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Evaluation ViewAttendees 2

Couples / Close Relationships
Session Type:: Symposia

Symposium 41 - Intimate Relationship Well-Being in Context: Measurement, Meaning, and Multicultural Considerations to Enhance Inclusive Practices

Saturday, November 22, 2025
10:00 AM - 11:15 AM CST
Location: Celestin F, Level 3
CE: 1

Keywords: Couples / Close Relationships, Translational Research, Culture
Level of Familiarity: Basic
Recommended Readings: Parsons, A., Jones, S. C., Teves, J. B., Petty, K. H., & Christensen, A. (2024). The importance of highlighting culturally relevant factors in the DEEP analysis when using IBCT with African American couples. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 50(4), 915-932.,   West, A. L., Naeimi, H., Di Bartolomeo, A. A., Yampolsky, M., & Muise, A. (2024). Growing together through our cultural differences: Self-expansion in intercultural romantic relationships. Personality and social psychology bulletin, 50(2), 182-199.,   McGorray, E. L., Emery, L. F., Garr-Schultz, A., & Finkel, E. J. (2023). “Mostly White, heterosexual couples”: Examining demographic diversity and reporting practices in relationship science research samples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 125(2), 316.,   ,  

Therapy can have essential implications for romantic relationships. Although there are several empirically-supported treatments for relationship distress, it is not clear which factors and mechanisms may influence the extent to which couples see and report positive change. For example, many couples experience “sudden gains,” rather than a steady increase in satisfaction throughout treatment for which the mechanisms are unknown. Recent research also suggests that cultural context has important implications on relationship functioning. For instance, providing culturally informed care can play a meaningful role in relationship outcomes (Gray et al., 2022; Kalai & Eldridge, 2021). Beyond that, critical contextual factors and external stressors also contribute to therapeutic outcomes and relationship functioning. For instance, identity and cultural factors influence relationship functioning, shaping how couples experience stress, communicate, and navigate conflict (Ledermann, et al., 2010; Otis et al., 2006; Randall & Bodenmann, 2017). Additionally, in order to empirically assess treatment gains effectively, it is important to have measures of relationship functioning that are inclusive and culturally informed. Taken together, differences in trajectories of couple’s treatment outcomes may be due to levels of integration of identity (e.g., sexual identity), culture (e.g., religion), and critical contextual factors (e.g., stress, substance use) into treatment, and the ways we measure treatment gains (e.g., daily diary, adapted assessments).
With limited understanding of the factors and mechanisms influencing intimate relationship outcomes, this symposium will identify areas important in the context and assessment of relationships. The presentations will underscore the importance of promoting inclusion in intimate relationship research through assessment selection and modification, discussing various aspects of culture (e.g., religiosity, sexual orientation), and suggesting approaches for tailoring evidence-based treatments accordingly. Presenter 1 will provide insight into the trajectories of change among community couples in integrative behavioral couple therapy, illuminating that not all therapeutic changes are gradual. Presenter 2 will outline associations between religious and spiritual beliefs, communication, sexual desire and satisfaction, and relationship outcomes among a national sample of adults in romantic relationships. Presenter 3 will discuss an iterative, mixed-method approach to developing a Spanish version of a well-used measure of relationship satisfaction among an English and Spanish-speaking sample. Presenter 4 will discuss findings from a pilot study that explored the moderating role of daily SMS in the association between intimate partner violence victimization and same and next-day alcohol use among multigender-attracted individuals and their partners. Finally, the Discussant will overview how multicultural considerations (e.g., identity, spirituality), stressors, and measurement selection may meaningfully contribute to relationship outcomes and trajectories. Future directions and suggestions for clinical implications will be highlighted.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:
  1. Understand the importance of cross-cultural and cross-linguistic measurement equivalence.
  2. Recognize how the phenomenon of sudden gains in individual psychotherapy translates to empirically supported treatment for couples.
  3. Understand how religion and spirituality can differentially impact romantic relationships.
  4. Recognize the impact that sexual minority stress has on sexual minority individuals experiencing IPV and alcohol use.

Presentations:

  • 10:03 AM - 10:21 AM CST
    (SYM 41) Sudden Gains During Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy in a Sample of Community Couples

    Speaker: Emily L. Spargo, B.S. (she/her/hers) – University of Utah

    Co-author: Katherine J. W. Baucom, PhD (she/her/hers) – University of Utah

    Co-author: Brian R. W. Baucom, PhD (he/him/his) – University of Utah

  • 10:21 AM - 10:39 AM CST
    (SYM 41) Investigating the Influence of Religion and Spirituality in Romantic Relationships & Understanding Implications for Clinical Practice

    Speaker: Alyssa Miville, B.A., M.S. (she/her/hers) – Binghamton University

    Co-author: Richard Mattson, PhD – Binghamton University (SUNY)

  • 10:39 AM - 10:57 AM CST
    (SYM 41) Alcohol Use After IPV Victimization Among Sexual Minority Young Adults: The Role of Sexual Minority Stress

    Speaker: Allison Tobar-Santamaria, M.S. (she/her/hers) – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

    Co-author: Allison Tobar-Santamaria, M.S. (she/her/hers) – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

    Co-author: monica Ahrens, Ph.D. – Virginia Tech

    Co-author: Brian Feinstein, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Rosalind Franklin University

    Co-author: Ryan Shorey, Ph.D. – University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

    Co-author: Meagan J. Brem, Ph.D. – Virginia Tech

  • 10:57 AM - 11:15 AM CST
    (SYM 41) Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI-4)

    Speaker: Quinn E. Hendershot, M.S. (she/her/hers) – Binghamton University

    Co-author: Hannah Williamson, Ph.D. – The University of Texas at Austin

    Co-author: Karen Aizaga, Ph.D. – New York Presbyterian Hospital

    Co-author: Matthew D. Johnson, PhD (he/him/his) – Binghamton University (SUNY)