Dixie Meyer

A Cross-National Examination of Marriage and Early Life Stressors as Correlates of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

This study examined the relationship between marital status, early life stressors (ELS) and depression, anxiety, and stress in a nonclinical population of individuals aged 20 and older. Individuals with a history of ELS reported stressors such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, poverty, and/or physical illnesses in childhood. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that current symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress scores were positively associated with a history of ELS. In addition, anxiety and depression scores were negatively associated with being married when high (defined as three or more experiences) ELS was entered as the second predictor variable. This implies that for those individuals experiencing a greater number of stressing events in childhood, maintaining a stable romantic relationship may be beneficial for their mental health. However, the relationship between marital status, depression, and anxiety needs further exploration in order to either confirm or deny this suggestion. Finally, being married was positively associated with stress scores.

Depression leads to incident vascular disease: evidence for the relevance to primary care

BACKGROUND Depression is a known risk factor for vascular disease in community cohorts and in large, system-wide, health care databases. It is not known if the association between depression and incident vascular disease exists when patient data is restricted to depression presenting in primary care. METHODS Data were from a medical record registry capturing all primary care encounters at a large academic medical practice from 2008 to 2013. From 27,225 registry patients, we identified 7383 patients free of vascular disease for 18 months prior to baseline. ICD-9-CM codes were used to define depression and vascular disease. Volume of health care use, demographics and comorbid diagnoses were obtained from the patient data registry. Cox proportional hazard models with time dependent covariates were computed to measure the association between depression and incident vascular disease before and after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS Of the 7383 patients initially free of vascular disease, 14% were diagnosed with depression and 8.6% developed vascular disease. Incident vascular disease was significantly (P < 0.01) higher among patients with depression (12.7%) compared to those without depression (7.9%). In the unadjusted model, depression was associated with a 49% increased risk of developing vascular disease (odds ratio [OR] = 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-1.86) and this association remained significant after adjusting for all potential confounders (OR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.02-1.62). CONCLUSIONS The association between depression and incident vascular disease is observed in patients diagnosed and managed by primary care physicians. Primary care physicians have an opportunity to impact this association. Guidelines for primary care providers are needed to prompt aggressive depression treatment and vascular disease screening.

Nurture Is Nature: Integrating Brain Development, Systems Theory, and Attachment Theory

Addressing both biological processes (nature) and interpersonal processes (nurture) occurring within the infant/caregiver relationship, early human development is reviewed from three perspectives: neurobiology, systems theory, and attachment theory. Utilizing a case illustration to apply the reviewed theories, it is postulated that the integration of neurobiological development, systems theory, and attachment theory substantiates the proposition that nurture is nature.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Their Effects on Relationship Satisfaction

This article postulates the impact the use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) may have on relationship satisfaction. Three phases are represented in romantic love: attraction, lust, and attachment. Both the use of SSRIs and each of these stages of love affect the brains neurochemistry. However , relationship satisfaction may be impaired due to the chemical changes induced from ingestion of the SSRI medication. Neurotransmitters influenced by romantic love—dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin—may be hindered from the increase in serotonin, thus decreasing relationship satisfaction in romantic partners. Therefore, couples therapists need to be cognizant of all variables that may be influencing relationships such as medications and cultural and gender differences.

Examining the Associations Among Attachment, Affective State, and Romantic Relationship Quality

This study examined the direct and indirect associations between insecure attachment patterns (avoidant and anxious) and affective state (positive and negative) on romantic relationship quality with a sample of 572 individuals involved in a romantic relationship. Results from structural equation model analyses indicated a negative direct association between insecure attachment patterns and romantic relationship quality as well as positive affective state. Thus, insecure attachment behavioral patterns were associated with reduced romantic relationship quality and positive emotions. Positive direct associations were found between positive affective state and romantic relationship quality; thus, positive emotions were associated with greater perceived romantic relationship quality. A positive direct association was also observed between anxious attachment patterns and negative affective state; thus, negative emotions were associated with the insecure, anxious attachment behavioral patterns. Application of the findings lends to the importance of emotion-focused intervention in clinical practice.

Persistent Complications of Child Sexual Abuse: Sexually Compulsive Behaviors, Attachment, and Emotions

ABSTRACT Child sexual abuse has the potential to cause distress for the victim across the lifespan. Romantic relationships may be particularly difficult for victims of child sexual abuse. This retrospective study examined differences in adult romantic attachment, sexually compulsive behaviors, and emotion regulation by history of child sexual abuse in a large, nonclinical sample. Those with a history of child sexual abuse reported more attachment anxiety in romantic relationships and engaged in more sexually compulsive behaviors. Overall, males displayed more sexually compulsive behaviors than females regardless of history of sexual abuse. Males with a history of sexual abuse displayed the greatest number of sexually compulsive behaviors. Surprisingly, no differences were observed in emotion regulation or attachment avoidant behaviors by history of child sexual abuse. Future research should seek to replicate current findings and examine emotion regulation difficulties experienced as a result of trauma.

The Possible Trajectory of Relationship Satisfaction Across the Longevity of a Romantic Partnership Is There a Golden Age of Parenting

This cross-sectional research investigation examined how relationship satisfaction varies as individuals in romantic partnerships become parents, as subsequent children join the family, and as children age. Results indicated individuals in romantic partnerships without children report greater, overall, levels of relationship satisfaction, more affectional expression than those with two children, and greater couple cohesion compared to those with three children. Of all the individuals in romantic partnerships with children, those who have a child between the ages of 8 and 12 report the greatest amount of relationship satisfaction. Research findings may guide counselors when counseling new parents providing information concerning what relationship changes to expect when they become parents and also to provide hope that as children age the couple may face less relationship stress.

Couples in Love: Predictors of Heart Rate

Counselors may be unaware of the physiological underpinnings of couple relationships. Understanding emotions as physiological responses resulting from autonomic arousal, we measured couples’ heart rate across a series of typical conversations. Forty-nine heterosexual and one lesbian couple completed measures of emotional reactivity and dyadic adjustment. We used pulse oximetry to record individual heart rate through three 5-min conversations. Using multilevel dyadic growth models, we found emotional arousal and reactivity-predicted heart rate among women, and greater relationship length predicted heart rate among men. We additionally found couples synchronous with respect to relationship satisfaction and emotional reactivity but not to physiological responsivity. This study contributes to counselors’ understanding of women’s physiological reactivity, male responses in longer relationships, and how to support couples when there is potential for relationship conflict.