Friday 24 July 14:05
- 15:35
Hall: 21 - Room 18
Chair and Presenter:
Adamczyk Katarzyna
Division: Division 3: Psychology and Societal Development
Intimate relationships are one of the strongest predictors of mental health and well-being. Therefore, intimate relationships represent an essential domain of creating positive changes for individuals and society. Notably, the significant changes in the sociohistorical context of modern, intimate relationships, such as the increasing rates of single adults and cohabitation, or the occurrence of external adverse factors, such as the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, confront us with the pressing need to seek interventions that will enhance well-being and reduce ill-being of single and coupled individuals. This symposium addresses that need by inviting speakers who will share unique insights.
In the first paper, Chiarolanza and colleagues will report the results of their study assessing stress associated with the outbreak of COVID-19 among 108 heterosexual couples. Based on their findings, which show that the COVID-19 pandemic was a global stressor for the quality of romantic relationships, the authors will discuss the targeted interventions finalized to reduce relational stress.
In the second paper, da Silva and colleagues will present their longitudinal, cross-cultural study findings on a sample of 351 coupled adults from Brazil and the UK. Based on their results, the authors will highlight the need for culturally informed, attachment-based interventions to improve relationship satisfaction and, by extension, mental health.
In the third paper, Rodrigues will present the results of his study performed in U.S. and Portugal samples and elaborate on targeted interventions aimed at enhancing sexual and relational well-being among single individuals across different cultural contexts.In the fourth paper, Van Gasse and Mortelmans will present the results of their qualitative interview-based study with 40 single individuals and discuss how their findings showing the role of the narratives of self and love,the experience of personal growth, relational confusion, lingering regret, or validation of their single status may constitute of areas of practical interventions.
Inthefifthpaper,Adamczykandcolleagueswillpresenttheintra-andinterpersonalfactorsrelatedtosingles'mentalhealthandwell-beinganddiscussthepotential practicalimplicationsforpsychotherapeuticandeducationalworkwithsingleclientswhomayexperienceadversementalhealth outcomes.
