Aleksandra Huić

Relationship commitment of Portuguese lesbian and gay individuals: Examining the role of cohabitation and perceived social support

Lesbian and gay (LG) individuals strive to form stable relationships, and most of them are successful in doing so. Because successful relationships have benefits for psychological well-being, it is important to investigate factors that help people in same-sex relationships to achieve stable and committed relationships. The Investment Model (IM) proposes commitment to be predicted by satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and relationship investments. We extend this model by proposing two additional variables—cohabitation and social support. Cohabitation is a particularly important relationship marker for LG individuals, and its role on same-sex relationship commitment may be linked to the perception of greater support from close family and friends. In a cross-sectional study conducted in Portugal (N = 534, 62.4% gay men and 37.6% lesbian women; Mage = 29.64 years, SD = 8.30), we tested a multigroup structural equation model linking cohabitation to perceived social support from close network members (family and friends) and to relationship commitment, via the IM variables. The results showed that cohabitation was positively associated with perceived social support from both parents and friends. Friend support and its association with satisfaction mediated the association between cohabitation and commitment for both gay men and lesbian women. However, there were differences between LG individuals. Support from parents was positively associated with satisfaction and negatively associated with perceived quality of alternative situations to the relationship, but only for gay men. Support from friends was positively associated with satisfaction for both lesbian women and gay men while also positively associated with relationship investments for gay men. These results are a relevant addition to the literature by showing the importance of cohabitation and social support from parents and friends for same-sex relationship outcomes, possibly acting as buffers against different sorts of negative experiences.

Essentialist Beliefs About Homosexuality Predict Positive and Negative Behavioral Intentions Toward Lesbian Women and Gay Men

ABSTRACT This study focuses on essentialist beliefs about homosexuality as determinants of discriminatory intentions against gay men and lesbian women (LG) and the readiness to engage in positive action toward them. A sample of 997 exclusively heterosexual adults participated in an online study set in Croatia, a country with high homophobia undergoing social change that threatens the higher status of the heterosexual majority. Beliefs about immutability and universality of homosexuality were associated with less intention to discriminate and more readiness to engage in positive behavior, while discreteness beliefs were inversely related to both. Furthermore, attitudes toward LGs seem to be the mechanism behind the observed links. Results suggest essentialist beliefs might be fuel for attitudes, which are in turn associated with behavioral intentions. Importantly, essentialist beliefs had both indirect (with attitudes as mediators) and direct effects on behavioral intentions speaking in favor of their robust role in explaining LG-related phenomena.

Problem Gambling among Adolescent Girls in Croatia—The Role of Different Psychosocial Predictors

Although, compared to boys, adolescent girls gamble less often and less problematically, prevalence studies still show significant numbers of at risk/problem gamblers among girls. However, girl gambling has been on the sidelines of adolescent gambling research. The available studies usually focus only on a narrow set of correlates often ignoring that adolescent gambling is a complex phenomenon determined by various factors. Also, they often measure gambling related consequences with instruments that are not specifically developed for use on adolescents. In order to contribute to a better understanding of adolescent gambling this study focuses on problem gambling among girls. We consider different social, cognitive, motivational and behavioral factors as predictors of girl problem gambling. A total of 1,372 high-school girls from 7 Croatian cities participated in the study. They provided data on their gambling activities, peer gambling, cognitive distortions related to gambling, motivation for gambling, and levels of general risky behavior. As the only instrument developed specifically for use on adolescents, the Canadian Adolescent Gambling Inventory was used to examine adverse gambling consequences. Results show 7.4% of girls can be considered regular gamblers, and out of those who gambled at least once in their lifetime (n = 862), 11.2% already experience mild adverse consequences because of their gambling (at risk gamblers), with 3.2% experiencing serious consequences (problem gamblers). In general, girls seem to prefer lotto and scratch cards, but sports betting seems to be the preferred game of choice among regular girl gamblers. A hierarchical regression model confirmed the importance of much the same factors identified as risky for the development of problem gambling among adolescent boys—cognitive distortions, motives to earn money, to be better at gambling and to relax, the experiences of winning large and the drive to continue gambling, together with social factors such as having friends who also gamble, being involved in other risky and delinquent behavior and higher gambling frequency. Results call into question the importance of the motive to feel better for adolescent girls problem gambling. We discuss implications of our findings for both universal and indicated youth gambling prevention programs.

Friendship Maintenance Strategies and Satisfaction in Same-Sex Friendships – Actor-Partner Effects

Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati ulogu strategija održavanja odnosa pri zadovoljstvu istospolnim prijateljstvima, ukljucujuci pitanje koliko zadovoljstvu prijateljstvom pridonosi ponasanje pojedinca, a koliko ponasanje prijatelja. Dodatno se željelo provjeriti hoce li dinamika pojedinih strategija održavanja odnosa na zadovoljstvo prijateljstvom biti ista kod musko-muskih i kod žensko-ženskih prijateljskih dijada. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 196 parova žensko-ženskih i musko-muskih prijatelja od 19 do 30 godina. Ispitane su strategije održavanja prijateljstva i zadovoljstvo prijateljskim odnosom. Rezultati pokazuju kako je osobna upotreba strategija iskazivanja bliskosti te zajednicke aktivnosti i interakcija povezana s vecim zadovoljstvom prijateljstvom, dok su negativna, antagonisticka ponasanja povezana s manjim zadovoljstvom i u muskim i u ženskim prijateljstvima. Efekti ponasanja prijatelja nisu se pokazali znacajnima u musko-muskim prijateljstvima, dok žene, cije prijateljice rabe vise strategije iskazivanja bliskosti istodobno izvjestavaju o vecem zadovoljstvu prijateljstvom s tom prijateljicom. Nalazi su raspravljeni u kontekstu rodnih i kulturalnih razlika u strategijama održavanja bliskih odnosa.