The ability to engage flexibly with thoughts and behavior in line with the demands of a situation-termed psychological flexibility-has been linked to individual well-being. This registered report presents two studies that investigate the links between psychological flexibility, individual well-being, and relationship quality. Using structural equation modeling, Study 1 found that people who were more psychologically flexible reported higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect, which in turn were associated with higher relationship quality. Using dyadic mediation analysis, Study 2 replicated and extended these findings in a sample of 200 romantic couples, revealing both actor and partner effects. This research offers insight into the implications of psychological flexibility for relationship functioning.
The Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) programme was introduced to assess, manage and treat severely personality disordered individuals who present a high risk of serious offending. We describe the clinical and risk characteristics of the first 241 patients admitted to the high-security DSPD service for assessment. Eighty-four percent of patients were regarded as meeting the DSPD criteria. Clinically, the DSPD patients demonstrated high levels of psychopathy, with 78% scoring 25 or more on the Psychopathy Checklist. The most commonly diagnosed personality disorders were antisocial, borderline and paranoid. The risk assessments indicated the DSPD patients exhibited a broad range of risk factors for future offending, suggesting that these patients had extensive treatment needs. The DSPD service had been relatively successful in retaining patients, with 82% of those admitted to treatment remaining within the high-security DSPD service. The clinical mix of the patients may have implications for treatment outcome, and future challenges for the service are highlighted.