College Women’s Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence: Exploring Mental Health Issues

College women’s experiences with sexual and physical violence are so common that campus interventions are needed. To help guide these, we surveyed 339 college women and asked: (a) are college women’s experiences with different types of relational violence interrelated and (b) are there patterns of association between types of violence and mental health symptoms? Analyses showed that experiences with verbal aggression, and minor and major physical violence overlapped. Experiences of sexual assault and minor physical violence also co-occurred. Moreover, women who encountered verbal and physical, but not sexual violence, suffered from symptoms of hostility, anxiety, and depression; those who encountered sexual coercion displayed signs of depression. We explore the implications of these findings for those who work with college women

Daytime Impairment due to College Student Technology Use during Sleep: A First Step toward Exploring Similarities to Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Similar to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), technology use after sleep onset causes fragmented sleep, as well as daytime impairment to functioning. Young adults are at increased risk for sleep disruption due to technological interruptions during sleep. The purpose of this study was to explore sleep disruption caused by technology use after sleep onset, using three quantitative measures that are regularly used to assess sleep disruption in OSA. Our aim was to determine the most robust measure of daytime impairment among college-aged technology users. In a sample of 60 college students, findings revealed that students who attended to technology after sleep onset reported increased sleep disruption and daytime impairment as compared to non-technology users. Technology use after sleep onset also predicted general ratings of fatigue upon waking and increased scores on Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), but not on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. General ratings of fatigue and the ESS may be the most valid measures of functional impairment in college students

Associations between family food behaviors, maternal depression, and child weight among low-income children

Although low-income children are at greater risk for overweight and obesity than their higher income counterparts, the majority of poor children are not overweight. The current study examined why such variation exists among diverse young children in poor families. Cross-sectional data were collected on 164 low-income, preschool aged children and their mothers living in two Rhode Island cities. Over half of the sample was Hispanic (55%). Mothers completed measures of family food behaviors and depression while trained assistants collected anthropometric data from children at seven day care centers and a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program outreach project. Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that higher maternal depression scores were associated with lower scores on maternal presence when child eats (P \u3c .05), maternal control of child\u27s eating routines (P \u3c .03), and food resource management skills (P \u3c .01), and with higher scores on child control of snacking (P \u3c .03) and negative mealtime practices (P \u3c .05). Multiple regression results revealed that greater maternal presence whenever the child ate was significantly associated with lower child BMI z scores (β = .166, P \u3c .05). Logistic regression analyses indicated that higher scores on food resource management skills reduced the odds of child overweight (odds ratios = .72–.95, P \u3c .01). Maternal depression did not modify the relationship between family food behaviors and child weight. Overall, caregiver presence whenever a child eats, not just at meals, and better parental food resource management skills may promote healthier weights in low-income preschoolers. Further research is needed to identify the mechanisms that connect caregiver presence and food resource management skills to healthier weights for this age group

Food- and Health-Related Correlates of Self-Reported Body Mass Index Among Low-Income Mothers of Young Children

Objective: To examine how income-related challenges regarding food and health are associated with variation in self-reported maternal body weight among low-income mothers. Design: Cross-sectional design. Setting: Two Northeastern cities. Seven day care centers and a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program outreach project. Participants: Sample of 166 mothers; 67% were overweight or obese, 55% were Hispanic, and 42% reported household food insecurity (HFI). Main Outcome Measures: Maternal self-reported height and weight to calculate body mass index (BMI). Independent variables were food program participation, supermarket use, 8-item food shopping practices scale, HFI, maternal depressive symptoms, and self-rated health. Analysis: Hierarchical multiple regression analysis tested relationships between maternal BMI with the independent variables of interest, adjusting for demographic confounds. Results: Shopping practices to stretch food dollars (P = .04), using community food assistance programs (P \u3c .05), and HFI (P \u3c .04) correlated with heavier maternal BMIs; higher self-rated health corresponded to lower BMIs (P = .004). Conclusions and Implications: Some strategies low-income mothers use to manage food resources are associated with heavier BMIs. Nutrition educators, public health practitioners, and researchers need to collaboratively address the associations between these strategies, food insecurity, poor health, and unhealthy weight

Honoring the Voices of Polyamorous Clients: Recommendations for Couple and Family Therapists

Recent studies demonstrating the prevalence of polyamory have highlighted the dearth of research on this topic in the mental health literature, and have increased the urgency to better understand the unique experiences and therapeutic needs of this population. We conducted a qualitative study of 20 individuals who identify as polyamorous via an online survey requesting information about special challenges faced by polyamorous people and suggestions for clinicians working with polyamorous clients. After conducting thematic analysis, two main themes emerged around special challenges: dealing with stigma and navigating polyamory. Recommendations for clinicians included: seek education, challenge your assumptions, and do not pathologize polyamory. Implications for the couple and family therapists and graduate training programs are explored

A Pilot Examination of Self-Esteem, Depression, and Sleep in College Women

While sleep deficits in adulthood are common and worsening, college women experience significantly more sleep problems and depression than their male counterparts. In recent years, sleep has been investigated as one of the primary contributors to college functioning and GPA. No known study, however, has investigated the connection between self-esteem, depression and sleep. Questionnaire assessments were given to 43 female college juniors and seniors, including: demographic information, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Pittsburg Quality Sleep Index. This pilot study investigates the relationship between college self-esteem and sleep quality, as mediated by depression. The results of the study indicate that self-esteem predicts both depression and sleep quality, such that decreased levels of self-esteem are associated with higher levels of depression and decreased sleep quality. Moreover, depression also predicts sleep quality and serves to mediate the relation between self-esteem and sleep quality. The results suggest that students’ self-esteem plays a significant role in the experience of depression, and that depression is the primary mechanism through which self-esteem influences sleep

Sexual exchanges and relationship satisfaction: Testing the role of sexual satisfaction as a mediator and gender as a moderator

We surveyed 499 young, single adult heterosexuals in order to test a social exchange-based model where sexual satisfaction mediated the association between individuals\u27 judgments about their sexually-related exchanges and their relationship satisfaction. Path analysis, using structural equation modeling, supported the hypothesized model. Moreover, invariance tests revealed that gender moderated the model. The association between balance of sexual rewards to costs and sexual satisfaction was stronger for single women as compared to single men. The discussion explores the implications of the model and role of gender as a moderator. Copyright © 2008 SAGE Publications

Sleep quality as a mediator between technology-related sleep quality, depression, and anxiety

This study examines (a) relations among technology use during sleep time, sleep quality, and depression/anxiety and (b) time awake due to technology use. Two hundred thirty-six college students completed self-report questionnaires and week-long sleep diaries. Results revealed that 47 percent of students reported night-time waking to answer text messages and 40 percent to answer phone calls. Regression analyses indicated that higher levels of technology use after the onset of sleep predicted poorer sleep quality, and poorer sleep quality predicted symptoms of depression/anxiety. Finally, sleep quality is a mediator between technology use after the onset of sleep and depression/anxiety. College students who have difficulty setting boundaries around technology use may be at increased risk for psychological health concerns. © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

An Integrative Exploration of Sexual, Physical, Psychological, and Cyber-Digital Relationship Abuse in Adolescent and Young Adult Relationships

Although detrimental for any age group, rates of experiencing sexual assault (SA) are found to be the highest among young adults; with nearly 25% of young adult women indicating to have experienced SA at least once in their romantic relationship. SA is also common among adolescents, as 33% of young women between the ages of 11–17 indicated to have been raped. The effects from SA include depression, trauma, and interpersonal distress, which are similar to the effects of other forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) (i.e., physical and psychological aggression), suggesting a covariation between these various forms of aggression. Additionally, a new form of dating violence has emerged; cyber-digital relationship abuse (CDRA). This behavior is commonly expressed via means of social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, & Snapchat) and through digital means (e.g., texting and email) whereby youth and young adults harass, threaten, control, and monitor their partners whereabouts. Recent studies have indicated that CDRA may serve as a precursor to physical violence in dating relationships. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an integrative exploration of sexual, physical, psychological, and CDRA by tracking the progression and concurrence across these various forms of IPV among youth and young adults. Implications for interventions will also be discussed

Maternal Mental Health and Child Health and Nutrition

In this chapter, the family stress model provides a framework for exploring the relationships between maternal mental health and child health and nutrition, in the context of poverty. Specifically, we examine what is known about the links between maternal depression and anxiety with the increased rates of overweight, nutritional deficiencies, food insecurity, and overall poorer health observed among low-income children. We then explore how maternal psychological distress may impact three parenting practices linked to these child health domains: (1) health-related parenting behaviors, such as monitoring the child\u27s access to television; (2) parental feeding strategies, such as how long the mother breast-feeds; and (3) food-related coping strategies, such as the need to shop in a variety of stores for the best food bargains. We conclude with three key directions to advance our understanding of the pathway from maternal mental health to child outcomes