The purpose of this study was to investigate college student stress, how students cope with stress, and how the stress of renegotiating self and relationships influences one's sense of coherence (SOC). A survey research design was utilized incorporating 596 college students. Using family stress theory, this study examined how stress associated with relationships, level of coping, physical and emotional reactions to stress, and quality of life can be integrated to predict SOC in male and female college students. Findings indicate that female college students experience greater stress from quality of friendships, love relationships and relationships with parents. Whereas emotional health had the greatest effect on SOC for females, family relationships had the greatest effect on SOC for males. Qualitative responses were also examined, providing insight into students' perceptions of stressors. Conclusions and implications for educators, researchers and family therapists are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

we examined whether the consumption of pornography affects romantic relationships, with the expectation that higher levels of pornography consumption would correspond to weakened commitment in young adult romantic relationships. Study 1 (n = 367) found that higher pornography consumption was related to lower commitment, and Study 2 (n = 34) replicated this finding using observational data. Study 3 (n = 20) participants were randomly assigned to either refrain from viewing pornography or to a self-control task. those who continued using pornography reported lower levels of commitment than control participants. in Study 4 (n = 67), participants consuming higher levels of pornography flirted more with an extradyadic partner during an online chat. Study 5 (n = 240) found that pornography consumption was positively related to infidelity and this association was mediated by commitment. overall, a consistent pattern of results was found using a variety of approaches including cross-sectional (Study 1), observational (Study 2), experimental (Study 3), and behavioral (Studies 4 and 5) data.

Guided by identity theory, we explored men's perceptions of their role as fathers and how these self-perceptions are positioned in their overall sense of self as fathers in a sample of married and divorced, nonresident fathers. Data from 34 fathers who participated in focus group interviews revealed that men's definition of self as father is both complex and integrative. Seven fathering role identities emerged: provider, teacher, protector, disciplinarian, caretaker, supporter, and co-parent. Similarities were found in the fathers' self-perceptions regardless of marital status, although some variation is noted. Suggestions for future research are discussed.Sociological and historical work on fathering makes it clear that fathering is fundamentally a social construction (e.g., Pleck & Pleck, 1997), such that paternal behaviors are continuously redefined and renegotiated. Whereas the breadwinner role of fathers has represented the dominant cultural ideal, the relative importance has varied and has been complemented with other ideals (e.g., sex-role model, nurturer;Marsiglio, 1993). Evidence shows that cultural ideals influence how fathers perceive and attempt to enact their role as fathers, such that the "new nurturant father" should be active, involved, and responsive in all aspects of child care (Lamb, 2000).

Using a sample of 200 emerging adult male college students, we examined how men varied in the meanings they gave to sex and their self-reported engagement in two types of casual sex relationships (hookups and friends with benefits). Using qualitative methods, we conducted a content analysis of men's written responses to a series of questions about the meanings they ascribed to sex (i.e., intercourse), their perceived connection between sex and commitment, and how they believed these meanings were related to their sexual behavior. Three groups of men emerged: Committers, Flexibles, and Recreationers. Groups were then compared on social desirability, demographic characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, year in school, religious service attendance), and self-reported casual sexual behaviors in the past 12 months. Analyses showed that men in the Flexibles and Recreationers groups engaged in significantly more hookups and had significantly more friends with benefits partners in the past 12 months than did men in the Committers group. Implications for relationship education intervention aimed at men and research on casual sex relationships are discussed.