Bushfires are anticipated to become more severe in Australia due to climate change. However, Australians have a long history with bushfires, making them part of the Australian identity. We theorise that Australian identity would therefore lead people to be less likely to subjectively attribute bushfires to climate change and, in turn, be less supportive of climate policy. This pre-registered, cross-sectional study examined these relationships using a representative Australian sample (N = 5,038). In support of our hypotheses, subjective attribution partly explained the relationship between Australian identity and climate policy support. Specifically, those higher in Australian identity were less likely to attribute bushfires to climate change, which reduced their climate policy support. These findings expand our understanding of how differences in the content of a country's national identity can impact climate outcomes and suggest that public campaigns should consider how appeals to national identity may influence climate policy support.

Adolescent experiences in close relationships play a seminal role in social-emotional development across the lifespan. Here, we examine the unique and combined effects of parent-child and peer relationship quality in adolescence (age 11-13 years) in shaping intimate partner relationship quality in young adulthood (age 19-28 years). Prospective data were from the Australian Temperament Project (n = 1117) and the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (n = 1512). Higher parent-child and peer relationship quality were associated with higher intimate partner relationship quality (βrange = 0.07-0.12), an effect that was strongest when both parent-child and peer relationships were of high quality (βrange = 0.13-0.19). No sex differences emerged. Results were consistent across both the ATP and TRAILS cohorts. Promoting healthy parent-child and peer relationships in early adolescence may help strengthen intimate partner relationships in young adulthood.

AIM:This study recruited a panel of experts to reach a consensus regarding the most significant interpersonal relationship issues experienced during infertility and/or fertility treatment. METHODS:Researchers, health professionals, and people with lived infertility/fertility treatment experience participated in three online surveys. The first survey asked participants to write the most significant relationship issues that they think people can experience during infertility and/or fertility treatment (N = 90, 99% female from Australia and New Zealand, the U.S.A. the UK, Italy, Japan, & Portugal; 19 identified as a researcher, 19 as a health professional, 58 with lived experience). Across two subsequent surveys, the panel rated the set of 82 identified relationship issues in terms of significance. RESULTS:Eleven relationship issues were identified as the final set of the most significant relationship issues. The issues related to social connections generally (i.e. seeing and interacting with people who appear to conceive easily, a lack of understanding from others, and emotional experiences, mental health issues, and infertility stress negatively affecting relationships), romantic relationships (i.e. sexual satisfaction and intimacy issues, sexual functioning issues and emotional experiences and infertility stress negatively affecting the relationship), friendships (i.e. dealing with and responding to a friend's pregnancy or parenting journey). A relationship issue (negative thoughts and feelings) with the self was identified. CONCLUSION:A range of relationship issues, spanning the entire social network, are experienced during infertility and/or fertility treatments. Researchers and professionals should focus on better understanding and addressing the most significant relationship issues identified to enhance health.

Child-to-parent violence (CPV) is a prevalent community issue which is poorly understood. Early CPV behaviours are likely to be associated with broader familial and household instability and dysfunction, however, these relationships have not been explored. Thus, the current study aimed to explore the associations between early life instability, home chaos and conflict, mental health, and CPV in childhood. A sample of 431 parents (reporting on children aged 5–12 years) completed an online survey measuring a range of parent, child, and household factors. A network analysis was conducted. Caregiving helplessness was most central to the network (i.e., it shared the most unique associations with other variables in the analysis). Only child cognitive functioning and caregiving helplessness shared direct partial correlations with CPV. Cross-sectional partial correlations indicated several indirect relationships with CPV via caregiving helplessness, including home chaos and parent mood disorder diagnosis. Parent ADHD was related to more home chaos and poorer child cognitive functioning, as well as early life unpredictability. Early life unpredictability was strongly related to parent experience of IPV, which shared a cross-sectional indirect association with CPV via caregiving helplessness. These findings highlight the complex familial and household context surrounding CPV, pointing to a range of indirect and interactional effects which could be probed in future research. In particular, research and intervention could focus on caregiving helplessness in the context of high home chaos.

Statelike felt security can change during romantic relationship conflict when the attachment relationship is threatened. According to theorizing, this change should be associated with the romantic partners' emotion regulation. The current research leverages two observational studies involving romantic couples (conducted in 2017 and 2018-2019) to test this underexplored aspect of attachment theory. We hypothesized that higher observer-rated actor and partner balanced emotion regulation during conflict would be associated with increases in pre- to postconflict felt security, whereas higher observer-rated actor and partner hyper-emotion and/or hypo-emotion regulation would be associated with decreases in pre- to postconflict felt security. We also examined whether these hypothesized effects would "spill over" to impact levels of felt security after a positive discussion that followed the conflict discussion. Our findings reveal an association between higher observer-rated actor and partner hyper-emotion regulation and lower postconflict felt security while controlling for preconflict felt security levels. Only the actor effect was replicated across both studies, however. No evidence for spillover effects was found. The effects for observed hypo- and balanced emotion regulation were mixed across the two studies. Future research should aim to identify the mechanisms underlying the association between hyper-emotion regulation and felt security change and determine the ways in which hypo-emotion and balanced emotion regulation might be more reliably associated with felt security change. Therapists might benefit by focusing on the use of hyper-emotion regulation during conflict while encouraging positive partner discussions. We propose that a positive discussion may be a means to recover and disrupt a continued cycle of low felt security. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

The current study explored whether “pain catastrophizing” in a sample of women experiencing menstrual pain can change over time as a function of perceived social support. All participants were cisgender women aged between 18 and 50 years of age, residing in Australia, and who had experienced menstruation within the past year. Participants completed two online surveys approximately 1-year apart, and participants were included if they indicated some degree of menstrual pain at baseline (Time 1, T1) (N = 2006 at T1 and N = 487 at T2). A significant negative association was found between perceived social support (T1) and pain catastrophizing (T2), when reports of pain catastrophizing at T1 were controlled for. This remained significant when the model was adjusted for the potential confounders: age, menstrual pain level, and endometriosis diagnosis (all assessed at T1). These findings demonstrate how “pain catastrophizing” in women with menstrual pain is, at least in part, a function of the broader social environment. This suggests that “pain catastrophizing” might be a well-intentioned and understandable pain-related support seeking strategy that manifests in response to a lack of adequate social support. It might be beneficial for psychological interventions to consider people’s social network to ensure that they are able to get the support that they need.

Enhancing social connection is a public health priority, but not all relationships are good for health. Partner maltreatment is associated with poorer mental health, risky health behavior, biological risk factors, and poorer physical health. Key underlying mechanisms may include threat hyperattunement and attentional biases, emotion (dys)regulation, self-esteem, and social positivity. Future research is encouraged to address methodological limitations by using research designs and analytical methods that strengthen causal inferences, alongside comprehensive and consistent measures of partner maltreatment that are distinct to traditional conceptualizations of low-relationship quality. An integrated relational, socio-cultural, and developmental framework would assist researchers in (a) identifying critical risk factors and (b) determining how partner maltreatment and the links with health unfold across the lifespan.

Initial research suggested that intimate partner violence (IPV) increased over COVID‐19 due to social restrictions. This IPV increase during COVID‐19 has been termed the ‘twin pandemics’. Closer inspection of the evidence, however, challenges this notion. In this study, Australian residents ( N = 608) who were either exposed to strict, prolonged lockdown orders (Victorian residents) or not (non‐Victorian residents) completed 10 waves of IPV perpetration assessment online over five months and baseline assessments of instigating factors (situational factors that increase IPV perpetration), impelling factors (personal characteristics that increase IPV perpetration) and inhibiting factors (personal and situational factors that diminish IPV perpetration). Latent profile analysis and conditional latent growth curve modelling revealed that lockdown alone did not predict IPV trajectories. However, individuals whose profiles evidenced higher instigating and impelling factors and lower inhibiting factors (i.e. perfect storm profile) demonstrated elevated physical and psychological IPV over time compared to those whose profiles evidenced lower instigating and impelling factors and higher inhibiting factors (i.e. low‐risk profile). Those with a perfect storm profile also evidenced steeper acceleration in physical and psychological IPV over time. The findings call into question the ‘twin pandemics’ notion and suggest that IPV over COVID‐19 is best predicted by a specific risk profile.

OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to examine the causal effect of: (a) women's exposure to intimate partner relationship strain during early young adulthood (ages 19-20) on self-rated general health at ages 23-28 and during pregnancy (32 weeks' gestation) and (b) women's exposure to relationship strain during early young adulthood and pregnancy on caregiver-reported 12-month-old offspring general health. To strengthen our causal inferences using observational data, we applied a target trial emulation framework. METHOD:This study makes use of maternal and caregiver-reported self-report data spanning young adulthood (three waves) and the early perinatal period (two waves) obtained from a population-based subsample of mothers (N = 300) and their offspring (N = 521), participating in the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3. We estimated the effect (standardized mean difference [β]) using a G-computation procedure. RESULTS:We observed no evidence for an association between maternal relationship strain in early young adulthood and maternal and offspring health (β = -.14 to .00). However, exposure to elevated relationship strain in pregnancy reduced offspring's general health (β = -.29). Associations were strongest for patterns of persistent or time-limited elevated strain during pregnancy (β = -.34 and -.43, respectively), albeit with weaker evidence. CONCLUSION:Evidence for a causal effect of maternal exposure to relationship strain on lower offspring health was found. The results suggest that pregnancy may be a sensitive period for this intergenerational transmission. While the target trial emulation framework does not eliminate all possible biases, it strengthens causal inference and provides precedence for future research to further investigate these intergenerational transmission processes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Despite evidence suggesting that partner maltreatment-a concept which represents a wide array of negative, destructive, and abusive behaviors in romantic relationships-is likely to fluctuate over time, the longitudinal trajectory of partner maltreatment is unclear. This study aims to identify the average trajectory of partner maltreatment over a 5-month period before applying an attachment-informed diathesis-stress framework to explain points of escalation or de-escalation in partner maltreatment perpetration. Two hundred and eight individuals completed 5 monthly assessments of partner maltreatment as well as an assessment of adult attachment and perceived stress at baseline. A nonlinear (i.e., quadratic function) trajectory provided optimal fit for partner maltreatment perpetration over time. An interaction between attachment avoidance and perceived stress predicted the trajectory of partner maltreatment perpetration. Specifically, higher attachment avoidance and higher perceived stress predicted a small initial decline followed by a steep increase in partner maltreatment perpetration. No significant associations were found for the interaction between attachment anxiety and stress and partner maltreatment. The findings suggest that perpetration of partner maltreatment fluctuates over time, and that an attachment-informed diathesis-stress framework can be applied to explain levels of partner maltreatment perpetration and points of escalation and de-escalation over time.

In this paper, we investigate the association between evaluating a romantic partner as deviating from relationship ideals (i.e., ideal-partner discrepancy) and a widely studied form of self-regulatory behavior in romantic relationships—accommodation (i.e., inhibiting one’s own destructive relationship behaviors and enacting constructive behaviors). We also consider the moderating role of relationship commitment. Two studies tested these associations using self-reports (Study 1, N = 450 individuals) and by observing accommodation behaviors in couples (Study 2, N = 116 dyads). Across both studies, a negative-ideal partner discrepancy (i.e., a partner is deemed as falling below ideals) was associated with more accommodation when relationship commitment was high than for when it was low. The findings provide novel insights into understanding accommodation behavior in romantic relationships.

Objective: The current study provides a proof of concept for an aspect of the trauma and attachment model outlined in Marshall and Frazier (2019). which argues that attachment insecurity is associated with PTSD symptoms via hyperactivating/deactivating coping strategies, especially in the context of high trauma severity. Method: 302 participants who had experienced a traumatic event(s) completed a survey. Results: The results showed significant indirect effects between attachment insecurity and PTSD symptoms via hyperactivating/deactivating coping strategies, especially in the context of high trauma severity. In low trauma severity. hyperactivating strategies were not as strongly associated with PTSD symptoms and deactivating strategies not associated with PTSD symptoms. Hyperactivating and deactivating strategies were the mediators for attachment anxiety models and deactivating strategies was the mediator for attachment avoidance models. Conclusions: This proof of concept for Marshall and Frazier (2019) provides a platform for future research to better understand PTSD symptoms from an attachment framework. Interventions are likely to benefit by assisting people high on attachment avoidance and anxiety to modify their deactivating tendencies following a trauma of high severity and also assisting people high on attachment anxiety to modify their hyperactivating tendencies posttrauma, especially following a high trauma severity.

Abstract The transition to parenthood represents one of the greatest potential stressors that the romantic couple relationship will experience. This chapter examines the role of individual vulnerability factors, environmental stressors, individual psychological responses, and couple relationship functioning in negatively impacting the maintenance and quality of the couple bond within the context of parenthood. We propose and then structure a summary of the current research evidence around a conceptual model of relationship maintenance that integrates an evolutionary psychology perspective—namely, attachment theory—to complement other relationship science and developmental perspectives. We show that individual differences in adult attachment are associated with relationship functioning (i.e., levels of support and conflict between partners), which, in turn, predict relationship outcomes related to the maintenance of romantic relationships (i.e., couple relationship quality and dissolution), and that the environmental stressors in and around parenthood can exacerbate these associations. Specifically, we highlight research showing that attachment insecurity (i.e., higher levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance) is associated with poorer relationship functioning and outcomes.

Although negative anticipatory emotions are typically seen as risk factors for poorer psychological outcomes over COVID-19, emotion theorists suggest that this risk may be attenuated if balanced by the experience of positive emotion. Thus, the current study examined whether interactions between positive and negative anticipatory emotions were concurrently associated with psychological distress and greater personal wellbeing/posttraumatic growth (PTG) at three distinct periods (i.e., pre-lockdown, during lockdown, post-lockdown), and whether associations varied by these three COVID-19 time periods. The study utilizes two large longitudinal Australian samples, surveyed in 2020 prior to, during, and after a strict 4-month lockdown that occurred in Australia. Overall, positive emotions attenuated the adverse psychological outcomes arising from higher levels of negative emotion (i.e., higher psychological distress and lower personal wellbeing). Observed effects varied according to COVID-19 threat exposure. Specifically, the interaction was significantly associated with psychological distress prior to the lockdown for Sample 2, and during the lockdown for both samples. The interaction was significantly associated with wellbeing (Sample 2) prior to, and during, the lockdown but only marginally associated post-lockdown. The interaction, however, was not significantly associated with PTG (Sample 1). The results suggest that it is valuable for future research to consider greater emotional complexity (i.e., mixed emotions) over COVID-19, and other stressors more generally, to encompass a more nuanced understanding of resilience.

Objectives The study aimed to determine whether perceived goal sharing (i.e., perceiving a partner as having the same health-related goal) and/or perceived goal congruence (i.e., being able to spend time together in health-related goal activities) with a romantic partner are associated with health-related goal commitment and importance. Design and main outcome measures 80 participants with a health-related goal in a larger study on newly dating relationships completed two self-report questionnaires 3 months apart using validated assessments of goal commitment and importance. Results Perceived goal congruence was associated with concurrent goal commitment and importance and higher goal commitment over time. However, perceived goal sharing was not associated with the health-related goal dimensions (even when interacting with goal congruence) with the exception of increased goal importance over time for those scoring lower than the average on relationship satisfaction. Conclusion One way to enhance health-related goal importance and commitment is to ensure goal congruence exists within romantic relationships, and partners can spend time together engaging in goal-related activities with their partner. Moreover, the results suggest that romantic partners exert an influence even among the newly dating, who are often presumed to be less impactful on health outcomes and processes.

Due to the unavailability of assessment tools focused on support recipients, the aged-care literature has not been able to document the support seeking that occurs within familial support contexts. Therefore, we developed and validated a Support-Seeking Strategy Scale in a large sample of aging parents receiving care from their adult children. A pool of items was developed by an expert panel and administered to 389 older adults (over 60 years of age), all of whom were receiving support from an adult child. Participants were recruited on Amazon mTurk and Prolific. The online survey included self-report measures assessing parents' perceptions of support received from their adult children. The Support-Seeking Strategies Scale was best represented by 12 items across three factors-one factor representing the directness with which support is sought (direct) and two factors regarding the intensity with which support is sought (hyperactivated and deactivated). Direct support seeking was associated with more positive perceptions of received support from an adult child, whereas hyperactivated and deactivated support seeking were associated with more negative perceptions of received support. Older parents use three distinct support-seeking strategies: direct, hyperactivated, and deactivated with their adult child. The results suggest that direct seeking of support is a more adaptive strategy, whereas persistent and intense seeking of support (i.e., hyperactivated support seeking) or suppressing the need for support (i.e., deactivated support seeking) are more maladaptive strategies. Future research using this scale will help us better understand support seeking within the familial aged-care context and beyond. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine whether relationship self-regulation (changing aspects of the self for the sake of the relationship) or partner regulation (changing the partner for the sake of the self/relationship) was more strongly associated with romantic relationship quality. Twenty studies (5 on relationship self-regulation, 15 on partner regulation; N = 15,563) were included. A moderate positive association was found between relationship self-regulation and relationship quality (r = .42). A weak positive association was found between positive partner regulation and relationship quality (r = .14). A negative association was found between negative partner regulation strategies and relationship quality (r = -.22). Partner regulation strategies were unlikely to be successful in prompting change in targeted partners. A weak positive association was found between positive strategies and regulation success (r = .10), and a weak negative association was found between negative strategies and regulation success (r = -.09). Thus, relationship self-regulation is more strongly associated with relationship quality than partner regulation.

Disconnection from one’s social network has detrimental links to physical health outcomes, and there has been increased interest in treating social disconnection as a public health issue. Two perspectives guide much of the research on social networks, social disconnection, and physical health. One perspective emphasizes the quality of social ties over the quantity of social ties, whereas the other emphasizes quantity over quality. In this article, we discuss the importance of combining these perspectives to promote forming networks consisting of a few close relationships in addition to some peripheral ties to effectively combat social disconnection and maintain and promote better health. We also highlight important avenues for future research, including identifying critical moderators (e.g., age, culture) and using social network interventions to address issues of causality.

Familial caregiving research is yet to examine the factors that underpin the association between attachment insecurity and carer burden. Furthermore, previous research consists largely of data collected at a single point in time. This paper addresses these gaps by reporting on a study involving 57 parent–child dyads to determine whether adult children’s caregiving self-efficacy mediates the association between carer attachment insecurity and carer burden. Furthermore, care-recipient care-seeking style was investigated as a moderator of the association between carer’s attachment insecurity and their self-efficacy. Carers completed self-report measures of attachment orientations at baseline, caregiving self-efficacy at 3 months, and carer burden at 6 months. At 3 months, dyads also engaged in a video-recorded caregiving discussion task assessing care-recipient’s observed care-seeking style. The mediation effects of carer attachment orientations on burden through caregiving self-efficacy were contingent on care-recipient indirect-constructive care-seeking. Findings highlight the complex interplay between carer attachment orientations, caregiving self-efficacy, and care-recipient care-seeking style in predicting the burden experienced by adult children.