Christina B. Gee

Open communication and partner support in intercultural and interfaith romantic relationships: A relational maintenance approach

Open communication regarding cultural and religious differences and similarities, partner support for culture and religion, and relationship distress were examined at baseline and one-year follow-up in 353 late adolescent and young adult college-students involved in romantic relationships. For intercultural relationships, at baseline, higher levels of open communication about culture were associated with lower levels of relationship distress. Longitudinally, open communication about culture was positively associated with satisfaction, but not with commitment or break-up. For interfaith unions, at baseline, higher levels of open communication about religion were associated with lower levels of relationship distress. Although involvement in an intercultural union predicted break-up at follow-up, involvement in an interfaith union did not predict break-up.

Intimate Partner Violence Among Adolescent and Young Adult Mothers

The associations between intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health among adolescent and young adult mothers were compared. The sample was drawn from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and participants were 672 mothers between the ages of 14 and 21. IPV was significantly positively associated with both depression and anxiety among young adult mothers. However, these associations were not found among adolescent mothers. In addition, IPV and marital status were significantly related among young adult mothers, but not adolescent mothers. Results suggest that IPV may have different consequences during different parts of the life course, or that mental health symptoms may be reported only later in life.

Couples coping in response to kidney disease: a developmental perspective.

In this article we suggest that the treatment of patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) should be informed by three developmental perspectives. In addition to the changes in the progression of the illness and its treatment demands over time, clinicians should consider psychosocial changes and challenges related to the developmental life stage of the patient (e.g., retirement) and the evolution of the patients romantic relationship along a variety of dimensions that may affect his or her ability to cope with the disease (e.g., emotional support, conflict, sexual functioning). We briefly review the existing literature in each area and argue that integrating all three perspectives will facilitate the long‐term treatment success and patients adjustment to the illness. Finally, we discuss the implications for the development of prevention and treatment interventions with patients and their spouses or partners and the importance of considering ethnic and cultural variations in treatment.

PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE: Couples Coping in Response to Kidney Disease: A Developmental Perspective

In this article we suggest that the treatment of patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) should be informed by three developmental perspectives. In addition to the changes in the progression of the illness and its treatment demands over time, clinicians should consider psychosocial changes and challenges related to the developmental life stage of the patient (e.g., retirement) and the evolution of the patients romantic relationship along a variety of dimensions that may affect his or her ability to cope with the disease (e.g., emotional support, conflict, sexual functioning). We briefly review the existing literature in each area and argue that integrating all three perspectives will facilitate the long‐term treatment success and patients adjustment to the illness. Finally, we discuss the implications for the development of prevention and treatment interventions with patients and their spouses or partners and the importance of considering ethnic and cultural variations in treatment.

Support and Strain in Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents' Sibling Relationships.

Social support and social strain in adolescent mothers’ sibling relationships were investigated. Participants were 536 (93% African American), primarily low-income, adolescents attending an alternative school for pregnant and parenting teens. More than half of the participants nominated at least one sibling as a source of support. Older sisters were nominated twice as often as any other sibling group. In addition, older sisters provided both the greatest variety and amount of support in comparison to the other sibling groups. Support from older sisters was not associated with adolescent mothers’ psychological adjustment. However, strain in relationships with older brothers and older sisters was associated with increased psychological distress.

Coparenting Mediates the Association between Relationship Quality and Father Involvement.

The study of adolescent childbearing is a major public policy concern, and father involvement is a particular focus. Previous research with married couples has found that coparenting may be a better predictor of father involvement than relationship quality. The current study examined 94 primiparous African American and Latino parents to determine whether coparenting expectations during pregnancy better predict concurrent father involvement secondary to a mediation effect. Results were mixed; simple mediation was supported, but structural equation modeling (SEM) results suggested a better fitting model for mothers than for fathers. For mothers, relationship quality predicted coparenting. For fathers, relationship quality and coparenting predicted father involvement, but relationship quality did not predict coparenting. This examination suggests that both relationship quality and coparenting are important for father involvement in unmarried adolescents but to differing degrees for mothers and fathers. Pregnancy may be an important potential intervention point for increasing subsequent father involvement.

PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE: Couples Coping in Response to Kidney Disease: A Developmental Perspective: COUPLES COPING IN RESPONSE TO KIDNEY DISEASE

In this article we suggest that the treatment of patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) should be informed by three developmental perspectives. In addition to the changes in the progression of the illness and its treatment demands over time, clinicians should consider psychosocial changes and challenges related to the developmental life stage of the patient (e.g., retirement) and the evolution of the patients romantic relationship along a variety of dimensions that may affect his or her ability to cope with the disease (e.g., emotional support, conflict, sexual functioning). We briefly review the existing literature in each area and argue that integrating all three perspectives will facilitate the long‐term treatment success and patients adjustment to the illness. Finally, we discuss the implications for the development of prevention and treatment interventions with patients and their spouses or partners and the importance of considering ethnic and cultural variations in treatment.