An exploratory investigation of marital functioning and order of spousal onset in couples concordant for psychopathology

Eriksonian intimacy development, relationship satisfaction, and depression in gay male couples

Research suggests connections or links between the mental health of both partners in a romantic relationship, as partners often report similar mental health problems, with implications for relationship functioning. The current study utilized the framework of interdependence theory to explore associations among intimacy development, as conceptualized by Erikson, relationship satisfaction, and depression in a sample of 128 same-sex male couples. In each couple, one partner was recruited first through active or passive outreach conducted online and in-person, and after completion of the online survey, was then invited to send his partner a link to the study. The 256 male respondents (mean age = 32.6 years) all reported a U.S. residence and had an average relationship length of five years. Utilizing the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, analyses indicated that participants' intimacy development directly predicted their own relationship satisfaction (B = 1.84, p< .01) as well as their partner's relationship satisfaction (B = 1.61, p<.01). Similarly, both the actor (B = -0.04, p< .01) and partner (B = -0.04, p< .05) effects of relationship satisfaction on depression were significant. Consistent with the interdependent concept of joint control, three indirect pathways linked Eriksonian intimacy to depression through relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that individual development may become linked to mental health through pathways involving dyadic functioning. This pattern implies highly inter-connected links between the intra-personal and inter-personal, which have implications for mental health intervention with gay men in relationships.

A Content Analysis of Quantitative Research in Journal of Marital and Family Therapy: A 10-Year Review

We examined the trends of quantitative research over the past 10 years in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (JMFT). Specifically, within the JMFT, we investigated the types and trends of research design and statistical analysis within the quantitative research that was published in JMFT from 2005 to 2014. We found that while the amount of peer-reviewed articles have increased over time, the percentage of quantitative research has remained constant. We discussed the types and trends of statistical analysis and the implications for clinical work and training programs in the field of marriage and family therapy.