Findings suggest that involvement in committed relationships may be protective to college student mental health, and highlight the potential of healthy relationship programming to benefit student well-being.

Relationship education, effective in improving relationship quality among different-sex couples, represents a promising and nonstigmatizing approach to promoting the health and stability of same-sex couples. A new culturally sensitive relationship education program was developed specifically for male same-sex couples, which includes adaptations of evidence-based strategies to build core relationship skills (e.g., communication skills training) and newly developed content to address unique challenges faced by this group (e.g., discrimination; low social support). A small randomized waitlist-control trial (N = 20 couples) was conducted to evaluate the program. To assess program efficacy, dyadic longitudinal data (collected at pre- and postprogram and 3-month follow-up) were analyzed using multilevel models that accounted for nonindependence in data from indistinguishable dyads. Results indicated significant program effects in comparison to waitlist controls on couple constructive and destructive communication, perceived stress, and relationship satisfaction. Gains in each of these areas were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Although there was no evidence of within-person program effects on social support, satisfaction, or relationship instability immediately postprogram, all 3 showed within-person improvements by follow-up. Ratings of program satisfaction were high. In summary, study findings support the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of the program and highlight the potential value of culturally sensitive adaptations of relationship education for same-sex couples. (PsycINFO Database Record

Relationship education represents a promising, nonstigmatizing approach to promoting the health and stability of same-sex couples. A new culturally sensitive adaptation of relationship education was developed specifically for female same-sex couples (The Strengthening Same-Sex Relationships Program, Female version; SSSR-F). SSSR-F includes adaptations of evidence-based strategies to build core relationship skills (e.g., communication skills training) as well as new content to address unique challenges faced by this population (e.g., discrimination; low social support). A small randomized waitlist-control trial (N = 37 couples) was conducted to evaluate program feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy. Three proximal outcomes targeted by SSSR-F (communication, perceived stress, social support) and 3 distal outcomes (global relationship satisfaction, instability, and confidence) were assessed at pre- and posttreatment and 3-month follow-up. Results of multilevel models accounting for nonindependence in dyadic data indicated statistically significant program effects on positive and negative couple communication, relationship satisfaction, and relationship confidence and small, nonsignificant program effects on stress, social support, and relationship instability. Analyses of follow-up data suggest maintenance of effects on the proximal but not the distal outcomes. Ratings of program satisfaction were high. Overall, findings support the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of SSSR-F, highlighting the potential value of culturally sensitive relationship education for same-sex couples. Continued efforts are needed to increase sustainability of program effects on global relationship quality over time. (PsycINFO Database Record

Using a sample of 348 single, primarily heterosexual university students with a recent (i.e., past 10-week) hook-up experience, we examined motivations for hooking up at both a global-and event level (i.e., motivations for hook ups in general and for the participants' most recent hook up). We also tested for differences in motivations for hooking up by gender and type of partner (i.e., stranger, acquaintance, friend, exromantic partner). Contrary to popular notions of hook ups as one-time sexual encounters void of attachment or emotional investment, results showed that participants were commonly motivated to hook up by the prospect of a romantic relationship. Further, the majority of motivations differed by gender; notably, women were more often motivated by the prospect of a relationship, whereas men were more often motivated by sexual experiences without obligation. Those motivated by the possibility of a romantic relationship were most likely to hook up with friends (vs. strangers, acquaintances, or ex-romantic partners), whereas hooking up due to alcohol or drug use was most likely to occur with an acquaintance compared with other partner types. Patterns of findings suggest that heterosexual men's and women's motivations to engage in hook ups differ considerably and that traditional gender role expectations and sexual double standards continue to be at play, which may place women at risk for poor emotional and relational outcomes following hook ups with men.

No abstract