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Means, Standard Deviations, and Correlations Among All Study 2 Variables.
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Affectionate touch is an important behavior in close relationships throughout the lifespan. Research has investigated the relational and individual psychological and physical benefits of affectionate touch, but the situational factors that give rise to it have been overlooked. Theorizing from the interpersonal process model of intimacy, the current...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... correlations presented in Table 1, row 5, indicate that the coded affectionate touch is consistent with the definition of affectionate touch: Target's self-reported frequency of affectionate touch in the prior month (described and included in the IDA, Sample A = .81) is positively correlated with each code of their behavior in the private leisure time interaction. ...Citations
... Warmth, reflecting perceived friendliness and positive intentions , is closely related to immediacy and plays a key role in enhancing social presence. Research shows that warmth and related attributes such as empathy (Morelli et al., 2015) and intimacy (Jolink et al., 2021) positively influence social interactions, even in interactions with service robots (Belanche et al., 2021) and agents displayed on 2D screens (McKee et al., 2024;Harris-Watson et al., 2023). ...
Social VR is growing in popularity, with more users engaging in interactive VR platforms. A key aspect of these experiences is social presence, the feeling of being with others, which is essential in fostering meaningful connections and improving user engagement. While spatial presence and body ownership are considered important for social presence, interpersonal factors such as another person’s warmth or competence play an important role as well. In this study (N = 128), we examined the relationships between these four perceptions (spatial presence, body ownership, a partner’s warmth and competence) and social presence in social VR, both individually and while accounting for their combined effects. Multivariate analyses showed that spatial presence and partner warmth were robustly associated with social presence, whereas body ownership and competence were not significantly related to social presence. These patterns were consistent across interactions using anonymous avatars and non–anonymous avatars. We conclude that interpersonal perceptions, particularly warmth, should be considered alongside user experience variables when studying social presence. Furthermore, anonymized interactions in social VR likely preserve the underlying processes that support social presence.
... In cross-cultural research examining marital relationships and their effect on children's learning, it is important to recognize that dynamics can vary considerably across a wide array of cultural contexts (Cummings & Davies, 2002). In Western contexts, the high frequency of affection expressed between couples predicts a more satisfactory and longer marriage (Jolink et al., 2022). However, more congruence between Chinese couples (e.g., consensus and consistent value) is associated with higher marital satisfaction for both partners (Chi et al., 2013). ...
The family is regarded as a vital environment for early academic competence, as reflected in literacy and cognitive skills and self-regulation, as well as for behavioral development, which encompasses both prosocial and problem behavior. Extensive research has consistently supported the positive associations between marital adjustment, maternal involvement in early childhood education, and children’s development. However, few studies have examined the interaction of marital adjustment and maternal involvement on children’s outcomes and the indirect role of maternal involvement in the relations between marital adjustment and children’s academic and behavioral competence. The current research was conducted in three Chinese provinces. A total of 653 mothers of Chinese preschoolers (51.76% boys, Mage = 5.94, SD = 1.43) from 15 preschool classrooms participated in this study. The results showed that higher marital adjustment was associated with improvement in children’s literacy and cognition (β = 0.26, p < 0.001), self-regulation (β = 0.25, p < 0.001), and prosocial behavior (β = 0.18, p < 0.001), as well as a reduction in problem behavior (β = 0.21, p < 0.001). Maternal involvement did not facilitate or buffer the effects of marital adjustment and early academic and behavioral development. Marital adjustment may contribute to increasing maternal involvement and thus indirectly affect children’s academic and behavioral competence. These findings highlight the potential positive effects of marital adjustment and maternal involvement on preschoolers’ academic and behavioral competence and introduce a different perspective on the cultivation of supportive family environments.
... Spouses, as the primary caregivers of pregnant women, are an important source of emotional support and have a significant impact on their symptom management, psychological adjustment, and quality of life. Perceived partner response (PPR) refers to one partner feeling the other's positive attention/response to various personal needs/hobbies/desires [24]. For married individuals, sharing their inner feelings with intimate partners is an important way to alleviate their painful emotions [25,26]. ...
Background
Fear of childbirth may affect delivery experience and postpartum recovery, and even lead to postpartum depression. Spouses, as the primary caregivers of pregnant women, are an important source of emotional support and have a significant impact on their psychological adjustment. The aim of this study is to explore the association of fear of childbirth and postpartum depression with perceived partner response during pregnancy.
Methods
A longitudinal study was conducted at the Northern Theater Command General Hospital from June 2023 to April 2024. 289 pregnant women completed two surveys in total. The questionnaire included the Childbirth Attitude Questionnaire, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Perceived Partner Responsiveness Scale. Latent class analysis was used to identify categories of postpartum depression. The moderating effect was analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis, and visualized by simple slope analysis.
Results
Postpartum depression was classified into three types: “Low postpartum depression -Insomnia and sadness group” (46.5%), “Moderate postpartum depression -Anxiety and crying group” (42.6%), and “High postpartum depression -Emotional suppression group” (10.9%). The interaction term (fear of childbirth*perceived partner response) has a significant impact on postpartum depression (ΔR² = 0.047, β = 0.226, P < 0.01), indicating a moderating effect. The effect of fear of childbirth on postpartum depression was gradually decreased in the low (Mean-SD), mean, and high (Mean + SD) groups of perceived partner response (P < 0.01).
Conclusions
Pregnant women had three characteristics of postpartum depression, and the overall rate was relatively high. The perceived partner response can effectively regulate the association of fear of childbirth and postpartum depression during pregnancy.
... It could be the case that perceived responsiveness is also important in understanding expressers' outcomes in a gratitude exchange: that is, expressers may experience more positive outcomes associated with a gratitude exchange when a receiver's reaction is perceived as more responsive. Indicators of responsiveness enacted by the receiver could include the receiver engaging in affectionate touch (Jolink, Chang, and Algoe 2022) or demonstrating nonverbal cues associated with active listening (Itzchakov, Reis, and Weinstein 2021) during or following a gratitude message. Future research should address these and other hypotheses related to expressers' perception of the receivers' reaction to a gratitude expression, which will contribute to a more complete and dyadic and dynamic understanding of gratitude exchanges. ...
Research has suggested that the quality of gratitude exchanges varies, with some exchanges resulting in positive outcomes and others resulting in null and negative outcomes for intimates. However, a current conceptual model outlining the conditional nature of interpersonal gratitude exchanges is lacking within the literature. In this paper, we introduce the Dyadic Process Model of Interpersonal Gratitude, an updated conceptual model that delineates the boundary conditions of interpersonal gratitude exchanges. Using the model, we propose that the benefits associated with interpersonal gratitude expressions depend on the context in which gratitude operates, articulating the influence of communication factors and contextual factors on interpersonal gratitude exchange outcomes. Drawing from the Dyadic Process Model of Interpersonal Gratitude, we provide implications for future research and gratitude‐based interventions.
... Friends not only buffer stress; they also are opportunity enhancers (Feeney & Collins, 2015). Friends may accomplish this by capitalizing on positive events, expressing gratitude, and/or engaging in shared laughter, all of which predict more positive health outcomes over time (Algoe et al., 2008;Demir et al., 2013;Jolink et al., 2022). In fact, some of the most important health benefits associated with having responsive, supportive friends may rest on their ability to make what is already good feel even better. ...
Close relationships are associated with many positive outcomes throughout life, including improved physical health and well‐being. Traditionally, theory and research on the health benefits of close relationships have focused on either the total amount of support perceived available within a person's entire social network or the support provided by romantic partners (Shankar et al. in Psychology and Health , 30(6), 686–698; 2015). Limited work has examined the impact of distinct relationship types, particularly friends. In this article, we address this critical gap in our current knowledge. First, we identify the features of friends and friendship networks that distinguish them from other types of adult relationships, especially romantic relationships. Second, we use the strength and strain model (Slatcher & Selcuk in Current Directions in Psychological Science , 26(1), 16–21; 2017) as a framework to consider how adult friendships might impact physical health in ways similar to but also distinct from romantic partners. Utilizing this specific model, we identify features of friendships—the size and structure of friendship networks, the norms that define friendships, and the levels of interdependence in friendships—and discuss how each feature can amplify or blunt the strengths and strains afforded by friends, including their impact on health. Finally, we provide a roadmap and identify priorities to advance research on friendships and physical health.
... As a relational-cognitive pathway, affectionate touch reinforces the receiver's intention to feel close to and trust the partner. Indeed, affectionate touch behaviors and partners' perceived responsiveness are mutually influential (Jolink et al., 2021), and affectionate touch predicts both provider's and receiver's intimacy in daily diary and experimental studies (Debrot et al., 2013;Durbin et al., 2021). ...
... Furthermore, Jakubiak and Feeney (2017) proposed that affectionate touch can enhance the receivers' feelings of security, one of the mechanisms related to promoting closeness in romantic relationships. Thus, by affectionately touching their partner, bereaved parents might activate the virtuous cycle between intimacy and touch (Jolink et al., 2021). ...
... For example, women may perceive their partner's behavior as a sign of detachment from their child and thus feel uncomfortable with this perceived unresponsive behavior (cf. Jolink et al., 2021). Alternatively, they may accept their partner's support provision through affectionate touch as given, considering that they are mostly evaluated as the "chief mourners," especially in contexts with traditional gender roles (Tanacıoglu-Aydın & Erdur-Baker, 2022). ...
Although child loss impairs well-being, its impact on behavioral exchanges between bereaved parents remains understudied. We compared bereaved and non-bereaved couples regarding affectionate touch levels, the role of affectionate touch in intimacy, and the association between partners' affectionate touch similarity and intimacy. Bereaved (228 couples, 27 individuals) and non-bereaved (258 couples, seven individuals) people participated in our seven-day diary study. Although bereaved and non-bereaved men reported equal affectionate touch, bereaved women's affectionate touch was lower than non-bereaved women's. Despite this discrepancy, multi-level analyses revealed that affectionate touch concurrently benefited both genders' intimacy in bereaved and non-bereaved couples. For bereaved women, touch also contributed to next day's intimacy. We also showed that couples reported higher intimacy if both partners had higher vs. lower affectionate touch. Our findings highlight bereaved and non-bereaved couples' similarity regarding the relational gains of affectionate touch and the promising function of affectionate touch in coping with loss.
... Perceived partner responsiveness (PPR) refers to the degree to which individuals feel or believe their partner is responsive to them (Reis et al., 2004). It is a determining aspect in the process of romantic couples' daily interaction (Jolink et al., 2021) and an essential component of maintaining satisfying romantic relationships (Li et al., 2023). During romantic conflict situations, individuals who perceive lower responsiveness from their partners tend to suppress their emotions (Murray et al., 2006) and employ passive conflict-coping styles (Alonso-Ferres et al., 2021). ...
Interpersonal conflicts are common in romantic relationships. How to respond and cope with conflicts impacts the romantic relationship process and outcomes. This study examined the heterogeneity of Chinese youth's cognitive emotion regulation (CER) strategies and conflict resolution responses, as well as their collective influence on individuals' perceived partner responsiveness (PPR) and relationship satisfaction. We recruited 300 Chinese youth who were currently involved in romantic relationships to complete self‐reported measures of CER (reappraisal and suppression), conflict resolution responses in romantic relationships (exit, voice, neglect, and loyalty), PPR, and relationship satisfaction. We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to classify the combined effects of CER and conflict resolution responses, identifying four profiles: releasing, gentle, proactive, and inhibiting. Proactive communicators have significantly higher levels of relationship satisfaction compared to the other three groups and significantly higher levels of PPR compared to individuals in releasing and inhibiting profiles. Individuals in releasing and gentle profiles have significantly higher relationship satisfaction and PPR than individuals in the inhibiting profile. This study uncovered the possible associations between Chinese young adults' emotion regulation and conflict response profiles and romantic relationship process and outcome by adopting the person‐centered approach. We further discussed the practical implications of the findings.
... However, it is less clear whether affectionate behaviors are only associated with sexual satisfaction when they occur in the context of sex, or if they are associated with sexual satisfaction more generally. Understanding whether sexual satisfaction differs by patterns of affectionate behaviors is important, as affectionate behaviors frequently occur independently from sexual behaviors (Gulledge et al., 2004;Jolink et al., 2021;van Anders et al., 2013). Therefore, affectionate behaviors might independently benefit adults' sexual satisfaction, even when performed outside of sexual situations, perhaps by promoting relationship intimacy that may strengthen emotional bonds (Gulledge et al., 2007). ...
Engaging in both sexual and affectionate behaviors with a romantic partner is often beneficial for adults’ sexual and relationship satisfaction and promotes relationship stability. However, prior research has primarily examined either adults’ sexual or affectionate behaviors, and has yet to explore patterns of sexual and affectionate behaviors and their associations with sexual and relationship satisfaction. In the current paper, we used a person-centered approach and latent profile analysis to identify specific profiles of adults’ physical behaviors in same-gender and mixed-gender relationships, and examined associations of these profiles with sexual and relationship satisfaction. Adults (N = 336, 85.4% LGBTQ+; 45% women, 30% men, 38.6% gender-diverse; Mage = 29.07 years) who were currently in a committed romantic partner relationship for at least six months completed online surveys. We found that a 3-profile solution best fit the data and identified the following profiles: Infrequent Physical Behaviors, Affection-focused Behaviors, and Comprehensive Physical Behaviors. Adults in the Infrequent Physical Behaviors profile were less sexually and relationally satisfied than adults in the other profiles. Adults in the Comprehensive Physical Behaviors profile were more sexually satisfied than the two other profiles. Further, profiles did not differ for mixed-gender compared to same-gender or gender-diverse couples. Our findings have implications for understanding the diversity in adults’ physical behavior patterns, including how clinicians might better support adults’ sexual and relationship satisfaction.
... One factor that might be important to caregivers' well-being is perceived partner responsiveness, or the extent to which individuals feel cared for, understood, and appreciated by their romantic partners [20]. Greater perceived partner responsiveness is associated with more affectionate touch [21], fewer sleep problems [22], and greater longitudinal increases in eudaimonic (associated with purpose and meaning in life) well-being [23]. Furthermore, prior studies have considered perceived partner responsiveness as an important interpersonal process that may buffer the detrimental impacts of stress on functioning and well-being; perceived partner responsiveness has been shown to attenuate the effects of depressive symptoms and stress on marital adjustment [24] and the impact of loneliness, financial strain, and stress on relationship quality [25]. ...
Caregivers for spouses with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) experience drastic changes in the marital relationship that may put them at risk for worsening well-being. Perceived partner responsiveness, or feeling cared for, understood, and appreciated by one's spouse, may help mitigate these effects. In this study, we investigated the associations between marital distress, perceived partner responsiveness, and psychological and physiological well-being indicators among ADRD spousal caregivers.
Method
A sample of 161 caregivers provided blood samples and completed self-report measures of marital distress, perceived partner responsiveness, and depressive symptoms. We tested hypotheses in our sample cross-sectionally based on two theoretical frameworks.
Results
Testing the marital discord model of depression, caregivers who reported greater marital distress also reported more depressive symptoms, and this association was stronger as participants reported lower perceived partner responsiveness. Caregivers who reported greater marital distress exhibited elevated proinflammatory cytokine production by in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated peripheral blood leukocytes at low levels of perceived partner responsiveness, but not mean or high levels. Testing the vulnerability-stress-adaptation model, caregivers who reported more depressive symptoms also reported greater marital distress. Further, caregivers who exhibited elevated LPS-stimulated proinflammatory cytokine production reported greater marital distress at mean and high levels of perceived partner responsiveness, but not low levels. These patterns of results held even when accounting for the dementia stage and reported hours of caregiving per day.
Discussion
This study's findings contribute to the body of research examining interpersonal factors that shape health and well-being among the caregiver population.
... To maximize statistical power and more precisely estimate effects (Curran & Hussong, 2009), we pooled the data from the two samples. We harmonized the data from the two samples by standardizing the primary variables (i.e., predictors and outcomes) within each sample before we pooled the data, which removed the betweensample variability while preserving the within-sample variability 1 (see Jolink et al., 2022). The pooled sample of youths consisted of 48.7% females and 49.9% Whites and ranged in age from 8 to 17 (M = 13.70 years, SD = 2.12 years). ...
Objetivo: La obesidad es uno de los problemas de salud más destacados en la sociedad moderna. Aunque investigaciones anteriores han identificado el estrés psicológico crónico como un factor de riesgo de obesidad, gran parte de esta investigación solo examinó cómo el propio estrés de un individuo afecta su adiposidad. El estudio actual utilizó un modelo de interdependencia actor-pareja (APIM, por sus siglas en inglés) para examinar las asociaciones únicas del estrés crónico de los jóvenes y los padres con su propia adiposidad y la de los demás. Método: 569 diadas de jóvenes (48.7% mujeres; 49.9% Blancos/as; Medad = 13.70 años) y uno de sus padres (82.6% mujeres; 58.2% Blancos/as; Medad = 45.38 años) participaron en un estudio de laboratorio transversal, donde ambos Jóvenes y padres completaron entrevistas y mediciones antropométricas. Entrevistadores capacitados realizaron la Entrevista sobre Estrés Vital de UCLA para evaluar el estrés psicológico crónico de los jóvenes y los padres, respectivamente. La adiposidad de los jóvenes y de los padres se midió utilizando tres indicadores, incluido el índice de masa corporal (BMI, por sus siglas en inglés), la circunferencia de la cintura y el porcentaje de grasa corporal. Resultados: El APIM mostró que cuando el estrés crónico de los jóvenes y de los padres se incluía simultáneamente en el modelo, el estrés crónico de los jóvenes se asociaba de manera única con su propia adiposidad y la de sus padres, y el estrés crónico de los padres también se asociaba de manera única con la adiposidad de los jóvenes. Conclusión: El estrés psicológico crónico de los jóvenes y los padres está asociado de manera única con la adiposidad de cada uno, más allá de su propio estrés. Por lo tanto, las experiencias psicosociales de otras personas cercanas pueden vincularse con la obesidad tanto en jóvenes como en adultos.
