPV, experience of childhood abuse is an important predictor of IPV perpetration and victimization in Russia, above and beyond substance use.

Determinants of Recent HIV Infection Among Seattle-Area Men Who Have Sex with Men

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Richard A.; Carey, James W.; Hutcheson, Rebecca; Thomas, Katherine K.; Stall, Ronald D.; White, Edward; Allen, Iris; Mejia, Roberto; Golden, Matthew R.

2009-01-01

Objectives. We sought to identify HIV-infection risk factors related to partner selection and sexual behaviors with those partners among men who have sex with men (MSM) in King County, Washington. Methods. Participants were recruited from HIV testing sites in the Seattle area. Recent HIV infection status was determined by the Serologic Testing Algorithm for Recent HIV Seroconversion (STARHS) or a self-reported previous HIV-negative test. Data on behaviors with 3 male partners were collected via computer-based self-interviews. Generalized estimating equation models identified partnership factors associated with recent infection. Results. We analyzed data from 32 HIV-positive MSM (58 partners) and 110 HIV-negative MSM (213 partners). In multivariate analysis, recent HIV infection was associated with meeting partners at bathhouses or sex clubs, bars or dance clubs, or online; methamphetamine use during unprotected anal intercourse; and unprotected anal intercourse, except with HIV-negative primary partners. Conclusions. There is a need to improve efforts to promote condom use with casual partners, regardless of their partner's HIV status. New strategies to control methamphetamine use in MSM and to reduce risk behaviors related to meeting partners at high-risk venues are needed. PMID:18445808

The Role of the Relationship with Parents with Respect to Work Orientation and Work Ethic.

PubMed

Leenders, Monique V E; Buunk, Abraham P; Henkens, Kène

2017-01-01

We examined the extent to which individual relationships with mother and father, social support from partner, and quality of the relationship with the partner, are related to work orientation and work ethic. Survey data were obtained from 3841 respondents from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (wave 2). The results showed that, overall, people with a more positive relationship with their parents had a more positive work orientation and a stronger work ethic. A positive relationship with the father had a greater influence on these work aspects than a positive relationship with the mother, particularly for men. Partner support and the quality of the partner relationship partially mediated the association between the relationship with one's parents and work orientation only for women. There were no significant relationships between partner support or the quality of the partner relationship, and work ethic. Research on the relationship with parents and work-related variables is discussed.

The Association of Partner Abuse Types and Suicidal Ideation Among Men and Women College Students.

PubMed

Wolford-Clevenger, Caitlin; Vann, Noelle C; Smith, Phillip N

2016-01-01

Despite the well-documented relations between intimate partner violence and suicidal ideation, gender differences regarding the relationships between intimate partner violence types and suicidal ideation are less understood. In addition, few studies have examined the risk that harassment may confer for suicidal ideation in the context of intimate partner violence. This study examined gender differences in the associations of harassment, emotional, and physical intimate partner violence with suicidal ideation in 502 college students, while controlling for the influence of depressive symptoms. Results indicated that physical abuse, but not harassment or emotional abuse, was associated with increased suicidal ideation in men. In contrast, emotional abuse, but not physical abuse or harassment, was associated with increased suicidal ideation in women. Clinicians should consider potential gender differences in the impact of intimate partner violence on suicidal ideation when assessing suicide risk.

Reconceptualizing and operationalizing context in survey research on intimate partner violence.

PubMed

Lindhorst, Taryn; Tajima, Emiko

2008-03-01

Survey research in the field of intimate partner violence is notably lacking in its attention to contextual factors. Early measures of intimate partner violence focused on simple counts of behaviors, yet attention to broader contextual factors remains limited. Contextual factors not only shape what behaviors are defined as intimate partner violence but also influence the ways women respond to victimization, the resources available to them, and the environments in which they cope with abuse. This article advances methods for reconceptualizing and operationalizing contextual factors salient to the measurement of intimate partner violence. The analytic focus of the discussion is on five dimensions of the social context: the situational context, the social construction of meaning by the survivor, cultural and historical contexts, and the context of systemic oppression. The authors consider how each dimension matters in the measurement of intimate partner violence and offer recommendations for systematically assessing these contextual factors in future research.

Disclosure of Microbicide Gel Use to Sexual Partners: Influence on Adherence in the CAPRISA 004 Trial

PubMed Central

Maarschalk, Silvia; Grobler, Anneke C.; Mansoor, Leila E.; Frohlich, Janet A.; Madlala, Bernadette; Ngcobo, Nelisiwe; Abdool Karim, Salim S.; Karim, Quarraisha Abdool

2014-01-01

Young women in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately affected by HIV, making the development of women initiated and controlled methods of prevention, including microbicides, a priority. Adherence is pivotal to microbicide efficacy and partner related factors are known to impact adherence. An analysis of disclosure of gel use to sexual partners and adherence in CAPRISA 004 women was conducted to better understand this relationship. Partner disclosure was significantly associated with a modest 4.2 % increased adherence (71.0 vs. 66.8 %, p = 0.03). Most women rated the experience of disclosure as positive, despite 6.7 % of partners expressing a negative reaction. Participants who disclosed were more likely to reside with their regular partner (14.4 vs. 8.4 %; p = 0.01) and reported consistent condom use at baseline (32.9 vs. 20.9 %; p< 0.01). Partner disclosure needs to be better understood as a potential facilitator or barrier to microbicide adherence. PMID:24633715

Stimulant use patterns and HIV transmission risk among HIV-serodiscordant male couples.

PubMed

Gamarel, Kristi E; Woolf-King, Sarah E; Carrico, Adam W; Neilands, Torsten B; Johnson, Mallory O

2015-02-01

Substance use is strongly linked to HIV risk, and members of couples can have a powerful influence on each other's health behaviors. We examined whether couple-level patterns of stimulant use were differentially associated with engaging in condomless anal intercourse with primary partners and outside partners. Members of HIV serodiscordant male couples (N = 117 couples, 232 men) completed surveys, and HIV-positive men had blood drawn for viral load. Results revealed that stimulant use by only one partner in the couple was associated with a decrease in the odds of engaging in condomless anal sex with one's primary partner (AOR = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.89). When both partners reported stimulant use, the HIV-negative partner had an increase in the odds of condomless sex with outside partners (AOR = 6.68, 95% CI: 1.09, 8.01). Understanding the role of couples' stimulant use patterns in HIV transmission risk is an important area for future research and intervention.

Perceptions of relationship satisfaction and addictive behavior: Comparing pornography and marijuana use.

PubMed

Pyle, Tara M; Bridges, Ana J

2012-12-01

Background and aims Research indicates that excessive pornography use can negatively impact romantic relationships. However, it is unclear whether these negative outcomes are different than negative outcomes produced by other compulsive or addictive behaviors, such as drug use. This study compared perceptions of relationship outcomes from either a romantic partner's excessive marijuana or pornography use. Furthermore, this study experimentally manipulated four factors potentially related to perceptions of relationship satisfaction and addictive behavior. Methods A total of 186 college-aged women read 16 scenarios describing heterosexual romantic relationships in which one partner used either pornography or marijuana. Each scenario varied on four variables: relationship commitment, secrecy of partner's behavior, frequency of partner's behavior, and context of partner's behavior. Results Results suggest that partner pornography and marijuana use are perceived to impact romantic relationships similarly and are influenced by similar factors, such as greater frequency, higher secrecy, and partner's availability for interaction. Conclusions Such findings are consistent with recommendations by professionals that compulsive pornography use be considered worthy of treatment intervention.

If you've got it, flaunt it: humans flaunt attractive partners to enhance their status and desirability.

PubMed

Winegard, Benjamin M; Winegard, Bo; Geary, David C

2013-01-01

Mating decisions are influenced by conspecifics' mate choices in many species including humans. Recent research has shown that women are more attracted to men with attractive putative partners than those with less attractive partners. We integrate these findings with traditional accounts of social signaling and test five hypotheses derived from it. In our study, 64 men and 75 women were paired with attractive and unattractive opposite-sex putative partners and asked whether they would prefer to give surveys to peers or to older adults. Consistent with predictions, both men and women wanted to show off (flaunt) attractive partners by administering surveys to peers and both men and women wanted to hide (conceal) unattractive partners from peers by administering surveys to older adults. These decisions were mediated by how participants expected others to evaluate their status and desirability when they administered the surveys, consistent with partners serving a social signaling function in humans.

Alcohol and drug abuse among U.S. veterans: comparing associations with intimate partner substance abuse and veteran psychopathology.

PubMed

Miller, Mark W; Reardon, Annemarie F; Wolf, Erika J; Prince, Lauren B; Hein, Christina L

2013-02-01

This study examined the relative influences of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other psychopathology, and intimate partner alcohol and drug use on substance-related problems in U.S. veterans (242 couples, N = 484). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that partner alcohol and drug use severity explained more variance in veteran alcohol use and drug use (20% and 13%, respectively) than did veteran PTSD, adult antisocial behavior, or depression symptoms combined (6% for veteran alcohol use; 7% for veteran drug use). Findings shed new light on the influence of relationship factors on veteran alcohol and drug use and underscore the importance of couples-oriented approaches to treating veterans with comorbid PTSD and substance abuse. Published 2013. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Partnering across the Life Course: Sex, Relationships, and Mate Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sassler, Sharon

2010-01-01

Marital delay, relationship dissolution and churning, and high divorce rates have extended the amount of time individuals in search of romantic relationships spend outside of marital unions. The scope of research on intimate partnering now includes studies of "hooking up," Internet dating, visiting relationships, cohabitation, marriage following…

What Attracts Men Who Batter to Their Partners? An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Daniel G.; Kurko, Jennifer F.; Barlow, Kirsten; Crane, Colleen E.

2011-01-01

Men who batter, because of particular personality traits and sense of entitlement, may select partners whom they perceive will be dependent on them, meet their emotional needs, or be "objects" of physical attractiveness. During treatment intake, 181 offenders responded to the question, "What attracted you to her (your…

A Personalized Faculty Peer Support Program: Less Can Be More

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Laurie

2012-01-01

This program description presents a unique, radically simple mentoring model for post-secondary institutions. The Faculty Peer Support Program invites all faculty members, regardless of rank, to connect for personalized professional development support. Participants self-select partner(s), meeting times, places, and topics. They also self-direct…

Failure to capitalize on sharing good news with romantic partners: Exploring positivity deficits of socially anxious people with self-reports, partner-reports, and behavioral observations☆

PubMed Central

Kashdan, Todd B.; Ferssizidis, Patty; Farmer, Antonina S.; Adams, Leah M.; McKnight, Patrick E.

2013-01-01

Extending prior work on social anxiety and positivity deficits, we examined whether individual differences in social anxiety alter the ability to share and respond to the good news of romantic partners (i.e., capitalization support) and how this influences romantic relationship satisfaction and commitment. In this study of 174 heterosexual couples (average age of 21.5 with 58.3% identifying as Caucasian), greater social anxiety was associated with the provision and receipt of less supportive responses to shared positive events as measured by trait questionnaires, partner reports, and behavioral observations in the laboratory. In longitudinal analyses, individuals in romantic relationships with socially anxious partners who experienced inadequate capitalization support were more likely to terminate their relationship and report a decline in relationship quality six months later. As evidence of construct specificity, social anxiety effects were independent of depressive symptoms. Taken together, social anxiety influenced a person's ability to receive and provide support for shared positive events; these deficits had adverse romantic consequences. Researchers and clinicians may better understand social anxiety by exploring a wider range of interpersonal contexts and positive constructs. The addition of capitalization support to the social anxiety literature offers new insights into interpersonal approaches and treatments. PMID:23916635

Interdependence of stroke survivors' recovery and their relatives' attitudes and health: a contribution to investigating the causal effects.

PubMed

Barskova, Tatjana; Wilz, Gabriele

2007-10-15

One goal of the study was to test specific hypotheses concerning the interdependence of the stroke survivors' recovery and their caregiving partners' attitudes and health. The other aim was to find an applicable method for investigating causal effects on the rehabilitation of chronically sick persons in longitudinal studies with medium-sized samples. The recovery of 81 stroke survivors regarding the physical and mental functioning in everyday life and their caregiving partners' health and attitudes were assessed twice, once after the patients left the hospital and again one year later. We applied the structure equation modeling and the cross-lagged partial correlation analysis (CLPC) for testing causal effects. Particularly stroke victims' cognitive and emotional recovery seems to be influenced by psychosocial factors such as the caregiving partners' acceptance of a post-stroke life-situation. In contrast to this, the research suggests that the patients' recovery regarding physical functioning is not substantially affected by the partners, rather the patients' difficulties with motor functioning influence their partners' health. Caregivers merit attention as part of rehabilitation interventions. We recommend the CLPC for investigating causal effects in the complex interdependence of chronically sick persons' convalescence and their family members' health and state of mind in medium-sized samples.

The early childhood sexual experiences and collusion in adult partner relationship.

PubMed

Izdebska, Agnieszka; Beisert, Maria Janina; Roszyk, Anna

2015-01-01

The aim of the present research was verification of the hypothesis for the influence of negative sexual experiences in sexual development on the quality of partner relationships in the adult life. Special attention was given to the influence exercised by the level of erotization in the environment of the family of origin and to the experience of child sexual abuse. The quality of partner relationships was recognized using Jurg Willi's concept through the analysis of intensity of dysfunctions (collusions) in those relationships. The study was conducted on a population of 170 adults in partnerships. The surveyed group filled in the Questionnaire on Models of Sexual Upbringing in Families, the Couples Collusion Questionnaire and the Questionnaire on Sexual Abuse of Children. Positive interrelation has been confirmed between the level of erotization in the family of origin and the oral, anal and oedipal partner collusion in the procreative relationships of individuals. Such link has not been confirmed for narcissistic collusion. The interrelation between the sexually abusive experiences and the partner collusion has only been confirmed in masculine group within the oral collusion and the anal collusion. The findings largely support the assumption that there is a connection between the character of sexual experiences in childhood and functioning in adult partnership.

Economic Profits Enhance Trust, Perceived Integrity and Memory of Fairness in Interpersonal Judgment

PubMed Central

Eto, Keisuke; Watanabe, Shigeru; Kawabata, Hideaki

2012-01-01

Does money lead to trust in personality and intention of others? Humans have a strong tendency to judge the intention of others from their sequent behaviors. In general, people trust others who behave fairly, but not always. Here we show that judgments of both intentional aspects and memory of intentional behavior are automatically influenced by unintentional benefits from the behaviors of others. We conducted a reward-manipulated and repeated trust game by using real participants interacting with moving image partners on a computer screen. The participants assessed likability, trustworthiness, and perceived integrity of the partners in pre- and post-game questionnaires. The results of judgments of all three dimensions and the memory of frequency of each partner's fair behavior (sharing) were strongly influenced by profitability in the trust game, even though all partners shared 75% of the profit and participants were told that profitability was randomly assigned to each partner. Furthermore, these effects were moderated by the gender of the participants: males were more sensitive to monetary profits than were females. The results reveal that humans automatically trust, approve the integrity of, and recall well the fair behavior of others who provide affectively positive outcomes such as monetary profits. We call this phenomenon the “affect ripple effect”. PMID:23251552

Atopic dermatitis: impact on the quality of life of patients and their partners.

PubMed

Misery, L; Finlay, A Y; Martin, N; Boussetta, S; Nguyen, C; Myon, E; Taieb, C

2007-01-01

The impact of atopic dermatitis (AD) on the patient's quality of life is relatively well known. However, the influence on the patient's spouse has never been studied. To evaluate the impact of AD on the quality of life, sleeping and sexual life of patients and their partners. In this cross-sectional study, patients and their partners completed a number of questionnaires asking about their general health and their quality of life [Short Form 12, Epworth, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)] and completed an idiosyncratic measure asking about their sexual functioning. AD severity was clinician rated using Scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD). A total of 266 patients were included. The mean DLQI score was 8.8. The physical and mental composite 12 scores were 50.7 and 39.5, respectively. These 3 scores were significantly related to SCORAD. A decrease in sexual desire due to AD was noted in 57.5% of patients. The quality of life of partners did not appear to be particularly impaired, but 36.5% reported that the appearance of eczema had an impact on their sex life. The influence of AD on sex life is significant both for the patients and their partners. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Dawn of Awareness: Women's Claiming of Self in Couple Relationship with Substance Abusers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naylor, Mavis E.; Lee, Bonnie K.

2011-01-01

This phenomenological study aimed at understanding the experiences of women living with intimate partners with substance abuse problems. Findings show that the five participants' family-of-origin experiences centrally influenced their degree of awareness of their responses to their intimate partners' addictive behaviors. Experiences leading to…

Attitudes about Partner Communication Regarding Contraceptive Use among Hispanic Male College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villarreal, Koreena M.; Wiley, David C.; Housman, Jeff; Martinez-Ramos, Gloria

2016-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine cultural factors that influence Hispanic male college students' intention to communicate with partners about contraception use. Participants: A sample of 239 self-identified Hispanic participants enrolled in at least 1 college course participated in this study in the spring 2014…

Different Words for the Same Concept: Learning Collaboratively from Multiple Documents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jucks, Regina; Paus, Elisabeth

2013-01-01

This study investigated how varying the lexical encodings of technical terms in multiple texts influences learners' dyadic processing of scientific-related information. Fifty-seven pairs of college students read journalistic texts on depression. Each partner in a dyad received one text; for half of the dyads the partner's text contained different…

The Influence of Power on Trading Partner Trust in Electronic Commerce.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratnasingam, Pauline

2000-01-01

Discussion of power in electronic commerce focuses on the impact of power in the adoption of electronic data interchange. Presents a case study of Ford Motor Company in Australia that shows negative (coercive) power resulted in uncertainty, whereas positive (persuasive) power resulted in open communications, thus building trading partner trust.…

Community Violence, Social Support Networks, Ethnic Group Differences, and Male Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raghavan, Chitra; Rajah, Valli; Gentile, Katie; Collado, Lillian; Kavanagh, Ann Marie

2009-01-01

The authors examined how witnessing community violence influenced social support networks and how these networks were associated with male-to-female intimate partner violence (IPV) in ethnically diverse male college students. The authors assessed whether male social support members themselves had perpetrated IPV (male network violence) and whether…

Relationships between Maternal Emotion Regulation, Parenting, and Children's Executive Functioning in Families Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samuelson, Kristin W.; Krueger, Casey E.; Wilson, Christina

2012-01-01

Recently researchers have begun to explore the extent to which children's cognitive development is influenced by experiences in the family environment. Assessing mother-child dyads exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV), a population at risk for emotional and neurocognitive problems, we examined relationships between maternal emotional…

Reproductive ambition predicts partnered, but not unpartnered, women's preferences for masculine men.

PubMed

Watkins, Christopher D

2012-08-01

Changing circumstances alter the costs and benefits of choosing different mates and are thought to be reflected in women's mate preferences. Indeed, several lines of reasoning, and some prior studies, suggest that individual differences in women's preferences for cues of men's underlying health will be more apparent among partnered women than among unpartnered women. The current study shows that preferences for male faces with masculine shape cues, characteristics that are thought to signal men's underlying health, are positively correlated with partnered, but not unpartnered, women's reported reproductive ambition (i.e., their desire to become pregnant). These findings (1) present new evidence for systematic variation in women's mating strategies, (2) suggest that partnership status may be important for potentially adaptive variation in women's mate preferences, and (3) suggest that reproductive ambition may influence women's mate preferences. Alternative explanations for these findings, focusing on the possible effects of a range of variables that may be correlated with reproductive ambition in partnered women and influence their masculinity preferences, are also discussed. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

"I Don't Shag Dirty Girls": Marginalized Masculinities and the Use of Partner Selection as a Sexual Health Risk Reduction Strategy in Heterosexual Young Men.

PubMed

Limmer, Mark

2016-03-01

Understanding and addressing the sexual risk taking of young men remains a key research, policy, and practice concern in attempts to improve the emotional and physical sexual health of young men and their sexual partners. This article explores one of the ways in which young men attempt to mitigate sexual risk through the assigning of labels to particular young women and using these as a basis for their decisions in relation to sexual activity, contraception, and condom use. The article uses the lens of hegemonic masculinities theory to increase understanding of the role played by the construction and performance of marginalized masculinities and how these in turn are influenced by social exclusionary processes. The article draws on focus group and interview data from 46 young men aged 15 to 17 years living in the northwest of England, purposively selected on the basis of the prevailing policy definitions of social inclusion and exclusion. The article describes a form of marginalized masculinity pertaining to socially excluded young men, which as a result of limited access to other tenets of hegemonic masculinity, is disproportionately reliant on sexual expertise and voracity alongside overt demonstrations of their superiority over women. It is in this context that young women are assigned the labels of "dirty" or "clean" on the basis of a selection of arbitrary judgments relating to dress, demeanor, area of residence, and perceived sexual activities. The motivations of the young men, the impact on young women, and the policy and practice implications are all discussed. © The Author(s) 2014.

An event-level analysis of adding exogenous lubricant to condoms in a sample of men who have vaginal sex with women.

PubMed

Reece, Michael; Mark, Kristen; Herbenick, Debby; Hensel, Devon J; Jawed-Wessel, Sofia; Dodge, Brian

2012-03-01

Little is known about the characteristics of sexual events during which individuals choose to use lubricant with condoms. The aims of this article were to evaluate the determinants of adding lubricant to condoms during baseline and at the event level, to assess the event-level variables' influence on adding lubricants to condoms, and to assess the event-level influence of using condoms with lubricant on event-level condom attitudes. A total of 1,874 men completed a 30-day Internet-based prospective daily diary study of sexual behavior and condom use. Baseline data included demographic variables and information about condom education. Daily diary data included reports of penile-vaginal sex regarding intercourse duration, intercourse intensity, intoxication level, condom application method, partner contraceptive method, and partner and relationship characteristics. Lubricant was added to 24.3% of the study-provided condoms and 26.2% of the condoms selected by study participants. Those with more education and those who were married were more likely to add lubrication to condoms. Adding lubricant to condoms, a female partner putting the condom on with her hands and using contraception, and the event occurring with a wife (vs. girlfriend) was significantly associated with longer intercourse. Event-level lubricant and condom use significantly predicted lower willingness to buy the condom it was used with, as well as to recommend the condom. Adding exogenous lubricant was not related to the participants' confidence in condoms as a method to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The event-level nature of this study provided for a more comprehensive assessment of the situational factors that are associated with applying lubricant to condoms. Findings from this study suggest that men are adding lubricant to condoms for reasons other than to increase condom efficacy. © 2012 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Fusion Partner Toolchest for the Stabilization and Crystallization of G Protein-Coupled Receptors

PubMed Central

Chun, Eugene; Thompson, Aaron A.; Liu, Wei; Roth, Christopher B.; Griffith, Mark T.; Katritch, Vsevolod; Kunken, Joshua; Xu, Fei; Cherezov, Vadim; Hanson, Michael A.; Stevens, Raymond C.

2012-01-01

SUMMARY Structural studies of human G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have recently been accelerated through the use of the T4 lysozyme fusion partner that was inserted into the third intracellular loop. Using chimeras of the human β2-adrenergic and human A2A adenosine receptors, we present the methodology and data for the selection of five new fusion partners for crystallizing GPCRs. In particular, the use of the thermostabilized apocytochrome b562RIL as a fusion partner displays certain advantages over the previously utilized T4 lysozyme, resulting in a significant improvement in stability and structure in GPCR-fusion constructs. PMID:22681902

Influence of Quality of Relationship Between Patient With Melanoma and Partner on Partner-Assisted Skin Examination Education: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Hultgren, Brittney A; Turrisi, Rob; Mallett, Kimberly A; Ackerman, Sarah; Robinson, June K

2016-02-01

Melanoma has a high survival rate if it is detected early. Training patients with early-stage melanoma who are at risk of developing new melanomas to perform skin self-examination (SSE) may improve survival. To examine for whom the intervention works best in a sample composed of dyads of patients with melanoma and skin-check partners who received an SSE intervention vs customary care. For 494 patients with stage 0 to IIB melanoma (mean age, 55 years; 253 [51.2%] females) and their skin-check partners (mean age, 55 years; 280 [56.7%] females), a randomized clinical trial was conducted in ambulatory care dermatologic offices from June 6, 2011, to April 14, 2014. Follow-up assessments were performed at 12 months. Analysis was performed between March 23 and June 25, 2015. Dyads of 494 patients and their partners were randomly assigned to receive the intervention (395 patients) or customary care (control) (99 patients). The main outcome was patient SSE self-efficacy. Partner motivation to assist with SSE and relationship quality (eg, agreeability, activities with partner, and happiness) were assessed for moderation of the influence of the intervention's effect on SSE self-efficacy. Relationship quality, defined by activities with the partner (β = -0.892, SE = 0.432, t = -2.066; P = .001) and happiness (β = -4.586, SE = 2.044, t = -2.24; P = .001), significantly moderated the intervention effects on patients' SSE self-efficacy. In contrast, patient-partner agreeability (β = -0.262, SE = 0.148, t = -1.773; P = .09) and partner motivation (β = -0.328, SE = 1.024, t = -0.320; P = .10) did not significantly moderate the intervention effects on patients' SSE self-efficacy. Differences between the conditions were highest when activities performed with the partner were below average (mean difference, 6.652; P = .001) and when happiness was below average (mean difference, 7.000; P = .001). Although everyone receiving the intervention experienced some benefit, the findings indicate the greatest increases in self-efficacy were observed for those with below-average activities performed with the partner and happiness. The training of patients with melanoma and their partners in early-detection SSE benefited some more than others. Pairs who have low relationship quality, as determined by activities performed with the partner and happiness, may have received the greatest benefits from the training intervention because they were given an activity to perform together. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01432860.

Coping capacity among women with abusive partners.

PubMed

Nurius, P S; Furrey, J; Berliner, L

1992-01-01

Coping capacity, although increasingly implicated as a mediating force in how individuals respond to personal threat, is an underrecognized factor in work with women of abusive partners. To explore the utility of coping capacity as a multivariable set to guide intervention with women of abusive partners, findings are reported comparing four groups of women: those whose partners do not engage in abuse, are abusive toward them, are sex offenders of children for whom the woman is a parent, or are offenders of children for whom the woman is not a parent. Three variable sets were included: vulnerability factors that may negatively influence appraisals of threat and ability to cope with abuse; coping responses that include cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions to the abuse; and coping resources expected to mediate effects of vulnerability factors and to influence the mobilization (of lack thereof) of coping responses. There were significant differences in coping capacity profiles across the four groups. These appeared to be a continuum of coping capacity, with women who were most directly threatened showing the lowest and women who were least directly threatened showing the highest levels of coping capacity. In order from the lowest to the highest levels of coping capacity were (1) battered women, (2) women whose partners are offenders against their children, (3) women whose partners are offenders against children of whom they are not the parent, and (4) control group women. The paper ends with a conceptual interpretation of the mediating functions of coping resources and implications for intervention and further study.

Women have a preference for their male partner to be HPV vaccinated.

PubMed

Harper, Diane Medved; Alexander, Natalie Marya; Ahern, Debra Ann; Comes, Johanna Claire; Smith, Melissa Smith; Heutinck, Melinda Ann; Handley, Sandra Martin

2014-01-01

Peer influence and social networking can change female adolescent and young adult behavior. Peer influence on preferences for male human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has not been documented. The primary aim of this study was to determine if women had preferences about male sexual partner HPV vaccination receipt. A prospective survey of women 18-26 years of age was conducted at an urban university student health clinic. Education about the two HPV vaccines, cervical cancer and genital warts was provided. Women self-reported their demographic and medical history data, as well as their own preferences for HPV vaccine and their preferences for their male partner HPV vaccine using a 5 point Likert scale. 601 women, mean age of 21.5 years (SD 2.4), participated between 2011 and 2012. Nearly 95% of respondents were heterosexual; condoms and contraceptives were used in over half of the population. Regardless of the woman's vaccination status, women had significantly higher (strongly agree/agree) preferences for the male partner being vaccinated with HPV4 than not caring if he was vaccinated (63.6% vs. 13.1%, p<0.001). This preference was repeated for sexual risk factors and past reproductive medical history. Women who received HPV4 compared to those choosing HPV2 had a significantly lower proportion of preferences for not caring if the male partner was vaccinated (13% vs. 22%, p = 0.015). Women preferred a HPV vaccinated male partner. Peer messaging might change the male HPV vaccination uptake.

Adaptive genetic complementarity in mate choice coexists with selection for elaborate sexual traits

PubMed Central

Oh, Kevin P; Badyaev, Alexander V

2006-01-01

Choice of genetically unrelated mates is widely documented, yet it is not known how self-referential mate choice can co-occur with commonly observed directional selection on sexual displays. Across 10 breeding seasons in a wild bird population, we found strong fitness benefits of matings between genetically unrelated partners and show that self-referential choice of genetically unrelated mates alternates with sexual selection on elaborate plumage. Seasonal cycles of diminishing variation in ornamentation, caused by early pairing of the most elaborated males, and influx of increasingly genetically unrelated available mates caused by female-biased dispersal, lead to temporal fluctuations in the target of mate choice and enabled coexistence of directional selection for ornament elaboration with adaptive pairing of genetically unrelated partners. PMID:16822752

The Influence of Direct and Indirect Juvenile Victimization Experiences on Adult Victimization and Fear of Crime.

PubMed

Grubb, Jonathan A; Bouffard, Leana A

2015-11-01

Research has identified that juvenile victimization can play a detrimental role for individuals later in life. While this literature has focused on direct and indirect forms of victimization at different stages of life, the influence of juvenile victimization on fear of crime and violent victimization as an adult has been limited. To expand this body of literature, the present research examines the effects of direct (sexual victimization) and indirect (witnessing parental intimate partner violence) juvenile victimization on fear of crime as well as the prevalence of victimization as an adult. Using telephone survey data collected from randomly selected Texas adults, this study demonstrates that both juvenile sexual victimization and indirect victimization increase the likelihood of adult victimization, whereas juvenile sexual victimization increases the likelihood of adult sexual victimization. In contrast, fear of crime as an adult was not significantly influenced by either juvenile sexual victimization or indirect victimization. A discussion of how these findings relate to previous research, limitations, and implications are also provided. © The Author(s) 2014.

BAPJ69-4A: a yeast two-hybrid strain for both positive and negative genetic selection.

PubMed

Shaffer, Hally Anne; Rood, Michael Kenneth; Kashlan, Badar; Chang, Eileen I-ling; Doyle, Donald Francis; Azizi, Bahareh

2012-10-01

Genetic selection systems, such as the yeast two-hybrid system, are efficient methods to detect protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions. These systems have been further developed to assess negative interactions, such as inhibition, using the URA3 genetic selection marker. Previously, chemical complementation was used to assess positive selection in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this work, a new S. cerevisiae strain, called BAPJ69-4A, containing three selective markers ADE2, HIS3, and URA3 as well as the lacZ gene controlled by Gal4 response elements, was developed and characterized using the retinoid X receptor (RXR) and its ligand 9-cis retinoic acid (9cRA). Further characterization was performed using RXR variants and the synthetic ligand LG335. To assess the functionality of the strain, RXR was compared to the parent strain PJ69-4A in adenine, histidine, and uracil selective media. In positive selection, associating partners that lead to cell growth were observed in all media in the presence of ligand, whereas partners that did not associate due to the absence of ligand displayed no growth. Conversely, in negative selection, partners that did not associate in 5-FOA medium did not display cell death due to the lack of expression of the URA3 gene. The creation of the BAPJ69-4A yeast strain provides a high-throughput selection system, called negative chemical complementation, which can be used for both positive and negative selection, providing a fast, powerful tool for discovering novel ligand receptor pairs for applications in drug discovery and protein engineering. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary stability of mutualism: interspecific population regulation as an evolutionarily stable strategy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holland, J. Nathaniel; DeAngelis, Donald L.; Schultz, Stewart T.

2004-01-01

Interspecific mutualisms are often vulnerable to instability because low benefit : cost ratios can rapidly lead to extinction or to the conversion of mutualism to parasite–host or predator–prey interactions. We hypothesize that the evolutionary stability of mutualism can depend on how benefits and costs to one mutualist vary with the population density of its partner, and that stability can be maintained if a mutualist can influence demographic rates and regulate the population density of its partner. We test this hypothesis in a model of mutualism with key features of senita cactus (Pachycereus schottii) – senita moth (Upiga virescens) interactions, in which benefits of pollination and costs of larval seed consumption to plant fitness depend on pollinator density. We show that plants can maximize their fitness by allocating resources to the production of excess flowers at the expense of fruit. Fruit abortion resulting from excess flower production reduces pre–adult survival of the pollinating seed–consumer, and maintains its density beneath a threshold that would destabilize the mutualism. Such a strategy of excess flower production and fruit abortion is convergent and evolutionarily stable against invasion by cheater plants that produce few flowers and abort few to no fruit. This novel mechanism of achieving evolutionarily stable mutualism, namely interspecific population regulation, is qualitatively different from other mechanisms invoking partner choice or selective rewards, and may be a general process that helps to preserve mutualistic interactions in nature.

Partner aggression in high-risk families from birth to age 3 years: associations with harsh parenting and child maladjustment.

PubMed

Graham, Alice M; Kim, Hyoun K; Fisher, Philip A

2012-02-01

Aggression between partners represents a potential guiding force in family dynamics. However, research examining the influence of partner aggression (physically and psychologically aggressive acts by both partners) on harsh parenting and young child adjustment has been limited by a frequent focus on low-risk samples and by the examination of partner aggression at a single time point. Especially in the context of multiple risk factors and around transitions such as childbirth, partner aggression might be better understood as a dynamic process. In the present study, longitudinal trajectories of partner aggression from birth to age 3 years in a large, high-risk, and ethnically diverse sample (N = 461) were examined. Specific risk factors were tested as predictors of aggression over time, and the longitudinal effects of partner aggression on maternal harsh parenting and child maladjustment were examined. Partner aggression decreased over time, with higher maternal depression and lower maternal age predicting greater decreases in partner aggression. While taking into account contextual and psychosocial risk factors, higher partner aggression measured at birth and a smaller decrease over time independently predicted higher levels of maternal harsh parenting at age 3 years. Initial level of partner aggression and change over time predicted child maladjustment indirectly (via maternal harsh parenting). The implications of understanding change in partner aggression over time as a path to harsh parenting and young children's maladjustment in the context of multiple risk factors are discussed.

Partner Aggression in High-Risk Families From Birth to Age 3: Associations With Harsh Parenting and Child Maladjustment

PubMed Central

Graham, Alice M.; Kim, Hyoun K.; Fisher, Philip A.

2012-01-01

Aggression between partners represents a potential guiding force in family dynamics. However, research examining the influence of partner aggression (physically and psychologically aggressive acts by both partners) on harsh parenting and young child adjustment has been limited by a frequent focus on low risk samples and by the examination of partner aggression at a single time point. Especially in the context of multiple risk factors and around transitions such as childbirth, partner aggression might be better understood as a dynamic process. In the present study, longitudinal trajectories of partner aggression from birth to age 3 years in a large, high-risk, and ethnically diverse sample (N = 461) were examined. Specific risk factors were tested as predictors of aggression over time, and the longitudinal effects of partner aggression on maternal harsh parenting and child maladjustment were examined. Partner aggression decreased over time, with higher maternal depression and lower maternal age predicting greater decreases in partner aggression. While taking into account contextual and psychosocial risk factors, higher partner aggression measured at birth and a smaller decrease over time independently predicted higher levels of maternal harsh parenting at age 3 years. Initial level of partner aggression and change over time predicted child maladjustment indirectly (via maternal harsh parenting). The implications of understanding change in partner aggression over time as a path to harsh parenting and young children's maladjustment in the context of multiple risk factors are discussed. PMID:22201248

Monte Carlo replica-exchange based ensemble docking of protein conformations.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhe; Ehmann, Uwe; Zacharias, Martin

2017-05-01

A replica-exchange Monte Carlo (REMC) ensemble docking approach has been developed that allows efficient exploration of protein-protein docking geometries. In addition to Monte Carlo steps in translation and orientation of binding partners, possible conformational changes upon binding are included based on Monte Carlo selection of protein conformations stored as ordered pregenerated conformational ensembles. The conformational ensembles of each binding partner protein were generated by three different approaches starting from the unbound partner protein structure with a range spanning a root mean square deviation of 1-2.5 Å with respect to the unbound structure. Because MC sampling is performed to select appropriate partner conformations on the fly the approach is not limited by the number of conformations in the ensemble compared to ensemble docking of each conformer pair in ensemble cross docking. Although only a fraction of generated conformers was in closer agreement with the bound structure the REMC ensemble docking approach achieved improved docking results compared to REMC docking with only the unbound partner structures or using docking energy minimization methods. The approach has significant potential for further improvement in combination with more realistic structural ensembles and better docking scoring functions. Proteins 2017; 85:924-937. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Interdependence of Advanced Cancer Patients' and Their Family Caregivers' Mental Health, Physical Health, and Self-Efficacy over Time.

PubMed

Kershaw, Trace; Ellis, Katrina R; Yoon, Hyojin; Schafenacker, Ann; Katapodi, Maria; Northouse, Laurel

2015-12-01

The challenges of advanced cancer have health implications for patients and their family caregivers from diagnosis through end of life. The nature of the patient/caregiver experience suggests that their mental and physical health maybe interdependent, but limited empirical evidence exists. This study used social cognitive theory as a framework to investigate individual and interpersonal influences on patients' and their family caregivers' mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy as individuals to manage the challenges of advanced disease over time. Patients and caregivers (484 patient-caregiver dyads) completed surveys at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Longitudinal dyadic analysis techniques were used to examine (i)the influence that patients and caregivers had on their own mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy (actor effects)and (ii) the influence that they had on each other's health outcomes (partner effects). We also examined the influence of self-efficacy on mental and physical health over time. Consistent with our hypotheses, each person's mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy had significant effects on their own outcomes over time (actor effects). Patients and caregivers influenced one another's mental and physical health (partner effects), but not their self-efficacy. In addition, patients and caregivers with higher self-efficacy had better mental health, and their partners had better physical health. Patients' and caregivers' mental and physical health were interdependent. Each person's cancer-related self-efficacy influenced their own mental and physical health. However, a person's self-efficacy did not influence the other person's self-efficacy.

The Influence of Husbands' or Male Partners' Support on Women's Psychosocial Adjustment to Having an Ostomy Resulting from Colorectal Cancer

PubMed Central

Altschuler, Andrea; Ramirez, Michelle; Grant, Marcia; Wendel, Christopher; Hornbrook, Mark C.; Herrinton, Lisa; Krouse, Robert S.

2009-01-01

Objective Some patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) require a permanent ostomy, which changes bodily function and can create psychosocial distress. However, little is known about the influence of men's support on women's psychosocial adjustment to having an ostomy as a result of CRC. Methods Participants initially completed the City of Hope-CRC Quality of Life questionnaire. We then conducted in-depth interviews with 30 female participants. Interview questions focused on body image, gender, and sexuality. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. We used qualitative methods to analyze the interview data and compared global HRQOL quartile scores to the overall ways that women discussed husbands' or partners' support regarding psychosocial adjustments to having ostomies. Results Of 30 participants, 22 were married or partnered at the time of surgery and 8 were single. The non-partnered respondents are not included in this analysis. Of the 22 married/partnered women, 17 described positive support from husbands being central to their psychosocial adjustment, 3 described a lack or withdrawal of support negatively affecting adjustment, and 2 described support as neither positive nor negative. In 17 cases, women's high or low quantitative HRQOL scores matched the positive or negative qualitative findings. There were 3 cases in which there were positive qualitative data and low HRQOL scores, but each of these cases, women reported serious current co-morbidities. Conclusions These findings suggest that the provision or withdrawal of husbands' or partners' support can have a considerable impact on the psychosocial adjustment of female CRC patients with ostomies. These findings appear to be both short- and long-term. Survivorship assessments should include appraisals of women's relationships to spouses/partners. PMID:19448512

Sexual Decision-Making in HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men: How Moral Concerns and Sexual Motives Guide Intended Condom Use with Steady and Casual Sex Partners

PubMed Central

Hospers, Harm J.; van Empelen, Pepijn; Breukelen, Gerard van; Kok, Gerjo

2007-01-01

Determinants of intended condom use with steady and casual sex partners were examined among Dutch HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) (N = 296). Given the proposition that safer sex behavior among HIV-positive people is a form of prosocial behavior, the present study extended the general framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior with Schwartz’s norm-activation theory and tested the assumption that personal norms would mediate the effects of other psychosocial factors on intended condom use for anal sex. In addition, it was hypothesized that, depending on the context in which sex occurs, specific motives for unprotected anal sex may have a negative influence on intended condom use and, as such, undermine a prosocial tendency to practice safer sex. Therefore, we also investigated the influence of sexual motives for unprotected anal sex on intended condom use with steady and casual sex partners. Results indicated that the Theory of Planned Behavior adequately predicted condom use intentions (for casual sex partners and steady sex partners, the explained variance was 52% and 53%, respectively). However, our proposed model of sexual decision-making significantly improved the prediction of behavioral intentions. For steady and casual sex partners, the assumption of the mediating role of personal norms on condom use intention was confirmed empirically. Additionally, sexual motives for unprotected anal sex exerted, as expected, a direct, negative effect on condom use intention with casual sex partners. The implications of the findings for future research and the development of HIV-prevention programs for HIV-positive MSM are discussed. PMID:17333328

Modeling Homophily over Time with an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popp, Danielle; Laursen, Brett; Kerr, Margaret; Stattin, Hakan; Burk, William J.

2008-01-01

Selection and socialization have been implicated in friendship homophily, but the relative contributions of each are difficult to measure simultaneously because of the nonindependent nature of the data. To address this problem, the authors applied a multiple-groups longitudinal actor-partner interdependence model (D. A. Kashy & D. A. Kenny,…

77 FR 8166 - Partner Vetting in USAID Acquisitions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-14

... of this nature are outside the scope of the Proposed Rule, we are not addressing them in this Final... Partner vetting in USAID Acquisitions: Source Selection vs. Vetting Comment 1: ``USAID declares that... ``post-award'' nature of task orders, we have added a contract clause at 752.216-70 which includes the...

Body Weight and Matching with a Physically Attractive Romantic Partner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carmalt, Julie H.; Cawley, John; Joyner, Kara; Sobal, Jeffery

2008-01-01

Matching and attribute trade are two perspectives used to explain mate selection. We investigated patterns of matching and trade, focusing on obesity, using Add Health Romantic Pair data (N = 1,405 couples). Obese individuals, relative to healthy weight individuals, were less likely to have physically attractive partners, with this disadvantage…

Self-Presentation, Interpersonal Perception, and Partner Selection in Computer-Mediated Relationship Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiore, Andrew Rocco Tresolini

2010-01-01

The use of social and technological intermediaries to seek intimate partners has a long history. Yet the affordances and limitations of modern computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems built for this purpose--specifically, online dating sites--present new challenges and opportunities for those who use them to initiate intimate relationships.…

[Biological and neural bases of partner preferences in rodents: models to understand human pair bonds].

PubMed

Coria-Avila, G A; Hernández-Aguilar, M E; Toledo-Cárdenas, R; García-Hernández, L I; Manzo, J; Pacheco, P; Miquel, M; Pfaus, J G

To analyse the biological and neural bases of partner preference formation in rodents as models to understand human pair bonding. Rodents are social individuals, capable of forming short- or long-lasting partner preferences that develop slowly by stimuli like cohabitation, or rapidly by stimuli like sex and stress. Dopamine, corticosteroids, oxytocin, vasopressin, and opioids form the neurochemical substrate for pair bonding in areas like the nucleus accumbens, the prefrontal cortex, the piriform cortex, the medial preoptic area, the ventral tegmental area and the medial amygdala, among others. Additional areas may participate depending on the nature of the conditioned stimuli by which and individual recognizes a preferred partner. Animal models help us understand that the capacity of an individual to display long-lasting and selective preferences depends on neural bases, selected throughout evolution. The challenge in neuroscience is to use this knowledge to create new solutions for mental problems associated with the incapacity of an individual to display a social bond, keep one, or cope with the disruption of a consolidated one.

New reactions and products resulting from alternative interactions between the P450 enzyme and redox partners.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Liu, Yi; Yan, Jinyong; Cao, Shaona; Bai, Fali; Yang, Ying; Huang, Shaohua; Yao, Lishan; Anzai, Yojiro; Kato, Fumio; Podust, Larissa M; Sherman, David H; Li, Shengying

2014-03-05

Cytochrome P450 enzymes are capable of catalyzing a great variety of synthetically useful reactions such as selective C-H functionalization. Surrogate redox partners are widely used for reconstitution of P450 activity based on the assumption that the choice of these auxiliary proteins or their mode of action does not affect the type and selectivity of reactions catalyzed by P450s. Herein, we present an exceptional example to challenge this postulate. MycG, a multifunctional biosynthetic P450 monooxygenase responsible for hydroxylation and epoxidation of 16-membered ring macrolide mycinamicins, is shown to catalyze the unnatural N-demethylation(s) of a range of mycinamicin substrates when partnered with the free Rhodococcus reductase domain RhFRED or the engineered Rhodococcus-spinach hybrid reductase RhFRED-Fdx. By contrast, MycG fused with the RhFRED or RhFRED-Fdx reductase domain mediates only physiological oxidations. This finding highlights the larger potential role of variant redox partner protein-protein interactions in modulating the catalytic activity of P450 enzymes.

“That Pregnancy Can Bring Noise into the Family”: Exploring Intimate Partner Sexual Violence during Pregnancy in the Context of HIV in Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Shamu, Simukai; Abrahams, Naeemah; Temmerman, Marleen; Shefer, Tamara; Zarowsky, Christina

2012-01-01

Background Globally, studies report a high prevalence of intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) and an association with HIV infection. Despite the criminalisation of IPSV and deliberate sexual HIV infection in Zimbabwe, IPSV remains common. This study explored women's and health workers' perspectives and experiences of sexuality and sexual violence in pregnancy, including in relation to HIV testing. Methods This qualitative study was part of a larger study of the dynamics of intimate partner violence and HIV in pregnancy in Zimbabwe. Key informant interviews were conducted with health workers and focus group discussions were held with 64 pregnant or nursing mothers attending antenatal and postnatal care clinics in low-income neighbourhoods of Harare, covering the major thematic areas of validated sexual violence research instruments. Thematic content analysis of audio-recorded and transcribed data was conducted. Results While women reported some positive experiences of sex in pregnancy, most participants commonly experienced coercive sexual practices. They reported that men failed to understand, or refused to accept, pregnancy and its associated emotional changes, and often forced painful and degrading sexual acts on them, usually while the men were under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs. Men often refused or delayed HIV testing, and participants reported accounts of HIV-positive men not disclosing their status to their partners and deliberately infecting or attempting to infect them. Women's passive acceptance of sexual violence was influenced by advice they received from other females to subordinate to their partners and to not deprive men of their conjugal sexual rights. Conclusions Cultural and societal factors, unequal gender norms and practices, women's economic vulnerability, and men's failure to understand pregnancy and emotional changes, influence men to perpetrate IPSV, leading to high risk of HIV infection. PMID:22937018

Five-Year-Old Preschoolers' Sharing is Influenced by Anticipated Reciprocation.

PubMed

Xiong, Mingrui; Shi, Jiannong; Wu, Zhen; Zhang, Zhen

2016-01-01

Whether children share in anticipation of future benefits returned by a partner is an interesting question. In this study, 5-year-old children and an adult partner played a sharing game, in which children donated first and the partner donated afterward. In Experiment 1, the partner's resources were more attractive than the child's. In the reciprocal condition, the child was told that s/he would be a recipient when the partner played as a donor. In the non-reciprocal condition, however, the child was told that an anonymous child would be the recipient when the partner donated. Results showed that children shared more with the partner when they knew that they would be a recipient later. In Experiment 2, the child was always the recipient when the partner donated, but the partner's resources were more desirable than the child's in the high-value condition, and less desirable in the low-value condition. We found that children were more generous when the partner's resources were valued higher. These findings demonstrate that 5-year-old preschoolers' sharing choices take into account the anticipated reciprocity of the recipient, suggesting either self-interested tactical sharing or direct reciprocity in advance of receiving. Specifically, they adjust their sharing behavior depending on whether a partner has the potential to reciprocate, and whether it is worth sharing relative to the value of the payback.

Melanocortin Receptor Agonists Facilitate Oxytocin-Dependent Partner Preference Formation in the Prairie Vole.

PubMed

Modi, Meera E; Inoue, Kiyoshi; Barrett, Catherine E; Kittelberger, Kara A; Smith, Daniel G; Landgraf, Rainer; Young, Larry J

2015-07-01

The central melanocortin (MC) system has been widely studied for its effects on food intake and sexual behavior. However, the MC system, and more specifically the MC4 receptor (MC4R), also interacts with neurochemical systems that regulate socioemotional behaviors, including oxytocin (OT) and dopamine. In monogamous prairie voles, OT and dopamine interact to promote partner preference formation, a laboratory measure of an enduring social bond between mates. Here we investigated the effects of MC receptor activation on partner preference formation in prairie voles, as well as the interaction between the MC and OT systems during this process. Peripheral administration of the brain penetrant MC3/4R receptor peptide agonist, Melanotan II (MTII), and the highly selective, small-molecule MC4R agonist, Pf-446687, enhanced partner preference formation in the prairie vole, but not in the non-monogamous meadow vole. MTII-induced partner preferences were enduring, as they were present 1 week after drug manipulation. The prosocial effects of MCR agonists may be mediated, in part, through modulation of OT, as coadministration of an OT receptor antagonist prevented MTII-induced partner preferences. MTII also selectively activated hypothalamic OT neurons and potentiated central OT release. As OT has been shown to enhance some aspects of social cognition in humans, our data suggest that the MC4R may be a viable therapeutic target for enhancing social function in psychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, potentially through activation of the OT system.

Melanocortin Receptor Agonists Facilitate Oxytocin-Dependent Partner Preference Formation in the Prairie Vole

PubMed Central

Modi, Meera E; Inoue, Kiyoshi; Barrett, Catherine E; Kittelberger, Kara A; Smith, Daniel G; Landgraf, Rainer; Young, Larry J

2015-01-01

The central melanocortin (MC) system has been widely studied for its effects on food intake and sexual behavior. However, the MC system, and more specifically the MC4 receptor (MC4R), also interacts with neurochemical systems that regulate socioemotional behaviors, including oxytocin (OT) and dopamine. In monogamous prairie voles, OT and dopamine interact to promote partner preference formation, a laboratory measure of an enduring social bond between mates. Here we investigated the effects of MC receptor activation on partner preference formation in prairie voles, as well as the interaction between the MC and OT systems during this process. Peripheral administration of the brain penetrant MC3/4R receptor peptide agonist, Melanotan II (MTII), and the highly selective, small-molecule MC4R agonist, Pf-446687, enhanced partner preference formation in the prairie vole, but not in the non-monogamous meadow vole. MTII-induced partner preferences were enduring, as they were present 1 week after drug manipulation. The prosocial effects of MCR agonists may be mediated, in part, through modulation of OT, as coadministration of an OT receptor antagonist prevented MTII-induced partner preferences. MTII also selectively activated hypothalamic OT neurons and potentiated central OT release. As OT has been shown to enhance some aspects of social cognition in humans, our data suggest that the MC4R may be a viable therapeutic target for enhancing social function in psychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, potentially through activation of the OT system. PMID:25652247

Relationship between number of sexual intercourse partners and selected health risk behaviors among public high school adolescents.

PubMed

Valois, R F; Oeltmann, J E; Waller, J; Hussey, J R

1999-11-01

To examine the relationship between number of sexual partners and selected health risk behaviors in a statewide sample of public high school students. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey was used to secure usable sexual risk-taking, substance use, and violence/aggression data from 3805 respondents. Because simple polychotomous logistic regression analysis revealed a significant Race x Gender interaction, subsequent multivariate models were constructed separately for each race-gender group. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals was calculated from polychotomous logistic regression models for number of sexual intercourse partners and their potential risk behavior correlates. An increased number of sexual intercourse partners were correlated with a cluster of risk behaviors that place adolescents at risk for unintended pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and other sexually transmitted infections. For Black females, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use, and dating violence behaviors were the strongest predictors of an increased number of sexual partners; white females had similar predictors with the addition of physical fighting. For white males, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use, physical fighting, carrying weapons, and dating violence were the strongest predictors of an increased number of sexual intercourse partners. Black males had similar predictors with the addition of binge alcohol use. Prevention of adolescent sexual and other health risk behaviors calls for creative approaches in school and community settings and will require long-term intervention strategies focused on adolescent behavior changes and environmental modifications.

African American Girls’ Ideal Dating Relationship Now and In the Future

PubMed Central

Debnam, Katrina J.; Howard, Donna E.; Garza, Mary A.; Green, Kerry M.

2014-01-01

Adolescence is a particularly important and challenging time for developing long lasting romantic relationship patterns. However, limited empirical research has explored teen perceptions of ideal partner characteristics during adolescence or their significance to the quality of current and future relationships. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 33 African American high school girls to shed light on the qualities desired in their dating relationships and relational factors that influence teen dating behaviors. Guided by the Social Ecological Framework, interviews were transcribed verbatim and entered into ATLAS.ti, for coding and analysis. Girls discussed the important influence of parents in choosing a partner and provided positive depictions of friendship and marriage with a suitable partner. More research is needed to understand how and why adolescents desire particular characteristics, how socialization shapes teen perceptions and how these preferences may be related to current and future adolescent dating choices, including violence perpetration and victimization. PMID:28943670

The Influence of Partner-Specific Memory Associations on Language Production: Evidence from Picture Naming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horton, William S.

2007-01-01

In typical interactions, speakers frequently produce utterances that appear to reflect beliefs about the common ground shared with particular addressees. Horton and Gerrig (2005a) proposed that one important basis for audience design is the manner in which conversational partners serve as cues for the automatic retrieval of associated information…

Building Young Women's Knowledge and Skills in Female Condom Use: Lessons Learned from a South African Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuyler, A. C.; Masvawure, T. B.; Smit, J. A.; Beksinska, M.; Mabude, Z.; Ngoloyi, C.; Mantell, J. E.

2016-01-01

Partner negotiation and insertion difficulties are key barriers to female condom (FC) use in sub-Saharan Africa. Few FC interventions have provided comprehensive training in both negotiation and insertion skills, or focused on university students. In this study we explored whether training in FC insertion and partner negotiation influenced young…

Using Simulations in the Middle School: Does Assertiveness of Dyad Partners Influence Conceptual Change?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windschitl, Mark

2001-01-01

Examines how academic assertiveness in junior high school students was related to conceptual change and the degree to which their assertiveness affected conceptual change in the partners paired with them for a series of activities using a simulation of the human cardiovascular system. Indicates that the assertiveness ratings of the individuals'…

Parental Self-Efficacy and Positive Contributions Regarding Autism Spectrum Condition: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García-López, Cristina; Sarriá, Encarnación; Pozo, Pilar

2016-01-01

Couples affect each other cognitively, emotionally and behaviorally. The goal of this study is to test the benefits and potential use of the actor-partner interdependence model in examining how parental self-efficacy and positive contributions of fathers and mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Condition influence each other's psychological…

Endorsement of Social and Personal Values Predicts the Desirability of Men and Women as Long-Term Partners.

PubMed

Lopes, Guilherme S; Barbaro, Nicole; Sela, Yael; Jeffery, Austin J; Pham, Michael N; Shackelford, Todd K; Zeigler-Hill, Virgil

2017-01-01

A prospective romantic partner's desirability as a long-term partner may be affected by the values that he or she endorses. However, few studies have examined the effects of "values" on a person's desirability as a long-term partner. We hypothesized that individuals who endorse social values (vs. personal values) will be perceived as more desirable long-term partners (Hypothesis 1) and that the endorsement of social values will be especially desirable in a male (vs. female) long-term partner (Hypothesis 2). The current study employed a 2 (sex of prospective partner: male vs. female) × 2 (values of prospective partner: personal vs. social) × 2 (physical attractiveness of prospective partner: unattractive vs. highly attractive) mixed-model design. Participants were 339 undergraduates (174 men, 165 women), with ages varying between 18 and 33 years ( M = 19.9, SD = 3.6), and mostly in a romantic relationship (53.7%). Participants reported interest in a long-term relationship with prospective partners depicted in four scenarios (within subjects), each varying along the dimensions of values (personal vs. social) and physical attractiveness (unattractive vs. highly attractive). Individuals endorsing personal values (vs. social values) and men (vs. women) endorsing personal values were rated as less desirable as long-term partners. The current research adds to the partner preferences literature by demonstrating that an individual's ascribed values influence others' perceptions of desirability as a long-term partner and that these effects are consistently sex differentiated, as predicted by an evolutionary perspective on romantic partner preferences.

Inequity in work and intimate relationships: a Spillover-Crossover model.

PubMed

Bakker, Arnold B; Petrou, Paraskevas; Tsaousis, Ioannis

2012-01-01

This study among 267 Greek teachers and their partners tested and expanded the recently proposed Spillover-Crossover model (SCM) of well-being. Accordingly, experiences built up at work spill over to the home domain, and then influence the partner. The authors integrated equity theory in the model by formulating hypotheses about exchange in interpersonal relationships. Structural equation modeling analyses supported the spillover hypothesis that teachers who lose their work engagement as a result of an inequitable relationship with their students invest less in the relationship with their partner. In addition, the results supported the crossover hypothesis that teachers' relationship investments, in turn, show a negative relationship with inequity in the intimate relationship as perceived by the partner; and inequity in the intimate relationship contributed to partner depression. The findings are discussed in light of the SCM of well-being.

History of Childhood Abuse, Sensation Seeking, and Intimate Partner Violence under/Not under the Influence of a Substance: A Cross-Sectional Study in Russia

PubMed Central

Zhan, Weihai; Shaboltas, Alla V.; Skochilov, Roman V.; Krasnoselskikh, Tatiana V.; Abdala, Nadia

2013-01-01

Objectives To examine correlates of perpetration and victimization of intimate partner violence (IPV) under and not under the influence of a substance, we conducted a study among women in Russia. Methods In 2011, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients receiving services at a clinic for sexually transmitted infections in St. Petersburg, Russia. Multinomial logistic regression was used for analysis. Results Of 299 women, 104 (34.8%) and 113 (37.8%) reported a history of IPV perpetration and victimization, respectively. Nearly half (47.1%) of perpetrators and 61.1% of victims reported that the latest IPV event (perpetration and victimization, respectively) was experienced under the influence of a substance. Factors independently associated with IPV victimization under the influence of a substance were alcohol misuse and a higher number of lifetime sex partners, whereas only experience of childhood abuse (emotional and physical abuse) was independently associated with IPV victimization that did not occur under the influence of a substance. Childhood physical abuse, lower age of first sex, sensation seeking, and alcohol misuse were independently associated with IPV perpetration under the influence of a substance, while only childhood abuse (emotional and physical abuse) was independently associated with IPV perpetration that did not occur under the influence of a substance. Conclusions IPV under and not under the influence of a substance had different correlates (e.g., alcohol misuse and sensation seeking). Despite the strong association between substance use and IPV, experience of childhood abuse is an important predictor of IPV perpetration and victimization in Russia, above and beyond substance use. PMID:23844148

[Status on sexual partners among men who have sex with men among college students in Qingdao, 2016].

PubMed

Zhang, X F; Lyu, C X; Zheng, J T; Dong, L; Jiang, Z X; Fu, J H

2017-12-10

Objective: To investigate the situation of sexual partners and related factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in college students. Methods: Snowball sampling and Convenience sampling were both used to recruit MSM from colleges in Tsingtao in 2016. Questionnaire-based interviews were conducted to collect data of socio-demographic and situation of sexual partners. Sample Size was estimated based on cross-sectional study, and theoretical 267. SPSS 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 300 MSM, average aged 20.7, were analyzed. Both first sex partner and the last same-sex sexual partner were met instantly, with proportions as 58.7% (176/300) and 62.3% (187/300) respectively. Among all the MSM, 88.3% (265/300) preferred selecting men as sex partners and 42.7% (128/300) enjoyed finding sex partners in college, while 86.0% (258/300) preferred finding their sex partners through internet. Conclusions: Internet had been the major way of looking for sex partner among MSM in college students, the male sexual partner were met instantly. We should focus on men who have sex with men and their sexual health among college students to prevent and control HIV/AIDS.

Debe cuidarse en la calle: Normative influences on condom use among the steady male partners of female sex workers in the Dominican Republic

PubMed Central

Barrington, Clare; Kerrigan, Deanna

2014-01-01

Encouragement to use condoms reflects the injunctive norm, or idea that you should use condoms. In our previous research with the regular male partners of female sex workers in the Dominican Republic, we found that encouragement to use condoms with female sex workers from individuals in their personal social networks was not directly associated with condom use. In the current study, we used qualitative interviews to further explore the influence of social network norms on men's sexual risk behaviours. We interviewed eleven steady male partners of female sex workers; participants completed two interviews to achieve greater depth. We analysed data using analytic summaries and systematic thematic coding. All men perceived that the prevailing injunctive norm was that they should use condoms with sex workers. Men received encouragement to use condoms but did not articulate a link between this encouragement and condom use. Additionally, men who did not use condoms lied to their friends to avoid social sanction. Findings highlight that the influence of a pro-condom injunctive norm is not always health promoting and can even be negative. HIV prevention efforts seeking to promote condom use should address the alignment between injunctive and descriptive norms to strengthen their collective influence on behaviour. PMID:24555440

Sexy faces in a male paper wasp.

PubMed

de Souza, André Rodrigues; Alberto Mourão Júnior, Carlos; do Nascimento, Fabio Santos; Lino-Neto, José

2014-01-01

Sexually selected signals are common in many animals, though little reported in social insects. We investigated the occurrence of male visual signals mediating the dominance relationships among males and female choice of sexual partner in the paper wasp Polistes simillimus. Males have three conspicuous, variable and sexually dimorphic traits: black pigmentation on the head, a pair of yellow abdominal spots and body size differences. By conducting behavioral assays, we found that none of the three visual traits are associated with male-male dominance relationship. However, males with higher proportion of black facial pigmentation and bigger yellow abdominal spots are more likely chosen as sexual partners. Also, after experimentally manipulating the proportion of black pigment on males' face, we found that females may evaluate male facial coloration during the choice of a sexual partner. Thus, the black pigmentation on P. simillimus male's head appears to play a role as a sexually selected visual signal. We suggest that sexual selection is a common force in Polistes and we highlight the importance of this group as a model for the study of visual communication in insects.

Sexy Faces in a Male Paper Wasp

PubMed Central

de Souza, André Rodrigues; Alberto Mourão Júnior, Carlos; Santos do Nascimento, Fabio; Lino-Neto, José

2014-01-01

Sexually selected signals are common in many animals, though little reported in social insects. We investigated the occurrence of male visual signals mediating the dominance relationships among males and female choice of sexual partner in the paper wasp Polistes simillimus. Males have three conspicuous, variable and sexually dimorphic traits: black pigmentation on the head, a pair of yellow abdominal spots and body size differences. By conducting behavioral assays, we found that none of the three visual traits are associated with male-male dominance relationship. However, males with higher proportion of black facial pigmentation and bigger yellow abdominal spots are more likely chosen as sexual partners. Also, after experimentally manipulating the proportion of black pigment on males' face, we found that females may evaluate male facial coloration during the choice of a sexual partner. Thus, the black pigmentation on P. simillimus male's head appears to play a role as a sexually selected visual signal. We suggest that sexual selection is a common force in Polistes and we highlight the importance of this group as a model for the study of visual communication in insects. PMID:24849073

Assessment of risky sexual behavior and practice among Aksum University students, Shire Campus, Shire Town, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2017.

PubMed

Kebede, Awoke; Molla, Bogale; Gerensea, Hadgu

2018-01-31

Having sex at early age, having multiple sexual partners, having sex while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and unprotected sexual behaviors are the common characteristics of risky sexual behavior which increases risk of individuals to sexuality and reproductive health problems. Risky sexual behavior is the most common problem in adolescents and young adults which may expose individuals for permanent social, economical, psychological and physical problem. So that this study focus on assessment of risk sexual behavior using institution based cross-sectional study design on 287 randomly selected subjects among Aksum University students. Almost 60% students reported to have ever had sexual activity. Of which 86 (83.5%) and 112 (64.4%) reported having inconsistent condom use and multiple sexual partners respectively. Even though more than half of first sexual intercourse (61.5%) starts due to their desire but still peer pressure and alcohol have significant effect. Similarly the study indicated that a significant segment of students have risk sexual behaviors which increase individuals' risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS. Unless appropriate age and institutional targeted interventions exist, certain behaviors can place the university students at greater risk of HIV infection and sexually transmitted disease.

Resolution of erectile dysfunction after an andrological visit in a selected population of patients affected by psychogenic erectile dysfunction.

PubMed

Cavallini, Giorgio

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to ascertain whether some patients with psychogenic erectile dysfunction (PED) who chose psychotherapy spontaneously improved their sexual function immediately after diagnosis. Two hundred eighty-five patients with PED were retrospectively studied. Complete resolution of PED was analyzed regarding age, primary or secondary PED, marital status, domestic status, prevailing attitude of the female partner to the dysfunction, duration of their partnership, social status, duration of PED, International Index of Erectile Function score, and prevailing attitude of the patient after a diagnosis of PED. The data were analyzed using post-hoc tests. PED was resolved in 32.3% of the patients immediately after diagnosis. These patients were older, more frequently affected by secondary ED, more frequently living with their partner, and more frequently resigned or happy with the diagnosis of PED than the patients who did not resolve their PED. A nonchalant or cooperative female attitude to PED improved the possibility of PED resolution. The other variables did not influence PED resolution. Our data showed that a clear-cut diagnosis of psychogenic erectile deficiency and some psychosocial factors were critical for the management of some patients with PED.

Pregnant Mothers’ Perceptions of how Intimate Partner Violence affects Their Unborn Children

PubMed Central

Alhusen, Jeanne L.; Rahman, Damali

2014-01-01

Objective To explore the perceptions of pregnant women on the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) as it affects maternal and fetal health. Design Secondary qualitative content analysis. Setting Individual interviews conducted within three urban obstetric and gynecologic clinics Participants Our sample included a subset of eight pregnant women experiencing IPV during the current pregnancy. Participants were selected from a larger parent study that included qualitative data from 13 women. Methods We analyzed in-depth individual interview transcripts in which participants discussed how they perceived IPV to affect their health as well as the health of their unborn children. Constant comparative techniques and conventional content analysis methodology were used in analysis. Results Three themes emerged to illustrate mothers’ perceptions of how IPV influenced maternal and fetal outcomes: protection, fetal awareness, and fetal well-being. Conclusions This analysis provides important insights into concerns that pregnant women experiencing IPV shared about maternal attachment and fetal well-being. Health care providers can use these findings to better assess the physical and psychological concerns of pregnant women experiencing IPV. Further research is needed to better understand how IPV contributes to adverse neonatal outcomes, particularly from a biological perspective. PMID:25651808

Pregnant mothers' perceptions of how intimate partner violence affects their unborn children.

PubMed

Alhusen, Jeanne L; Wilson, Damali

2015-01-01

To explore the perceptions of pregnant women on the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) as it affects maternal and fetal health. Secondary qualitative content analysis. Individual interviews conducted within three urban obstetric and gynecologic clinics. Our sample included a subset of eight pregnant women experiencing IPV during the current pregnancy. Participants were selected from a larger parent study that included qualitative data from 13 women. We analyzed in-depth individual interview transcripts in which participants discussed how they perceived IPV to affect their health as well as the health of their unborn children. Constant comparative techniques and conventional content analysis methodology were used in analysis. Three themes emerged to illustrate mothers' perceptions of how IPV influenced maternal and fetal outcomes: protection, fetal awareness, and fetal well-being. This analysis provides important insights into concerns that pregnant women experiencing IPV shared about maternal attachment and fetal well-being. Health care providers can use these findings to better assess the physical and psychological concerns of pregnant women experiencing IPV. Further research is needed to better understand how IPV contributes to adverse neonatal outcomes, particularly from a biological perspective. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Promiscuity in sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) and adder snakes (Vipera berus): causes and consequences.

PubMed

Olsson, M; Madsen, T

2001-01-01

We review postcopulatory phenomena in the Swedish sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) and adder (Vipera berus), and in particular, links between female promiscuity, determinants of paternity, and offspring viability. In both species, females mate multiply and exhibit a positive relationship between the number of partners and offspring viability. We conclude that this relationship is most likely the result of variable genetic compatibility between mates arising from postcopulatory phenomena, predominantly assortative fertilization with respect to parental genotypes. However, males who were more successful at mate acquisition were also more successful in situations of sperm competition, suggesting a possible link between male (diploid and haploid) genetic quality per se and probability of fertilization. Neither the number of partners nor the number of matings influenced the risk of infertility in sand lizards, suggesting that selection for reduced risk of infertility is not a sufficient explanation for maintaining female promiscuity in this population. Finally, we conclude that the relatively low genetic variability exhibited by our study populations may have facilitated detection of genetic benefits compared to more outbred ones. However, recent work derived from outbred populations in other taxa suggest a greater generality of the principles we discuss than previously may have been appreciated.

Analyzing the sources and nature of influence: how the Avahan program used evidence to influence HIV/AIDS prevention policy in India.

PubMed

Tran, Nhan T; Bennett, Sara C; Bishnu, Rituparna; Singh, Suneeta

2013-04-17

Major investments by development partners in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) often seek to develop a supportive policy environment. There is limited knowledge about the mechanisms that development partners use to influence government policy, or which mechanisms are effective. This study assessed the influence of Avahan, a large HIV/AIDS prevention program in India supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, on the development of HIV/AIDS policies in India, particularly the National AIDS Control Program III (NACP III). A retrospective assessment of the contributions of Avahan to the development of NACP III was conducted based upon document review and in-depth interviews with key informants, including Avahan staff and staff of implementing partners. This assessment was carried out within a framework centered on three domains: evidence considered by policy and decision-makers; the channel through which influence is exerted; and the target audience for influence. Respondents identified a number of respects in which Avahan influenced NACP III policy, notably, Avahan influenced perception of the feasibility of scaling up services (through a demonstration effect) and Avahan, along with others, helped ensure a strong focus on targeted interventions. Overall Avahan's influence was greatest during policy implementation. While the extent to which research evidence generated by Avahan influenced NACP III was limited, best practice evidence generated by Avahan, including the lessons learned from routine implementation and management, contributed significantly to NACP III. This was largely due to the credibility Avahan had established and strategic 'inside track' communications. While studies of knowledge translation typically focus primarily on scientific evidence, this study suggests that other forms of evidence, notably best practice evidence derived from program experience, and disseminated through personal communication, were particularly influential. The framework developed for the paper provides a useful tool to analyze how evidence-based influence is exerted.

Influence Strategies Used When Couples Make Work-Family Decisions and Their Importance for Marital Satisfaction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zvonkovic, Anisa M.; And Others

1994-01-01

Investigated how marital partners influenced each other concerning work and family decisions and connected influence strategies to martial satisfaction in 61 married couples who had faced work-family decisions in past 6 months. Found that gender role ideology and indirect influence strategies were related to marital satisfaction. Variables related…

Parents, friends, and romantic partners: enmeshment in deviant networks and adolescent delinquency involvement.

PubMed

Lonardo, Robert A; Giordano, Peggy C; Longmore, Monica A; Manning, Wendy D

2009-03-01

Adolescent networks include parents, friends, and romantic partners, but research on the social learning mechanisms related to delinquency has not typically examined the characteristics of all three domains simultaneously. Analyses draw on data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (n = 957), and our analytic sample contains 51% male and 49% female as well as 69% white, 24% African-American, and 7% Latino respondents. Parents,' peers,' and partners' deviance are each related to respondents' delinquency, and affiliation with a greater number of deviant networks is associated with higher self-reported involvement. Analyses that consider enmeshment type indicate that those with both above average romantic partner and friend delinquency report especially high levels of self-reported involvement. In all comparisons, adolescents with deviant romantic partners are more delinquent than those youths with more prosocial partners, regardless of friends' and parents' behavior. Findings highlight the importance of capturing the adolescent's entire network of affiliations, rather than viewing these in isolation, and suggest the need for additional research on romantic partner influences on delinquent behavior and other adolescent outcomes.

The roles of partner communication and relationship status in adolescent contraceptive use.

PubMed

Johnson, Abigail Z; Sieving, Renee E; Pettingell, Sandra L; McRee, Annie-Laurie

2015-01-01

Because of high rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among adolescents, factors influencing adolescents' contraceptive use require close examination. This study explores how different types of partner communication relate to contraceptive use among adolescent girls and whether these associations vary by relationship status. Cross-sectional, self-report data from 253 sexually active 13- to 17-year-old girls were used to examine associations between partner communication, relationship status, and contraceptive consistency. In a multivariate analysis, partner communication specific to contraceptive use (RR = 1.3, p < .001) and "steady" partnership status (RR = 0.65, p < .01) were associated with hormonal contraceptive consistency. In interaction models, the impact of partner communication on hormonal consistency was greater in steady partnerships than in casual partnerships. Findings suggest that clinicians should ask about the nature of adolescent girls' relationships with their sexual partners when encouraging contraceptive use. Early communication with partners about sexual topics should be stressed, especially among girls in steady relationships. Copyright © 2015 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

“Amar te Duele” (“Love Hurts”): Sexual relationship power, intimate partner violence, depression symptoms and HIV risk among female sex workers who use drugs and their non-commercial, steady partners in Mexico

PubMed Central

Ulibarri, Monica D.; Roesch, Scott; Rangel, M. Gudelia; Staines, Hugo; Amaro, Hortensia; Strathdee, Steffanie A.

2014-01-01

A significant body of research among female sex workers (FSWs) has focused on individual-level HIV risk factors. Comparatively little is known about their non-commercial, steady partners who may heavily influence their behavior and HIV risk. This cross-sectional study of 214 FSWs who use drugs and their male steady partners aged ≥18 in two Mexico-U.S. border cities utilized a path-analytic model for dyadic data based upon the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to examine relationships between sexual relationship power, intimate partner violence (IPV), depression symptoms, and unprotected sex. FSWs’ relationship power, IPV perpetration and victimization were significantly associated with unprotected sex within the relationship. Male partners’ depression symptoms were significantly associated with unprotected sex within the relationship. Future HIV prevention interventions for FSWs and their male partners should address issues of sexual relationship power, IPV, and mental health both individually and in the context of their relationship. PMID:24743959

Trait and Social Influences in the Links among Adolescent Attachment, Depressive Symptoms, and Coping

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merlo, Lisa J.; Lakey, Brian

2007-01-01

Attachment insecurity and maladaptive coping are associated with depression in adolescence; however, it is unclear whether these links primarily reflect stable individual differences among teens (trait influences), experiential differences in their interactions with relationship partners (social influences) or both. In this study, teens (ages…

Perceptions of Empowerment Within and Across Partnerships in Community-Based Participatory Research: A Dyadic Interview Analysis.

PubMed

Paradiso de Sayu, Rebecca; Chanmugam, Amy

2016-01-01

Although the concept of empowerment is a key principle of community-based participatory research (CBPR), little is known about how academic and community partners perceive empowerment during a CBPR process. CBPR partners' perceptions of the process were explored using semi-structured interviews with both partners in 10 CBPR partnerships that had completed projects addressing social determinants of health. Dyadic interview analysis was employed to understand dynamics within and across partnerships. Five partnerships showed no differences in perceptions of empowerment. Four had minor discrepancies. Only one partnership varied considerably between partners, where the community partner perceived less empowerment regarding determining the study topic and overall control, influence, and respect throughout the process. This article discusses implications of findings for CBPR. Evaluating partners' perceived empowerment throughout a CBPR project might reveal areas to adjust, as not all projects with quantifiably successful outcomes involve processes that are successful in terms of empowerment. © The Author(s) 2015.

Do single and partnered women with gynecologic cancer differ in types and intensities of illness- and treatment-related psychosocial concerns? A pilot study.

PubMed

de Groot, Janet M; Mah, Kenneth; Fyles, Anthony; Winton, Susan; Greenwood, Sarah; DePetrillo, Denny; Devins, Gerald M

2007-09-01

We compared the psychosocial and psychosexual concerns of single and partnered women with gynecologic cancer, since relationship status and psychosocial context are known to affect sexuality, a life domain commonly affected by this cancer. A cross-sectional convenience sample of 49 women (68% response), with ovarian (n=31), endometrial (n=12), and cervical (n=6) cancer, responded to a 72-item self-report Cancer Concerns Questionnaire and additional psychosocial questionnaires. Single (n=13) and partnered women (n=36) similarly reported prognosis as their highest concern, but single women (26% of the sample) reported that communication with the treatment team, treatment side effects, and prognosis were of greater salience to them than did partnered women. The latter group had greater sexuality and partner relationship concerns. These preliminary findings suggest that relationship status, whether partnered or single, influences current psychosocial concerns among women with gynecologic cancer, despite similar levels of illness- and treatment-related intrusions on important life domains.

Indirect genetic effects and sexual conflicts: Partner genotype influences multiple morphological and behavioral reproductive traits in a flatworm.

PubMed

Marie-Orleach, Lucas; Vogt-Burri, Nadja; Mouginot, Pierick; Schlatter, Aline; Vizoso, Dita B; Bailey, Nathan W; Schärer, Lukas

2017-05-01

The expression of an individual's phenotypic traits can be influenced by genes expressed in its social partners. Theoretical models predict that such indirect genetic effects (IGEs) on reproductive traits should play an important role in determining the evolutionary outcome of sexual conflict. However, empirical tests of (i) whether reproductive IGEs exist, (ii) how they vary among genotypes, and (iii) whether they are uniform for different types of reproductive traits are largely lacking. We addressed this in a series of experiments in the simultaneously hermaphroditic flatworm Macrostomum lignano. We found strong evidence for IGEs on both morphological and behavioral reproductive traits. Partner genotype had a significant impact on the testis size of focal individuals-varying up to 2.4-fold-suggesting that IGEs could mediate sexual conflicts that target the male sex function. We also found that time to first copulation was affected by a genotype × genotype interaction between mating partners, and that partner genotype affected the propensity to copulate and perform the postcopulatory suck behavior, which may mediate conflicts over the fate of received ejaculate components. These findings provide clear empirical evidence for IGEs on multiple behavioral and morphological reproductive traits, which suggests that the evolutionary dynamics of these traits could be altered by genes contained in the social environment. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Deconstructing family meals: Do family structure, gender and employment status influence the odds of having a family meal?

PubMed

Sharif, Mienah Z; Alcalá, Héctor E; Albert, Stephanie L; Fischer, Heidi

2017-07-01

We assessed the odds of having a family dinner by parental gender, family structure and parental employment. This study used data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) (2006-2008). Multivariate analyses assessed the odds of two outcomes among parents: 1) eating at all with children and 2) having a family dinner. Single men had lower odds of eating at all with children and eating a family dinner in comparison to partnered/married males. Partnered/married women had increased odds of eating at all with children and eating a family dinner compared to their partnered/married male counterparts. While single women had increased odds of eating at all with children compared to partnered/married males, no difference was detected in the odds of having a family dinner. Among dual-headed households, women had lower odds of eating a family dinner when both parents were employed compared a dual-headed household with employed male/non-employed female. There were no differences among men regardless of their employment status or that of their partner/spouse. Family structure, parental gender and employment status all influence the odds of having a family dinner. Future research on family meals should consider all of these factors to better understand trends and disparities across household compositions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Theory of Dyadic Illness Management.

PubMed

Lyons, Karen S; Lee, Christopher S

2018-02-01

Despite the importance of both members of the adult patient-care partner dyad, a majority of research on illness management is focused on the patient or the care partner. The basic principle of the Theory of Dyadic Illness Management is that illness management is a dyadic phenomenon; the theory focuses extensively on the dyad as an interdependent team. The way dyads appraise illness as a unit influences the ways in which they engage in behaviors to manage illness together in a recursive fashion that influences dyadic health. Optimizing the health of both members of the dyad is a goal of the theory. In turn, the health of the dyad can feedback to influence how they appraise and manage illness together. Finally, dyadic illness management is an inherently variable process that is influenced by several contextual factors. Supportive evidence and implications for practice and future research are presented.

Assortative and dissortative priorities for game interaction and strategy adaptation significantly bolster network reciprocity in the prisoner’s dilemma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanimoto, Jun

2014-05-01

In 2 × 2 prisoner’s dilemma games, network reciprocity is one mechanism for adding social viscosity, which leads to cooperative equilibrium. Here we show that combining the process for selecting a gaming partner with the process for selecting an adaptation partner significantly enhances cooperation, even though such selection processes require additional costs to collect further information concerning which neighbor should be chosen. Based on elaborate investigations of the dynamics generated by our model, we find that high levels of cooperation result from two kinds of behavior: cooperators tend to interact with cooperators to prevent being exploited by defectors and defectors tend to choose cooperators to exploit despite the possibility that some defectors convert to cooperators.

Understanding the link between early sexual initiation and later sexually transmitted infection: test and replication in two longitudinal studies.

PubMed

Epstein, Marina; Bailey, Jennifer A; Manhart, Lisa E; Hill, Karl G; Hawkins, J David; Haggerty, Kevin P; Catalano, Richard F

2014-04-01

Age at sexual initiation is strongly associated with sexually transmitted infections (STI); yet, prevention programs aiming to delay sexual initiation have shown mixed results in reducing STI. This study tested three explanatory mechanisms for the relationship between early sexual debut and STI: number of sexual partners, individual characteristics, and environmental antecedents. A test-and-replicate strategy was employed using two longitudinal studies: the Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) and Raising Healthy Children (RHC). Childhood measures included pubertal age, behavioral disinhibition, and family, school, and peer influences. Alcohol use and age of sexual debut were measured during adolescence. Lifetime number of sexual partners and having sex under the influence were measured during young adulthood. Sexually transmitted infection diagnosis was self-reported at age 24. Early sex was defined as debut at <15 years. Path models were developed in SSDP evaluating relationships between measures, and were then tested in RHC. The relationship between early sex and STI was fully mediated by lifetime sex partners in SSDP, but only partially in RHC, after accounting for co-occurring factors. Behavioral disinhibition predicted early sex, early alcohol use, number of sexual partners, and sex under the influence, but had no direct effect on STI. Family management protected against early sex and early alcohol use, whereas antisocial peers exacerbated the risk. Early sexual initiation, a key mediator of STI, is driven by antecedents that influence multiple risk behaviors. Targeting co-occurring individual and environmental factors may be more effective than discouraging early sexual debut and may concomitantly improve other risk behaviors. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

When Power Shapes Interpersonal Behavior: Low Relationship Power Predicts Men’s Aggressive Responses to Low Situational Power

PubMed Central

Overall, Nickola C.; Hammond, Matthew D.; McNulty, James K.; Finkel, Eli J.

2016-01-01

When does power in intimate relationships shape important interpersonal behaviors, such as psychological aggression? Five studies tested whether possessing low relationship power was associated with aggressive responses, but (1) only within power-relevant relationship interactions when situational power was low, and (2) only by men because masculinity (but not femininity) involves the possession and demonstration of power. In Studies 1 and 2, men lower in relationship power exhibited greater aggressive communication during couples’ observed conflict discussions, but only when they experienced low situational power because they were unable to influence their partner. In Study 3, men lower in relationship power reported greater daily aggressive responses toward their partner, but only on days when they experienced low situational power because they were either (a) unable to influence their partner or (b) dependent on their partner for support. In Study 4, men who possessed lower relationship power exhibited greater aggressive responses during couples’ support-relevant discussions, but only when they had low situational power because they needed high levels of support. Study 5 provided evidence for the theoretical mechanism underlying men’s aggressive responses to low relationship power. Men who possessed lower relationship power felt less manly on days they faced low situational power because their partner was unwilling to change to resolve relationship problems, which in turn predicted greater aggressive responses to their partner. These results demonstrate that fully understanding when and why power is associated with interpersonal behavior requires differentiating between relationship and situational power. PMID:27442766

When power shapes interpersonal behavior: Low relationship power predicts men's aggressive responses to low situational power.

PubMed

Overall, Nickola C; Hammond, Matthew D; McNulty, James K; Finkel, Eli J

2016-08-01

When does power in intimate relationships shape important interpersonal behaviors, such as psychological aggression? Five studies tested whether possessing low relationship power was associated with aggressive responses, but (a) only within power-relevant relationship interactions when situational power was low, and (b) only by men because masculinity (but not femininity) involves the possession and demonstration of power. In Studies 1 and 2, men lower in relationship power exhibited greater aggressive communication during couples' observed conflict discussions, but only when they experienced low situational power because they were unable to influence their partner. In Study 3, men lower in relationship power reported greater daily aggressive responses toward their partner, but only on days when they experienced low situational power because they were either (a) unable to influence their partner or (b) dependent on their partner for support. In Study 4, men who possessed lower relationship power exhibited greater aggressive responses during couples' support-relevant discussions, but only when they had low situational power because they needed high levels of support. Study 5 provided evidence for the theoretical mechanism underlying men's aggressive responses to low relationship power. Men who possessed lower relationship power felt less manly on days they faced low situational power because their partner was unwilling to change to resolve relationship problems, which in turn predicted greater aggressive behavior toward their partner. These results demonstrate that fully understanding when and why power is associated with interpersonal behavior requires differentiating between relationship and situational power. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Women Have a Preference for Their Male Partner to Be HPV Vaccinated

PubMed Central

Harper, Diane Medved; Alexander, Natalie Marya; Ahern, Debra Ann; Comes, Johanna Claire; Smith, Melissa Smith; Heutinck, Melinda Ann; Handley, Sandra Martin

2014-01-01

Background Peer influence and social networking can change female adolescent and young adult behavior. Peer influence on preferences for male human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has not been documented. The primary aim of this study was to determine if women had preferences about male sexual partner HPV vaccination receipt. Methods and Findings A prospective survey of women 18–26 years of age was conducted at an urban university student health clinic. Education about the two HPV vaccines, cervical cancer and genital warts was provided. Women self-reported their demographic and medical history data, as well as their own preferences for HPV vaccine and their preferences for their male partner HPV vaccine using a 5 point Likert scale. 601 women, mean age of 21.5 years (SD 2.4), participated between 2011 and 2012. Nearly 95% of respondents were heterosexual; condoms and contraceptives were used in over half of the population. Regardless of the woman's vaccination status, women had significantly higher (strongly agree/agree) preferences for the male partner being vaccinated with HPV4 than not caring if he was vaccinated (63.6% vs. 13.1%, p<0.001). This preference was repeated for sexual risk factors and past reproductive medical history. Women who received HPV4 compared to those choosing HPV2 had a significantly lower proportion of preferences for not caring if the male partner was vaccinated (13% vs. 22%, p = 0.015). Conclusions Women preferred a HPV vaccinated male partner. Peer messaging might change the male HPV vaccination uptake. PMID:24828237

Extrapair mating between relatives in the barn swallow: a role for kin selection?

PubMed

Kleven, Oddmund; Jacobsen, Frode; Robertson, Raleigh J; Lifjeld, Jan T

2005-12-22

Why do females of many species mate with more than one male? One of the main hypotheses suggests that female promiscuity is an insurance mechanism against the potential detrimental effects of inbreeding. Accordingly, females should preferably mate with less related males in multiple or extrapair mating. Here we analyse paternity, relatedness among mating partners, and relatedness between parents and offspring, in the socially monogamous North American barn swallow (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster). In contrast to the inbreeding avoidance hypothesis, we found that extrapair mating partners were more related than expected by random choice, and tended to be more related than social partners. Furthermore, extrapair mating resulted in genetic parents being more related to their extrapair young than to their withinpair young. We propose a new hypothesis for extrapair mating based on kin selection theory as a possible explanation to these findings.

Controlling for Selection Effects in the Relationship between Child Behavior Problems and Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emery, Clifton R.

2011-01-01

This article used the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) data to examine the relationship between exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and child behavior problems (externalizing and internalizing), truancy, grade repetition, smoking, drinking, and use of marijuana. Longitudinal data analysis was conducted on 1,816…

JumpStart III Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Arthur M.; Brawer, Florence B.; Kozeracki, Carol A.

This final report for the JumpStart III program presents a summary of the entrepreneurship training programs developed by each of the four JumpStart III partners selected in March 1997. Grants for the colleges totaled $354,546 over 2 years. The Jumpstart funding has been only a starting point for these and the other 12 Jumpstart partners in…

Predictors of intimate partner problem-related suicides among suicide decedents in Kentucky

PubMed Central

Comiford, Ashley L.; Sanderson, Wayne T.; Chesnut, Lorie; Brown, Sabrina

2016-01-01

Abstract: Background: Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, intimate partner problems are amid the top precipitating circumstances among suicide decedents. The aim of this study was to determine circumstantial associations of intimate partner problem-related suicides in suicide decedents in Kentucky. Methods: All suicides that were reported to the Kentucky Violent Death Reporting System between 2005 and 2012 were eligible for this study. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore predictors (precipitating health-related problems, life stressors, and criminal/legal issues) of intimate partner problem-related suicides. Results: Of the 4,754 suicides, included in this study, approximately 17% had intimate partner problems prior to suicide. In the adjusted analysis, mental health issues, alcohol problems, history of suicides attempts, suicides precipitated by another crime, and other legal problems increased the odds of having an intimate partner-related suicide. However, having physical health problems, prior to the suicide, decreased the odds of intimate partner-related suicide. Conclusions: These results provide insight for the development of suicide interventions for individuals with intimate partner problems by targeting risk factors that are prevalent among this population. Moreover, these results may help marriage/relationship and/or family/divorce court representatives identify individuals with intimate partner problems more at risk for suicide and alleviate the influence these suicide risk factors have on individuals experiencing Intimate partner problems. PMID:27092956

Predictors of intimate partner problem-related suicides among suicide decedents in Kentucky.

PubMed

Comiford, Ashley L; Sanderson, Wayne T; Chesnut, Lorie; Brown, Sabrina

2016-07-01

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, intimate partner problems are amid the top precipitating circumstances among suicide decedents. The aim of this study was to determine circumstantial associations of intimate partner problem-related suicides in suicide decedents in Kentucky. All suicides that were reported to the Kentucky Violent Death Reporting System between 2005 and 2012 were eligible for this study. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore predictors (precipitating health-related problems, life stressors, and criminal/legal issues) of intimate partner problem-related suicides. Of the 4,754 suicides, included in this study, approximately 17% had intimate partner problems prior to suicide. In the adjusted analysis, mental health issues, alcohol problems, history of suicides attempts, suicides precipitated by another crime, and other legal problems increased the odds of having an intimate partner-related suicide. However, having physical health problems, prior to the suicide, decreased the odds of intimate partner-related suicide. These results provide insight for the development of suicide interventions for individuals with intimate partner problems by targeting risk factors that are prevalent among this population. Moreover, these results may help marriage/relationship and/or family/divorce court representatives identify individuals with intimate partner problems more at risk for suicide and alleviate the influence these suicide risk factors have on individuals experiencing Intimate partner problems. © 2016 KUMS, All rights reserved.

High-risk sexual activity in the House and Ball community: influence of social networks.

PubMed

Schrager, Sheree M; Latkin, Carl A; Weiss, George; Kubicek, Katrina; Kipke, Michele D

2014-02-01

We investigated the roles of House membership and the influence of social and sexual network members on the sexual risk behavior of men in the Los Angeles House and Ball community. From February 2009 to January 2010, male participants (n = 233) completed interviewer-assisted surveys during a House meeting or Ball event. We used logistic regression to model the effects of sexual network size, influence of sexual network members, House membership status, and their interactions on high-risk sex. Significant predictors of high-risk sex included number of sexual partners in the nominated social network, multiethnicity, and previous diagnosis of sexually transmitted infection. House membership was protective against high-risk sex. Additionally, a 3-way interaction emerged between number of sexual partners in the network, influence, and network members' House membership. Future research should assess network members' attitudes and behavior in detail to provide a greater understanding of the dynamics of social influence and to identify additional avenues for intervention.

Examining Perpetration of Physical Violence by Women: The Influence of Childhood Adversity, Victimization, Mental Illness, Substance Abuse, and Anger.

PubMed

Kubiak, Sheryl; Fedock, Gina; Kim, Woo Jong; Bybee, Deborah

2017-02-01

Research on women's perpetration of physical violence has focused primarily on partners, often neglecting perpetration against nonpartners. This study proposes a conceptual model with direct and indirect relationships between childhood adversity and different targets of violence (partners and nonpartners), mediated by victimization experiences (by partner and nonpartners), mental illness, substance abuse, and anger. Using survey data from a random sample of incarcerated women (N = 574), structural equation modeling resulted in significant, albeit different, indirect paths from childhood adversity, through victimization, to perpetration of violence against partners (β = .20) and nonpartners (β = .19). The results indicate that prevention of women's violence requires attention to specific forms of victimization, anger expression, and targets of her aggression.

Selective aggregation of the splicing factor Hsh155 suppresses splicing upon genotoxic stress.

PubMed

Mathew, Veena; Tam, Annie S; Milbury, Karissa L; Hofmann, Analise K; Hughes, Christopher S; Morin, Gregg B; Loewen, Christopher J R; Stirling, Peter C

2017-12-04

Upon genotoxic stress, dynamic relocalization events control DNA repair as well as alterations of the transcriptome and proteome, enabling stress recovery. How these events may influence one another is only partly known. Beginning with a cytological screen of genome stability proteins, we find that the splicing factor Hsh155 disassembles from its partners and localizes to both intranuclear and cytoplasmic protein quality control (PQC) aggregates under alkylation stress. Aggregate sequestration of Hsh155 occurs at nuclear and then cytoplasmic sites in a manner that is regulated by molecular chaperones and requires TORC1 activity signaling through the Sfp1 transcription factor. This dynamic behavior is associated with intron retention in ribosomal protein gene transcripts, a decrease in splicing efficiency, and more rapid recovery from stress. Collectively, our analyses suggest a model in which some proteins evicted from chromatin and undergoing transcriptional remodeling during stress are targeted to PQC sites to influence gene expression changes and facilitate stress recovery. © 2017 Mathew et al.

Traumatic Stress Symptoms of Women Exposed to Different Forms of Childhood Victimization and Intimate Partner Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Kimberly D.; Stuewig, Jeffrey; McCloskey, Laura A.

2010-01-01

Interviews of women with (n = 193) and without (n = 170) recent exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) were used to examine how IPV and past exposure to child abuse influence self-reports of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The measurement of IPV included assessing psychological, physical, escalated physical, and sexual abuse.…

Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Child Behavior Problems among Latina Adolescent Mothers: The Buffering Effect of Mother-Reported Partner Child Care Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Erin N.; Grau, Josefina M.; Duran, Petra A.; Castellanos, Patricia

2013-01-01

We examined the relations between maternal depressive symptoms and child internalizing and externalizing problems in a sample of 125 adolescent Latina mothers (primarily Puerto Rican) and their toddlers. We also tested the influence of mother-reported partner child care involvement on child behavior problems and explored mother-reported partner…

Menstrual cycle phase alters women's sexual preferences for composers of more complex music.

PubMed

Charlton, Benjamin D

2014-06-07

Over 140 years ago Charles Darwin first argued that birdsong and human music, having no clear survival benefit, were obvious candidates for sexual selection. Whereas the first contention is now universally accepted, his theory that music is a product of sexual selection through mate choice has largely been neglected. Here, I provide the first, to my knowledge, empirical support for the sexual selection hypothesis of music evolution by showing that women have sexual preferences during peak conception times for men that are able to create more complex music. Two-alternative forced-choice experiments revealed that woman only preferred composers of more complex music as short-term sexual partners when conception risk was highest. No preferences were displayed when women chose which composer they would prefer as a long-term partner in a committed relationship, and control experiments failed to reveal an effect of conception risk on women's preferences for visual artists. These results suggest that women may acquire genetic benefits for offspring by selecting musicians able to create more complex music as sexual partners, and provide compelling support for Darwin's assertion 'that musical notes and rhythm were first acquired by the male or female progenitors of mankind for the sake of charming the opposite sex'.

Gender differences in health care provider-patient communication: are they due to style, stereotypes, or accommodation?

PubMed

Street, Richard L

2002-12-01

This article examines gender differences in health care provider-patient communication within the framework of an ecological model of communication in the medical encounter. The ecological perspective posits that, although health care provider-patient interactions are situated within a number of contexts (e.g. organizational, political, cultural), the interpersonal domain is the primary context within which these interactions unfold. Hence, gender may influence provider-patient interaction to the extent that it can be linked to the interactants' goals, skills, perceptions, emotions, and the way the participants adapt to their partner's communication. The evidence reviewed in this essay indicates that gender differences in medical encounters may come from several sources including differences in men's and women's communicative styles, perceptions of their partners, and in the way they accommodate their partner's behavior during the interaction. However, because gender is but one of many personal and partner variables (e.g. age, ethnicity, personal experiences) that can influence these processes, gender differences are often quite modest (if apparent at all) when examined across a population of health care providers and patients. Implications for future research and communicative skill training are discussed.

Spouses' conceptions of the pre-hospital phase when their partners suffered an acute myocardial infarction--a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Johansson, Ingela; Swahn, Eva; Strömberg, Anna

2008-09-01

Delay from onset of acute myocardial infarction symptoms to the delivery of medical care is a major determinant of prognosis. Although studies have explored patient reasons for delay, there are only limited data concerning experiences of the spouse. Was to describe spouses' conceptions of the pre-hospital phase when their partners suffered an acute myocardial infarction. A phenomenographic approach was applied. Fifteen spouses were interviewed <48 h after the partner's hospital admittance. Two categories with underlying sub-categories conceptualised the spouses' experiences. The category being resourceful contained: sharing the experience, having knowledge, understanding the severity, being rational, and consulting others. The category respecting independence contained: accepting the need for control, marital roles and experiences, restraining emotions, and seeking agreement. Our findings suggest that spouses have a strong influence on the course of events. When accepting the partner's need for control through following earlier marital roles and experiences, restraining own emotions and seeking agreement, this seemed to contribute to delay. However, when the spouse was resourceful by sharing the experience, having knowledge, understanding the severity, being rational and consulting others when needed, this seemed to have a positive influence on the pre-hospital time.

Determinants of choosing public or private health care among patients with sexually transmitted infections in Uganda.

PubMed

Nuwaha, Fred

2006-07-01

To identify variables that distinguish patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) who seek care in public or private health units. To recommend measures for improved care of patients with STIs. Patients with STIs were interviewed at public (n = 101) or private health units (n = 124). Information was collected on attitudinal, normative, and self-efficacy beliefs; STI symptoms; health-seeking behavior; sociodemographic characteristics, and on partner referral. Choosing private health units is favored by age >25 years, favorable beliefs towards private health units (e.g., they cure or prevent STIs and give adequate drug doses); unfavorable beliefs towards public health units (such as they make STIs chronic and have corrupt staff); not being influenced by sexual partner(s) in choice of treatment site, being likely to chose a treatment site if sexual partners were not treated free, and being likely to choose a treatment site if not recommend by a friend. This 9-variable model correctly classified 214 (95%) of the 225 patients (model chi squared = 192, 9 degrees of freedom, P <0.001). Psychosocial variables markedly influence choice of health care provider. Improving quality of care will enhance STI management and help to modify the unfavorable psychosocial beliefs.

Multi-system influences on adolescent risky sexual behavior.

PubMed

Chen, Angela Chia-Chen; Thompson, Elaine Adams; Morrison-Beedy, Dianne

2010-12-01

We examined multi-system influences on risky sexual behavior measured by cumulative sexual risk index and number of nonromantic sexual partners among 4,465 single, sexually experienced adolescents. Hierarchical Poisson regression analyses were conducted with Wave I-II data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Individual and family factors predicted both outcome measures. Neighborhood set predicted cumulative sexual risk index only, and peer factors predicted the number of nonromantic sexual partners only. School set did not predict either outcome. There were significant associations among risky sexual behavior, drug use, and delinquent behaviors. The results highlight the need for multifaceted prevention programs that address relevant factors related to family, peer and neighborhood influence as well as individual factors among sexually active adolescents. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Use of psychoactive substances and risk sexual behavior].

PubMed

Vavrinková, B

2011-02-01

Present influence of illicit drug and alcohol on risk sexual behavior of young women in Prague and Central Bohemia. Prospective study. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Teaching Hospital and 2nd Medical Faculty of Charles University in Prague. The study participants were 400 sexual active women between 16 and 35 years of age living in Prague and Central Bohemia. All participants were asked via questionnaire illicit drugs and alcohol experience, number of sexual partners, sexual behavior and use condom. Women using illicit drugs or alcohol had higher number of sexual partners. 1/3 said that drinking or drug use has influenced their decisions about sex and sexual behavior and unprotected sex. Use of psychoactive substances including alcohol influence negative sexual behavior. Cause escalated sexual activity and promiscuity, more frequently have risk and unprotected sex.

Let the right one in: a microeconomic approach to partner choice in mutualisms.

PubMed

Archetti, Marco; Ubeda, Francisco; Fudenberg, Drew; Green, Jerry; Pierce, Naomi E; Yu, Douglas W

2011-01-01

One of the main problems impeding the evolution of cooperation is partner choice. When information is asymmetric (the quality of a potential partner is known only to himself), it may seem that partner choice is not possible without signaling. Many mutualisms, however, exist without signaling, and the mechanisms by which hosts might select the right partners are unclear. Here we propose a general mechanism of partner choice, "screening," that is similar to the economic theory of mechanism design. Imposing the appropriate costs and rewards may induce the informed individuals to screen themselves according to their types and therefore allow a noninformed individual to establish associations with the correct partners in the absence of signaling. Several types of biological symbioses are good candidates for screening, including bobtail squid, ant-plants, gut microbiomes, and many animal and plant species that produce reactive oxygen species. We describe a series of diagnostic tests for screening. Screening games can apply to the cases where by-products, partner fidelity feedback, or host sanctions do not apply, therefore explaining the evolution of mutualism in systems where it is impossible for potential symbionts to signal their cooperativeness beforehand and where the host does not punish symbiont misbehavior.

The influence of observers’ sex on attention-demanding performance depends on performers’ sex

PubMed Central

Wang, Lijun; Tan, Jinfeng; Chen, Jiangtao; Chen, Antao

2015-01-01

Post-error slowing (PES) indicates the slower responses after errors than after correct responses. Prior studies mainly focus on how the observation errors influence one own’s performance, there is no study investigating how other’s monitoring influence one own’s performance. Additionally, the issue that whether social context influences the PES effect differently for females and males is still unclear. To address aforementioned issues, we required the participants to interact with a same-sex or opposite-sex partner to complete a color flanker task together (they sat next to each other, Experiment 1). One was the performer (perform the flanker task), and the other was the observer (monitor the error responses of performer). They alternated their roles in two successive blocks. To further verify the role of the interaction context, a control experiment was conducted in the individual context (Experiment 2). The results revealed that (1) larger PES effect was observed in females than in males in the interaction context; (2) the sex difference of PES effect mainly benefited from the opposite-sex interaction; (3) larger PES effect was observed in the interaction context than in the individual context; (4) females’ performance was influenced after an interaction with a same-sex or opposite-sex partner, whereas males’ performance was merely influenced after an interaction with an opposite-sex partner. Taken together, these findings may suggest that (1) interaction context modulates the PES effect differently for females and males; (2) females are more susceptible to social information and hence more effective to adjust the post-error behaviors. PMID:26379574

How perceptions of community environment influence health behaviours: using the Analysis Grid for Environments Linked to Obesity Framework as a mechanism for exploration.

PubMed

Nieuwendyk, L M; Belon, A P; Vallianatos, H; Raine, K D; Schopflocher, D; Spence, J C; Plotnikoff, R C; Nykiforuk, C I

2016-09-01

Overweight and obesity are influenced by a complex interplay of individual and environmental factors that affect physical activity and healthy eating. Nevertheless, little has been reported on people's perceptions of those factors. Addressing this critical gap and community partner needs, this study explored how people perceived the influence of micro- and macroenvironmental factors on physical activity and healthy eating. Community partners wanted the study results in a format that would be readily and easily used by local decision makers. We used photovoice to engage 35 community members across four municipalities in Alberta, Canada, and to share their narratives about their physical activity and healthy eating. A combination of inductive and deductive analysis categorized data by environmental level (micro vs. macro) and type (physical, political, economic, and sociocultural), guided by the Analysis Grid for Environments Linked to Obesity Framework. Participants conceptualized health-influencing factors more broadly than physical activity and healthy eating to include "community social health." Participants spoke most often about the influence of the microenvironment (n = 792 ANGELO Framework coding tallies) on their physical activity, healthy eating and community social health in comparison to the macroenvironment (n = 93). Photovoice results provided a visual narrative to community partners and decision makers about how people's ability to make healthy choices can be limited by macroenvironmental forces beyond their control. Focussing future research on macro- and microenvironmental influences and localized community social health can inform practice by providing strategies on how to implement healthy changes within communities, while ensuring that research and interventions echo diverse people's perceptions.

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) instrumentally help but do not communicate in a mutualistic cooperative task.

PubMed

Bullinger, Anke F; Melis, Alicia P; Tomasello, Michael

2014-08-01

Chimpanzees cooperate in a variety of contexts, but communicating to influence and regulate cooperative activities is rare. It is unclear whether this reflects chimpanzees' general inability or whether they have found other means to coordinate cooperative activities. In the present study chimpanzees could help a partner play her role in a mutually beneficial food-retrieval task either by transferring a needed tool (transfer condition) or by visually or acoustically communicating the hiding-location of the needed tool (communication condition). Overall, chimpanzees readily helped their partner by delivering the needed tool, but none of them communicated the hiding location of the tool to their partner reliably across trials. These results demonstrate that although chimpanzees can coordinate their cooperative activities by instrumentally helping their partner in her role, they do not readily use communication with their partner for this same end.

Intimate Partner Violence among West African Immigrants

PubMed Central

AKINSULURE-SMITH, ADEYINKA M.; CHU, TRACY; KEATLEY, EVA; RASMUSSEN, ANDREW

2013-01-01

Although the number of African immigrants arriving to the United States has increased significantly, there has been little investigation regarding their experiences of intimate partner violence or coping strategies. This study used focus groups and individual interviews to explore intimate partner violence among 32 heterosexual West African immigrants. Results suggest that although cultural expectations influence their coping strategies, West African–born men and women face different realities, with women reporting multiple instances of abuse and a sense of frustration with the existing options for assistance. Although participants discussed multilevel support structures within the immediate West African community to address intimate partner violence, all of these options maintained a gender hierarchy, leaving women dissatisfied. Challenges and barriers to partner violence resolution and coping strategies are identified. Results are examined in terms of their implications for addressing the needs of this underserved population. Implications for future research and services are discussed and highlighted. PMID:23730146

A Systematic Review of Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence

PubMed Central

Capaldi, Deborah M.; Knoble, Naomi B.; Shortt, Joann Wu; Kim, Hyoun K.

2012-01-01

A systematic review of risk factors for intimate partner violence was conducted. Inclusion criteria included publication in a peer-reviewed journal, a representative community sample or a clinical sample with a control-group comparison, a response rate of at least 50%, use of a physical or sexual violence outcome measure, and control of confounding factors in the analyses. A total of 228 articles were included (170 articles with adult and 58 with adolescent samples). Organized by levels of a dynamic developmental systems perspective, risk factors included: (a) contextual characteristics of partners (demographic, neighborhood, community and school factors), (b) developmental characteristics and behaviors of the partners (e.g., family, peer, psychological/behavioral, and cognitive factors), and (c) relationship influences and interactional patterns. Comparisons to a prior review highlight developments in the field in the past 10 years. Recommendations for intervention and policy along with future directions for intimate partner violence (IPV) risk factor research are presented. PMID:22754606

The Interdependence of Advanced Cancer Patients’ and Their Family Caregivers’ Mental Health, Physical Health, and Self-Efficacy Over Time

PubMed Central

Kershaw, Trace; Ellis, Katrina R.; Yoon, Hyojin; Schafenacker, Ann; Katapodi, Maria; Northouse, Laurel

2016-01-01

Background The challenges of advanced cancer have health implications for patients and their family caregivers from diagnosis through end-of-life. The nature of the patient/caregiver experience suggests that their mental and physical health may be interdependent, but limited empirical evidence exists. Purpose This study used Social Cognitive Theory as a framework to investigate individual and interpersonal influences on patients’ and their family caregivers’ mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy as individuals to manage the challenges of advanced disease over time. Methods Patients and caregivers (484 patient-caregiver dyads) completed surveys at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. Longitudinal dyadic analysis techniques were used to examine (i) the influence that patients and caregivers had on their own mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy (actor effects) and (ii) the influence that they had on each other’s health outcomes (partner effects). We also examined the influence of self-efficacy on mental and physical health over time. Results Consistent with our hypotheses, each person’s mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy had significant effects on their own outcomes over time (actor effects). Patients and caregivers influenced one another’s mental and physical health (partner effects), but not their self-efficacy. In addition, patients and caregivers with higher self-efficacy had better mental health, and their partners had better physical health. Conclusions Patient and caregiver mental and physical health were interdependent. Each person’s cancer-related self-efficacy influenced their own mental and physical health. However, a person’s self-efficacy did not influence the other person’s self-efficacy. PMID:26489843

Time perspective and social preference in older and younger adults: Effects of self-regulatory fatigue.

PubMed

Segerstrom, Suzanne C; Geiger, Paul J; Combs, Hannah L; Boggero, Ian A

2016-09-01

Socioemotional selectivity theory predicts that when perceived time in life is limited, people will prefer emotionally close social partners over less emotionally rewarding partners. Regulating social choices with regard to time perspective can make the best use of time with regard to well-being. However, doing so may depend on the self-regulatory capacity of the individual. Two studies, 1 with younger adults (N = 101) and 1 with younger (N = 42) and older (N = 39) adults, experimentally tested the effects of time perspective and self-regulatory fatigue on preferences for emotionally close partners and knowledgeable partners. In both studies and across younger and older adults, when self-regulatory fatigue was low, the perception of limited time resulted in a greater preference for close social partners relative to knowledgeable social partners. However, this shift was eliminated by self-regulatory fatigue. In Study 2, when fatigued, younger adults preferred close social partners to knowledgeable partners across time perspectives; older adults preferred close and knowledgeable partners more equally across time perspectives. These findings have implications for social decision-making and satisfaction among people who experience chronic self-regulatory fatigue. They also contradict previous suggestions that only younger adults are susceptible to self-regulatory fatigue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Time Perspective and Social Preference in Older and Younger Adults: Effects of Self-Regulatory Fatigue

PubMed Central

Segerstrom, Suzanne C.; Geiger, Paul J.; Combs, Hannah L.; Boggero, Ian A.

2016-01-01

Socioemotional selectivity theory predicts that when perceived time in life is limited, people will prefer emotionally close social partners over less emotionally rewarding partners. Regulating social choices with regard to time perspective can make the best use of time with regard to well-being. However, doing so may depend on the self-regulatory capacity of the individual. Two studies, one with younger adults (N = 101) and one with younger (N = 42) and older (N = 39) adults, experimentally tested the effects of time perspective and self-regulatory fatigue on preferences for emotionally close partners and knowledgeable partners. In both studies and across younger and older adults, when self-regulatory fatigue was low, the perception of limited time resulted in a greater preference for close social partners relative to knowledgeable social partners. However, this shift was eliminated by self-regulatory fatigue. In Study 2, when fatigued, younger adults preferred close social partners to knowledgeable partners across time perspectives; older adults preferred close and knowledgeable partners more equally across time perspectives. These findings have implications for social decision-making and satisfaction among people who experience chronic self-regulatory fatigue. They also contradict previous suggestions that only younger adults are susceptible to self-regulatory fatigue. PMID:27243763

"Are we Facebook official?" Implications of dating partners' Facebook use and profiles for intimate relationship satisfaction.

PubMed

Papp, Lauren M; Danielewicz, Jennifer; Cayemberg, Crystal

2012-02-01

Extending previous research on positive and negative correlates of Facebook use for individuals' outcomes, this study examined male and female dating partners' (n=58 couples) Facebook use and portrayals of their intimate relationship on the Facebook profile. Confirming hypotheses from compatibility theories of mate selection, partners demonstrated similar Facebook intensity (e.g., usage, connection to Facebook), and were highly likely to portray their relationship on their Facebook profiles in similar ways (i.e., display partnered status and show their partner in profile picture). These Facebook profile choices played a role in the overall functioning of the relationship, with males' indications of a partnered status linked with higher levels of their own and their partners' (marginal) relationship satisfaction, and females' displays of their partner in their profile picture linked with higher levels of their own and their partners' relationship satisfaction. Finally, male and female reports of having had disagreements over the Facebook relationship status was associated with lower level of females' but not males' relationship satisfaction, after accounting for global verbal conflict. Thus, the findings point to the unique contribution of Facebook disagreements to intimate relationship functioning. Results from this study encourage continued examination of technology use and behaviors in contexts of intimate relationships.

What do older adults seek in their potential romantic partners? Evidence from online personal ads.

PubMed

William, D McIntosh; Locker, Lawrence; Briley, Katherine; Ryan, Rebecca; Scott, Alison J

2011-01-01

Because of the dearth of available partners, older women looking to date may have to relax their dating standards to find a dating partner, perhaps accepting a life situation that is not what they had hoped for. However older women may be reluctant to sacrifice an often recently-gained lifestyle free of caregiving obligations. Older men, on the other hand, have a large pool of potential dating partners and do not face the same dilemma. We compared Internet dating profiles for 100 older adults and 100 younger adults, and found that older adults (and especially older women) were more selective than younger adults when it came to the age, race, religion, income, and height of a prospective dating partner. However, older adults were willing to travel substantially farther than younger adults to meet the right partner. These findings paint a clear picture of older Internet daters as eager to meet the right person, but not desperate to meet just anyone.

Sexual Networks and HIV Risk among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in 6 U.S. Cities.

PubMed

Tieu, Hong-Van; Liu, Ting-Yuan; Hussen, Sophia; Connor, Matthew; Wang, Lei; Buchbinder, Susan; Wilton, Leo; Gorbach, Pamina; Mayer, Kenneth; Griffith, Sam; Kelly, Corey; Elharrar, Vanessa; Phillips, Gregory; Cummings, Vanessa; Koblin, Beryl; Latkin, Carl

2015-01-01

Sexual networks may place U.S. Black men who have sex with men (MSM) at increased HIV risk. Self-reported egocentric sexual network data from the prior six months were collected from 1,349 community-recruited Black MSM in HPTN 061, a multi-component HIV prevention intervention feasibility study. Sexual network composition, size, and density (extent to which members are having sex with one another) were compared by self-reported HIV serostatus and age of the men. GEE models assessed network and other factors associated with having a Black sex partner, having a partner with at least two age category difference (age difference between participant and partner of at least two age group categories), and having serodiscordant/serostatus unknown unprotected anal/vaginal intercourse (SDUI) in the last six months. Over half had exclusively Black partners in the last six months, 46% had a partner of at least two age category difference, 87% had ≤5 partners. Nearly 90% had sex partners who were also part of their social networks. Among HIV-negative men, not having anonymous/exchange/ trade partners and lower density were associated with having a Black partner; larger sexual network size and having non-primary partners were associated with having a partner with at least two age category difference; and having anonymous/exchange/ trade partners was associated with SDUI. Among HIV-positive men, not having non-primary partners was associated with having a Black partner; no sexual network characteristics were associated with having a partner with at least two age category difference and SDUI. Black MSM sexual networks were relatively small and often overlapped with the social networks. Sexual risk was associated with having non-primary partners and larger network size. Network interventions that engage the social networks of Black MSM, such as interventions utilizing peer influence, should be developed to address stable partnerships, number of partners, and serostatus disclosure.

Factors Influencing Contraceptive Use in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Blackstone, Sarah R; Nwaozuru, Ucheoma; Iwelunmor, Juliet

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature regarding factors influencing contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa between 2005 and 2015. A total of 58 studies from twelve Sub-Saharan African countries were reviewed. Keywords were grouped using the PEN-3 cultural model. Negative factors prohibiting or reducing contraceptive use were women's misconceptions of contraceptive side-effects, male partner disapproval, and social/cultural norms surrounding fertility. Positive factors included education, employment, and communication with male partner. Increasing modern contraceptive use in Sub-Saharan Africa is a multi-faceted problem that will require community and systems wide interventions that aim to counteract negative perceptions and misinformation.

Mesotocin influences pinyon jay prosociality.

PubMed

Duque, J F; Leichner, W; Ahmann, H; Stevens, J R

2018-04-01

Many species exhibit prosocial behaviour, in which one individual's actions benefit another individual, often without an immediate benefit to itself. The neuropeptide oxytocin is an important hormonal mechanism influencing prosociality in mammals, but it is unclear whether the avian homologue mesotocin plays a similar functional role in birds. Here, we experimentally tested prosociality in pinyon jays ( Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus ), a highly social corvid species that spontaneously shares food with others. First, we measured prosocial preferences in a prosocial choice task with two different pay-off distributions: Prosocial trials delivered food to both the subject and either an empty cage or a partner bird, whereas Altruism trials delivered food only to an empty cage or a partner bird (none to subject). In a second experiment, we examined whether administering mesotocin influenced prosocial preferences. Compared to choices in a control condition, we show that subjects voluntarily delivered food rewards to partners, but only when also receiving food for themselves (Prosocial trials), and administration of high levels of mesotocin increased these behaviours. Thus, in birds, mesotocin seems to play a similar functional role in facilitating prosocial behaviours as oxytocin does in mammals, suggesting an evolutionarily conserved hormonal mechanism for prosociality. © 2018 The Author(s).

The oxidative environment: a mediator of interspecies communication that drives symbiosis evolution.

PubMed

Moné, Yves; Monnin, David; Kremer, Natacha

2014-06-22

Symbiotic interactions are ubiquitous in nature and play a major role in driving the evolution of life. Interactions between partners are often mediated by shared signalling pathways, which strongly influence both partners' biology and the evolution of the association in various environments. As an example of 'common language', the regulation of the oxidative environment plays an important role in driving the evolution of symbiotic associations. Such processes have been occurring for billions of years, including the increase in Earth's atmospheric oxygen and the subsequent evolution of mitochondria. The effect of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species (RONS) has been characterized functionally, but the molecular dialogue between partners has not been integrated within a broader evolutionary context yet. Given the pleiotropic role of RONS in cell-cell communication, development and immunity, but also their associated physiological costs, we discuss here how their regulation can influence the establishment, the maintenance and the breakdown of various symbiotic associations. By synthesizing recent developments in redox biology, we aim to provide an interdisciplinary understanding of the influence of such mediators of interspecies communication on the evolution and stability of symbioses, which in turn can shape ecosystems and play a role in health and disease.

Recombination of mitochondrial DNA without selection pressure among compatible strains of the Aspergillus niger species aggregate.

PubMed

Tóth, B; Hamari, Z; Ferenczy, L; Varga, J; Kevei, F

1998-03-01

Previous mitochondrial transmission experiments between oligomycin-resistant and oligomycin-sensitive incompatible strains of the A. niger aggregate bearing various mtDNA RFLP profiles resulted in a great variety of mitochondrial recombinants under selection pressure. Apart from the recombinant mtDNAs, resistant clones harbouring unchanged RFLP profiles of resistant donor mtDNAs with the recipient nuclear backgrounds were rarely isolated. These strains were anastomosed with nuclearly isogenic oligomycin-sensitive recipient partners and the mitochondria of the resulting progeny were examined under non-selective conditions. These experiments provide insights into events which are possibly similar to those occurring in nature. The heterokaryons obtained formed both oligomycin-resistant and -sensitive sectors, most of which were found to be homoplasmons. Progenies harbouring oligomycin-resistant and -sensitive mtDNAs may originate either from individual recombination events or be due to parental segregation. MtDNA recombination might take place in the heterokaryons without selection by oligomycin. The most frequent recombinant types of mtDNA RFLP profiles were indistinguishable from those recombinant mtDNAs which were frequently obtained under selection pressure from directed transfer experiments between incompatible strains. We present evidence that mixed mitochondrial populations may influence the compatibility reactions in the presence of an isogenic nuclear background, that recombination may take place without selection pressure, and that the process does not require specific nuclear sequences of both parental strains.

The relation of family and partner support to the adjustment of adolescent mothers.

PubMed

Unger, D G; Wandersman, L P

1988-08-01

The influence of teenage mothers' perceptions of family and partner social support on their postpartum adjustment was examined in this study. A structured interview with teenage mothers was conducted prenatally and a follow-up assessment was done when their children were 8 months of age. Both partner and family support were related to greater satisfaction with life, but each was associated in a different way with parenting and concerns about daily living. The results indicate the importance of distinguishing between specific sources of social support and different aspects of adjustment to teen parenthood.

Nothing is more important than my partner's health: Turkish men's perspectives on partner's appearance after mastectomy and alopecia.

PubMed

Gürsoy, Ayla; Koçan, Sema; Aktuğ, Cemile

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to acquire a deeper understanding of male experiences on the emotional and social impact of their partners' mastectomy and chemotherapy-induced alopecia. A purposive sample of 16 males whose partners had undergone mastectomy and alopecia due to chemotherapy was chosen. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview method. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of tape-recorded interviews was employed. Two main themes emerged from the data: facing the changes and my wife and I at present. Male partners were affected differently by the change in the physical appearance of their female partners. Our study participants said it was a difficult experience to see their partners for the first time after the surgery, but they emphasized that it was more important that their partners were healthy than the fact that they did not have a breast and hair. They also said they did not know how to behave towards their partners after surgery and/or chemotherapy. Nevertheless, they felt that the disease process of their partners had strengthened their bond and had not negatively influenced their relationship with others. The changes in the partners' physical appearance after mastectomy and chemotherapy affected males differently in psychological, emotional and social terms. Since nurses working in this field are in contact with patients during all phases of treatment and care, it would be positive and beneficial to plan nursing interventions that give emotional support for male partners of patients with breast cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Intrinsically Disordered Regions of the Drosophila melanogaster Hox Protein Ultrabithorax Select Interacting Proteins Based on Partner Topology

PubMed Central

Hsiao, Hao-Ching; Gonzalez, Kim L.; Catanese, Daniel J.; Jordy, Kristopher E.; Matthews, Kathleen S.; Bondos, Sarah E.

2014-01-01

Interactions between structured proteins require a complementary topology and surface chemistry to form sufficient contacts for stable binding. However, approximately one third of protein interactions are estimated to involve intrinsically disordered regions of proteins. The dynamic nature of disordered regions before and, in some cases, after binding calls into question the role of partner topology in forming protein interactions. To understand how intrinsically disordered proteins identify the correct interacting partner proteins, we evaluated interactions formed by the Drosophila melanogaster Hox transcription factor Ultrabithorax (Ubx), which contains both structured and disordered regions. Ubx binding proteins are enriched in specific folds: 23 of its 39 partners include one of 7 folds, out of the 1195 folds recognized by SCOP. For the proteins harboring the two most populated folds, DNA-RNA binding 3-helical bundles and α-α superhelices, the regions of the partner proteins that exhibit these preferred folds are sufficient for Ubx binding. Three disorder-containing regions in Ubx are required to bind these partners. These regions are either alternatively spliced or multiply phosphorylated, providing a mechanism for cellular processes to regulate Ubx-partner interactions. Indeed, partner topology correlates with the ability of individual partner proteins to bind Ubx spliceoforms. Partners bind different disordered regions within Ubx to varying extents, creating the potential for competition between partners and cooperative binding by partners. The ability of partners to bind regions of Ubx that activate transcription and regulate DNA binding provides a mechanism for partners to modulate transcription regulation by Ubx, and suggests that one role of disorder in Ubx is to coordinate multiple molecular functions in response to tissue-specific cues. PMID:25286318

The barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation experienced by women's partners during pregnancy and the post-partum period: a systematic review of qualitative research.

PubMed

Flemming, Kate; Graham, Hilary; McCaughan, Dorothy; Angus, Kathryn; Bauld, Linda

2015-09-03

Smoking in pregnancy can cause substantial harm and, while many women quit, others continue to smoke throughout pregnancy. The role of partners is an important but relatively under-researched factor in relation to women's smoking in pregnancy; partner's smoking status and attitudes to smoking cessation are important influences in a pregnant women's attempt to quit. Further understanding of how partners perceive the barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation in pregnancy is needed, particularly from qualitative studies where participants describe these issues in their own words. A synthesis of qualitative research of partners' views of smoking in pregnancy and post-partum was conducted using meta-ethnography. Searches were undertaken from 1990 to January 2014 using terms for partner/household, pregnancy, post-partum, smoking, qualitative in seven electronic databases. The review was reported in accordance with the 'Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research' (ENTREQ) statement. Nine studies reported in 14 papers were included, detailing the experience of 158 partners; the majority were interviewed during the post-partum period. Partners were all male, with a single exception. Socioeconomic measures indicated that most participants were socially disadvantaged. The synthesis identified recurring smoking-related perceptions and experiences that hindered (barriers) and encouraged (facilitators) partners to consider quitting during the woman's pregnancy and into the post-partum period. These were represented in five lines of argument relating to: smoking being an integral part of everyday life; becoming and being a father; the couple's relationship; perceptions of the risks of smoking; and their harm reduction and quitting strategies. The cluster of identified barriers and facilitators to quitting offers pointers for policy and practice. The workplace emerges as an important space for and influence on partners' smoking habits, suggesting alternative cessation intervention locations for future parents. Conversely, health and community settings are seen to offer little support to fathers. Interventions centred on valued personal traits, like will-power and autonomy, may have particular salience. The review points, too, to the potential for health information that directly addresses perceived weaknesses in official advice, for example, around causal mechanisms and effects and around contrary evidence of healthy babies born to smokers. PROSPERO 2013: CRD42013004170.

How common is domestic violence against women? The definition of partner abuse in prevalence studies.

PubMed

Hegarty, K; Roberts, G

1998-02-01

We systematically reviewed studies of the prevalence of domestic violence. Selected overseas community studies were compared with all Australian prevalence studies found to be published. Twelve-month prevalence estimates of partner abuse in Australia varied from 2.1 per cent to 28.0 per cent, depending mainly on the definition of domestic violence used in each study. Implications of the lack of a precise definition result in varying operationalised definitions of partner abuse, from all types of violence in relationships (including a single minor violent incident), through to only those violent incidents that are classified as a crime. Recommendations for any future prevalence studies in this field include the need to collect frequency data which reflected the fact that partner abuse against women is a complex behavioural phenomenon involving emotional, physical and sexual abuse against a partner, not just simply physical incidents.

Mate attraction, retention and expulsion.

PubMed

Miner, Emily J; Shackelford, Todd K

2010-02-01

Sexual selection theory and parental investment theory have guided much of the evolutionary psychological research on human mating. Based on these theories, researchers have predicted and found sex differences in mating preferences and behaviors. Men generally prefer that their long-term partners are youthful and physically attractive. Women generally prefer that their long-term partners have existing resources or clear potential for securing resources and display a willingness to invest those resources in children the relationship might produce. Both men and women, however, desire long-term partners who are kind and intelligent. Once a partner is obtained, men and women act in sex-specific ways to ensure the continuation and exclusivity of the relationship. Men, in particular, engage in behaviors designed to prevent, correct, and anticipate their partner's sexual infidelity. Relationships dissolve for evolutionarily-relevant reasons: infidelity, childlessness, and infertility. The discussion addresses directions for future research.

Analysis of Social Network Collaboration Using Selected APAN Communications from the Haiti Earthquake of 2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

POSTS .....................................................39 C . CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE SINGLE POSTS ...................................41 1. Sitreps...Andrew, for their patience, understanding and love while I completed this project and other studies at the Naval Postgraduate School. I love you... the various relief efforts taking place, SOUTHCOM leveraged social media, in particular, the All Partners Access Network. 3 C . ALL PARTNERS

An alternative to real estate ownership.

PubMed

Scarborough, Sydney

2004-05-01

Partnering with healthcare real estate managers and investors is one way to generate capital, improve cash flow, and minimize the management costs of developing and operating outpatient properties without sacrificing control of strategic locations or facilities. Eight simple steps can help you identify and select viable strategic healthcare real estate partners and negotiate effective monetization (sale of property title) agreements with them.

Evaluation of DELTA PREP: A Project Aimed at Integrating Primary Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence within State Domestic Violence Coalitions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freire, Kimberley E.; Zakocs, Ronda; Le, Brenda; Hill, Jessica A.; Brown, Pamela; Wheaton, Jocelyn

2015-01-01

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recognized as a public health problem since the late 20th century. To spur IPV prevention efforts nationwide, the DELTA PREP Project selected 19 state domestic violence coalitions to build organizational prevention capacity and catalyze IPV primary prevention strategies within their states.…

FamilyPso - a new questionnaire to assess the impact of psoriasis on partners and family of patients.

PubMed

Mrowietz, U; Hartmann, A; Weißmann, W; Zschocke, I

2017-01-01

Psoriasis is a lifelong disease for which there is no cure. It has been conclusively shown across all ethnicities that patients suffering from psoriasis have a significantly reduced health-related quality of life and a high disease burden. Surprisingly little is known about the impact of a patient's psoriasis on partners or family members. To address this issue a systematic literature search has been conducted and interviews with relatives of psoriasis patients living in the same household were performed. From this collected information, items were generated that were commonly mentioned to affect living and tested in a large group of relatives before the final item selection was done. A first set of 29 items was selected and tested in a study with 96 patient relatives. After adjustment and statistical analysis, the final FamilyPso questionnaire was condensed to 15 items to assess the burden of partners or family members living together with psoriasis patients. The FamilyPso enables physicians to achieve a better understanding of the impact of psoriasis as a lifelong chronic disease on partners and the family environment. © 2016 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Peer communication on sex and sexual health among youths: a case of Debre Berhan university, Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Gezahegn, Takele; Birhanu, Zewdie; Aman, Mamusha; Dessalegn, Muluken; Abera, Asmamaw; Nyagero, Josephat

2016-01-01

Introduction Friends are considered an important source of advice and information about sex. Conversations about sex among young people tend to generate norms that influence positive or negative pressure on individuals to conform to group standards. The aim of the study was to explore peer communication on sex and sexual health. Methods Grounded theory qualitative study design was employed using focus group discussions and participant observation. Participants were selected using criterion purposive sampling. Semi-structured guides and checklists were used as data collection tools. Information was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and uploaded to ATLAS.ti 7 software for coding. Data collection and analysis were undertaken simultaneously using constant comparative analysis. Results Students talked with peers and sexual partners about sex more than sexual health issues. Common places of talk included dormitory, begtera (near dorm where students meet), and space (reading rooms). Whereas, time of talk, either in a group or with just their close friends or sex partners, included during training, evening and weekend time, during walking together, and break time. Students used verbal and non-verbal and formal and informal communication styles. Conclusion The content, place, and time for discussions about sex were influenced by gender, social-cultural norms (e.g. religion), rural vs urban living, and the occurrence of sexual health issues (e.g, sexually-transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancies). Priority should be given to designing audience-specific strategies and messages to promote discussions about sex and to encourage safe sexual practices. Primary target groups should include female and rural students, who are predisposed to risky sexual behavior. PMID:28439332

The Effect of Marriage and HIV Risks on Condom Use Acceptability in Rural Malawi

PubMed Central

Anglewicz, Philip; Clark, Shelley

2013-01-01

A large and increasing proportion of HIV transmissions in sub-Saharan Africa occur within marriage. Condom use within marriage could, therefore, be an important prevention strategy, but there is considerable debate about whether married couples would be willing to use condoms. This paper contributes to this debate by identifying key factors that affect the acceptability of condom use within marriage and actual condom use among men and women in rural Malawi, using three waves of longitudinal data from 2004, 2006 and 2008. Specifically, we focused on the effect of (1) entry into first marriage, (2) respondent’s HIV status, HIV perceptions, and risk behaviors, and (3) spouse’s HIV characteristics on condom use acceptability within marriage and actual condom use with a spouse or steady partner. Using fixed-effects regression, we found that getting married coincides with a pronounced attitudinal shift regarding the acceptability of condom use within marriage that cannot be explained by differences in fertility status or selection into marriage. In addition, we found that, for women, perceived HIV status of the respondent and spouse generally had greater influence than actual HIV status on the acceptability of condom use within marriage and actual condom use with a spouse or steady partner, even after HIV status is known; while actual HIV status and HIV risk behaviors are generally more important among men. Although condom use within marriage remained low, these findings suggest that attitudes about and use of condoms are susceptible to change and that both marital status and perceptions of risk are important influences on condom use. PMID:24161086

Peer communication on sex and sexual health among youths: a case of Debre Berhan university, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Gezahegn, Takele; Birhanu, Zewdie; Aman, Mamusha; Dessalegn, Muluken; Abera, Asmamaw; Nyagero, Josephat

2016-01-01

Friends are considered an important source of advice and information about sex. Conversations about sex among young people tend to generate norms that influence positive or negative pressure on individuals to conform to group standards. The aim of the study was to explore peer communication on sex and sexual health. Grounded theory qualitative study design was employed using focus group discussions and participant observation. Participants were selected using criterion purposive sampling. Semi-structured guides and checklists were used as data collection tools. Information was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and uploaded to ATLAS.ti 7 software for coding. Data collection and analysis were undertaken simultaneously using constant comparative analysis. Students talked with peers and sexual partners about sex more than sexual health issues. Common places of talk included dormitory, begtera (near dorm where students meet), and space (reading rooms). Whereas, time of talk, either in a group or with just their close friends or sex partners, included during training, evening and weekend time, during walking together, and break time. Students used verbal and non-verbal and formal and informal communication styles. The content, place, and time for discussions about sex were influenced by gender, social-cultural norms (e.g. religion), rural vs urban living, and the occurrence of sexual health issues (e.g, sexually-transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancies). Priority should be given to designing audience-specific strategies and messages to promote discussions about sex and to encourage safe sexual practices. Primary target groups should include female and rural students, who are predisposed to risky sexual behavior.

Contraceptive use during the reproductive lifecycle as reported by 46-year-old women in Sweden.

PubMed

Sköld, Annelie; Larsson, Margareta

2012-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the contraceptive methods 46-year-old women in Sweden had chosen during different phases of their reproductive lifecycle and, the factors affecting their choice. The design was a retrospective cross-sectional study and targeted 46-year-old women. Five hundred Swedish women were randomly selected from a national population-based register and sent a questionnaire with 18 multiple response questions: the response rate was 47%. The women used different contraceptive methods during different phases of their reproductive lifecycle. Women mainly used oral contraceptive pills and condoms before pregnancy, copper-IUD between pregnancies and, hormonal- and copper IUD after pregnancy. Condoms were used during all phases of women's fertile period. Women with early sexual debut were more likely to have used condom as their first contraceptive method than women with late sexual debut, and women who had children were more likely to use IUD as current contraception than women without children. High efficacy, accessibility and advice from a counselor were the most cited reasons for choosing a particular method. The most common reasons for discontinuing contraceptive use were a wish to be pregnant and concerns about side effects. The partner had little or no influence on choice of method, but advice from a gynecologist or midwife was influential. 46-year-old women in Sweden had chosen different contraceptive methods during different phases of their reproductive lifecycle. Partners appear to have limited influence over this choice. Individualized counseling by health care providers seems important. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.