Gender identity refers to a person’s internal sense of being male, female or something else; gender expression refers to the way a person communicates gender identity to others through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, voice or body characteristics. Read the full article from the American Psychological Association.
by Judith Coché, PhD from the Spring 2014 Pennsylvania Psychological Association eNewsletter For 35 years I have worked to help couples create happy marriages. Recently I was deeply touched as Art, a distinguished businessman with white hair and deep brown eyes, wept quietly. After five years of intense psychotherapy for each partner and the couple, [...]
Many American children are affected by divorce each year. Those youngsters often feel trapped in the middle as the family splits up. If mommy and daddy don't love each other, they wonder, do they love me? Anger, fear, separation anxiety, a sense of abandonment, self-blame, sadness and embarrassment are common reactions for most children. During [...]
Newlywed couples who have similar expectations for dividing household chores are more likely to have longer-lasting marriages, a new study suggests. University of Illinois researchers looked at 220 heterosexual newlywed couples, and discovered that the wives who believed in equal sharing of housework were much happier if their husbands shared their outlook. Among couples who [...]
When gays and lesbians have access to government-sanctioned marriage, or engage in highly committed "marriage-like" unions, their rates of break-up are the same as those of heterosexuals, a new study finds. The study was released Monday, coinciding with an announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court that it would refuse to hear cases from five states [...]
Based on years of studies, counselors have clued into qualities that were found more often in happy marriages: Caring and affection – the wish to nurture a relationship, be romantic, and show appreciation. Sense of commitment and teamwork – the desire to make a relationship work together, whatever problems come up. Sense of humor – [...]
Texting your boyfriend to say you're running late is one thing. Trying to win an argument via text is quite another, suggests a new study that finds how young couples use text messaging may affect the quality of their relationships. The research doesn't actually prove that texting influences how well couples get along, but it [...]
These tips are for adults who spend time online. Parents should discourage children and teens from developing online relationships. Never offer personal information to strangers on the Internet. Be careful not to divulge such items as your address, phone number or workplace. Build your email relationship carefully. Once you're comfortable interacting on the Internet, set [...]
Keeping your primary relationship healthy, positive, supportive and together isn’t easy. But it can be done. “We expect a lot from our relationships, and the fact is, long-term marriages or relationships are difficult to sustain, given the pressures most of us live with,” says Sue Maisch, LSW, a family and child counselor in Glenwood Springs, [...]
A growing number of young American adults are engaging in what's called "stay-over relationships," in which they spend three or more nights together each week while still having the option of going to their own homes, a new study shows. "Instead of following a clear path from courtship to marriage, individuals are choosing to engage [...]