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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/bored-individuals-are-more-likely-to-develop-social-media-addiction/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Bored individuals are more likely to develop social media addiction</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 26th 2025, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>A survey of adults residing in Sakarya, Türkiye, found that loneliness was not associated with social media addiction (when controlling for other factors), but boredom in life was. Bored individuals were more likely to exhibit signs of social media addiction. Social media addiction symptoms also tended to be higher in individuals with more pronounced Machiavellian traits. The research was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941251329829"><em>Psychological Reports</em></a>.</p>
<p>Social media addiction is a behavioral condition in which a person feels a compulsive need to use social media excessively, often to the point that it interferes with daily life. It involves constant checking, posting, or scrolling through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or X. People with this addiction often experience cravings, anxiety, or restlessness when they cannot access social media. Over time, it can lead to neglected responsibilities, reduced productivity, and strained relationships.</p>
<p>Like other behavioral addictions, social media addiction activates the brain’s reward system—especially through likes, comments, and shares. It may also contribute to sleep disturbances, low self-esteem, and increased feelings of loneliness or depression. The fear of missing out (FOMO) and social comparison often fuel the compulsion to stay connected that defines social media addiction. Although it is not officially classified as a mental disorder, research increasingly recognizes it as a public health concern.</p>
<p>Study authors Aaron Cohen and Emrah Özsoy sought to explore the relationship between social media addiction symptoms, Dark Tetrad personality traits, and situational factors such as loneliness and boredom in life.</p>
<p>The Dark Tetrad refers to four socially undesirable personality traits: narcissism, marked by excessive self-importance and a need for admiration; Machiavellianism, characterized by manipulativeness, deceit, and strategic exploitation of others; psychopathy, involving impulsivity, emotional coldness, and lack of empathy or remorse; and sadism, the tendency to derive pleasure from causing pain or humiliation. Loneliness is a distressing feeling of social disconnection or a lack of meaningful relationships, even in the presence of others. Boredom in life is a state of dissatisfaction and restlessness caused by a lack of interest, purpose, or engaging activity.</p>
<p>The researchers conducted an online survey with 247 adults residing in Sakarya, Türkiye. Seventy-five percent of the participants were women, and 51% had never married. The average age was 26 years. The survey included assessments of social media addiction symptoms (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale), Dark Tetrad traits (Short Dark Tetrad), boredom (Shortened Boredom Proneness Scale), and loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale).</p>
<p>Initial results showed that individuals with more severe social media addiction symptoms tended to score higher on Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism. These symptoms were also more common in individuals reporting higher levels of boredom and loneliness.</p>
<p>However, when the researchers controlled for overlapping associations between the studied factors, only boredom and Machiavellianism remained significant predictors of social media addiction. Loneliness was no longer related, and neither were psychopathy, sadism, or narcissism. Notably, in models that excluded boredom and loneliness, addiction symptoms were best predicted by Machiavellianism, sadism, and lower levels of narcissism.</p>
<p>“The findings revealed that, among the Dark Tetrad traits, Machiavellianism and sadism, and among the situational factors, boredom significantly predicted SMA [social media addiction],” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about personality traits and psychological states associated with social media addiction. However, it should be noted that the design of this study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results. Additionally, the study was conducted on residents of single settlement in Türkiye only. Results on other cultural groups might differ.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941251329829">Dark Personality Traits and Situational Factors in Social Media Addiction: Insights From Turkish Users,</a>” was authored by Aaron Cohen and Emrah Ozsoy.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/longer-birth-control-pill-use-linked-to-lower-odds-of-depressive-symptoms/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Longer birth control pill use linked to lower odds of depressive symptoms</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 26th 2025, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>Women in the United States who have used birth control pills for a longer period may be less likely to experience symptoms of depression, according to a new study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00912174251334309" target="_blank">The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine</a></em>. The research found a consistent link between extended oral contraceptive use and lower rates of depressive symptoms, particularly among women without diabetes.</p>
<p>Birth control pills, or oral contraceptives, are medications commonly used to prevent pregnancy. They typically contain synthetic forms of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones regulate the menstrual cycle and prevent ovulation. In addition to contraception, oral contraceptives are sometimes prescribed to manage acne, painful periods, or irregular menstrual cycles. Because they alter hormone levels, researchers have been interested in how these pills might also influence mental health.</p>
<p>Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders globally and affects women more frequently than men. The reasons for this difference are not fully understood, but hormone fluctuations are thought to play a role. Since oral contraceptives alter levels of estrogen and progesterone, they may influence mood. Previous research has produced mixed findings. Some studies report an increased risk of depression among hormonal contraceptive users, especially during adolescence, while others suggest a possible protective effect. </p>
<p>To help clarify this issue, researchers Yajing Sun and Chen Zhang conducted a large-scale analysis to examine whether the length of time a woman has used birth control pills is associated with the likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms.</p>
<p>The study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a large, nationally representative dataset collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The researchers focused on data from 2005 to 2012, the only cycle that included information on both birth control pill use and depression symptoms.</p>
<p>From over 5,500 women initially considered, more than 2,700 met the inclusion criteria for the final analysis. Women were excluded if they were missing information about how long they had used birth control pills, their depression symptoms, or other health variables.</p>
<p>To assess depressive symptoms, the researchers used a widely accepted questionnaire known as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. This survey asks participants to rate how often they’ve experienced common depression symptoms—such as low mood, sleep problems, or feelings of worthlessness—over the past two weeks. A score of 10 or higher on the questionnaire is typically used as a threshold to indicate the presence of significant depressive symptoms.</p>
<p>Participants were also asked how long they had used birth control pills. The researchers then looked at the relationship between that duration and the likelihood of meeting the threshold for depressive symptoms. They used statistical models to control for a wide range of other factors that might influence depression risk, including age, race, body weight, alcohol use, and medical history, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease.</p>
<p>The researchers found that women who had taken birth control pills for a longer time were less likely to report depressive symptoms. This association remained even after accounting for various demographic and health-related factors.</p>
<p>In more technical terms, the odds of depressive symptoms decreased with each additional year of birth control pill use. The association was especially strong among women without diabetes. Among this subgroup, the likelihood of experiencing depression symptoms dropped by about 5% with each additional year of use.</p>
<p>The researchers also conducted what’s known as a “threshold analysis,” which looks for specific cut-off points where the relationship between two variables changes. They found that the strongest decrease in depression symptoms occurred in women who had used birth control pills for up to 9.3 years. Beyond that point, the association remained negative but did not become stronger.</p>
<p>Visual models supported this finding, showing a steady decline in the odds of depressive symptoms as the duration of pill use increased. This pattern was observed across most subgroups of women, including those from different racial backgrounds, marital statuses, and body weight categories.</p>
<p>While the study was not designed to identify the biological mechanisms behind the observed association, the researchers discussed several possible explanations.</p>
<p>One hypothesis is that oral contraceptives may help stabilize hormonal fluctuations, which can affect mood. Estrogen and progesterone, the two main hormones in birth control pills, play important roles in brain function. Estrogen has been shown to reduce inflammation in the brain and support the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, a protective layer that shields the brain from harmful substances. It may also influence how the brain responds to stress by regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, a system involved in the body’s stress response.</p>
<p>Progesterone may also contribute by reducing brain inflammation and supporting the repair of brain tissue, the researchers said. Both hormones are thought to help maintain emotional balance, and some researchers believe that their synthetic counterparts in birth control pills might offer similar benefits. By regulating these hormones more consistently over time, oral contraceptives might help reduce the risk of depression in some women.</p>
<p>Although the study’s findings are based on a large and nationally representative sample, several limitations need to be considered.</p>
<p>First, because the data come from a cross-sectional survey, it is not possible to determine whether taking birth control pills caused the reduction in depressive symptoms. It’s also possible that women who are less prone to depression may be more likely to continue using oral contraceptives over time, or that other unmeasured factors contributed to the observed link.</p>
<p>Second, the study did not examine the specific types or doses of birth control pills used. Different formulations may have different effects on mood, and some types of pills contain only progesterone, while others include both estrogen and progesterone. Without this information, it’s difficult to draw conclusions about which forms of contraception might be most relevant to depression risk.</p>
<p>The study also focused on adult women aged 20 and older, so the findings may not apply to teenagers or young adults, who may respond differently to hormonal changes. In addition, the data did not include measures of how consistently women took the pills, which could affect their impact.</p>
<p>Future studies could help clarify these issues by tracking women over time, gathering more detailed information about the types of birth control they use, and monitoring changes in mood over different stages of use. Such research could also help determine whether hormonal contraception might be useful as part of a broader approach to managing depressive symptoms in some women.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00912174251334309" target="_blank">Association between duration of birth control pill use and risk of depression among US women: A cross-sectional NHANES study</a>,” was authored by Yajing Sun and Chen Zhang.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/fascinating-new-neuroscience-study-shows-the-brain-emits-light-through-the-skull/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Fascinating new neuroscience study shows the brain emits light through the skull</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 26th 2025, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.112019" target="_blank">iScience</a></em> provides evidence that the human brain emits extremely faint light signals that not only pass through the skull but also appear to change in response to mental states. Researchers found that these ultraweak light emissions could be recorded in complete darkness, and they appeared to shift in response to simple tasks like closing the eyes or listening to sound. The findings suggest that this faint brain light may carry information about brain activity—possibly opening the door to a new way of studying the brain (photoencephalography).</p>
<p>All living tissues release tiny amounts of light during normal metabolism, known as ultraweak photon emissions. This happens when excited molecules return to a lower energy state and emit a photon in the process. The light is incredibly faint—about a million times weaker than what we can see—and falls within the visible to near-infrared range. In contrast to bioluminescence, which involves specific chemical reactions like those used by fireflies, ultraweak photon emissions happen constantly in all tissues, without special enzymes or glowing compounds.</p>
<p>The brain emits more of this faint light than most other organs because of its high energy use and dense concentration of photoactive molecules. These include compounds like flavins, serotonin, and proteins that can absorb and emit light. Photon emission rates also seem to rise during oxidative stress and aging and may reflect changes in cell health or communication.</p>
<p>The research team, led by Hayley Casey, Nirosha Murugan, and colleagues at Algoma University, Tufts University, and Wilfrid Laurier University, wanted to know if these faint light emissions could be used to monitor brain activity. Unlike other imaging methods that require stimulation—such as strong magnetic fields or infrared light—measuring UPEs is entirely passive. That means it doesn’t introduce anything new to the brain.</p>
<p>The researchers proposed that UPEs might offer a new way to monitor brain function safely and without interference, similar to how EEG tracks electrical brain waves without applying energy. They also wanted to test whether UPEs reflect mental states like resting with eyes closed or responding to sound, and whether these signals match known changes in electrical brain rhythms.</p>
<p>The researchers recruited 20 healthy adult participants and measured both UPEs and brain electrical activity while the participants sat in a dark room. The setup included photomultiplier tubes placed near the occipital and temporal regions of the head, where the brain processes visual and auditory information. A third sensor recorded background light. At the same time, participants wore a cap with electroencephalography sensors to record electrical brain rhythms.</p>
<p>Participants went through a ten-minute recording session that included five conditions. First, they sat with eyes open and then with eyes closed. Next, they listened to a simple repeating auditory stimulus, followed by another eyes-closed period, and finally another eyes-open period. The aim was to see whether brain UPEs responded to known manipulations of brain activity, particularly the shift in alpha rhythms that occurs when people close their eyes.</p>
<p>Photon emissions were recorded in short time intervals and analyzed for variability, frequency content, and stability over time. The team compared the results to background signals and examined correlations with electrical brain rhythms recorded at the same time.</p>
<p>The researchers found that the light emitted from the brain could be distinguished from background light based on its variability and complexity. Brain UPEs showed greater entropy and a more dynamic signal than background recordings. These emissions also showed a distinctive frequency profile below 1 Hz, meaning that the light fluctuated in slow rhythmic patterns roughly once every one to ten seconds. This signature was not present in the background light and was especially pronounced in the occipital region.</p>
<p>The researchers also observed that brain UPEs appeared to reach a steady state during each task, particularly by the end of the two-minute recording segments. These stable patterns shifted when participants moved between eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions, suggesting that the emissions reflect changes in the brain’s internal state. However, the direction of change was not consistent across all participants, possibly reflecting individual differences or the complexity of the underlying metabolic processes.</p>
<p>When the researchers compared UPEs to brain electrical rhythms, they found modest correlations. For instance, alpha rhythms—often associated with relaxed wakefulness and increased during eyes-closed states—correlated with photon emissions from the occipital region, but only when the participants’ eyes were closed. They also found some associations between UPE variability and temporal lobe rhythms during auditory stimulation. Still, the relationships were not strong, and many expected correlations did not emerge, highlighting the need for further research.</p>
<p>While the findings are promising, the authors caution that this was a preliminary study with several limitations. The sample size was small, and the recording equipment only covered a few areas of the head. The sensors also detected a wide range of wavelengths, which may have obscured more specific light patterns. More precise filters or detectors could help uncover wavelength-specific signatures related to different brain functions.</p>
<p>The researchers also suggest that expanding the sensor array could improve spatial resolution and help identify the origins of UPEs within the brain. Because these emissions are tied to metabolic activity, they may come from a variety of cell types, including neurons and glial cells, and from different depths in the brain. Developing methods to localize these signals will be an important next step.</p>
<p>The study did not include measurements from other parts of the body, which could help clarify whether similar light emissions occur in non-brain tissues and how they differ. Including more participants and exploring variations based on age, sex, or health status may also reveal meaningful patterns. In the future, machine learning and advanced imaging techniques may allow researchers to decode UPE patterns and use them to detect brain disorders or monitor brain health.</p>
<p>“We view the current results as a proof-of-concept demonstration that patterns of human-brain-derived UPE signals can be discriminated from background light signals in darkened settings despite very low relative signal intensity,” the researchers wrote. “Photoencephalography would be maximally non-invasive (i.e., passive recording) with high temporal resolution, like EEG or MEG; however, the measurement of UPEs would be linked to oxidative metabolism with several clinical applications described elsewhere. Future studies may find success in using select filters and amplifiers to sieve and enhance UPE signal features from healthy and diseased brains.” </p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.112019" target="_blank">Exploring ultraweak photon emissions as optical markers of brain activity</a>,” was authored by Hayley Casey, Isabella DiBerardino, Mattia Bonzanni, Nicolas Rouleau, and Nirosha J. Murugan.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/a-startling-psychology-study-has-linked-nightmares-to-premature-death/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">A startling psychology study has linked nightmares to premature death</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 25th 2025, 16:00</div>
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<p><p>Waking up from a nightmare can leave your heart pounding, but the effects may reach far beyond a restless night. Adults who suffer bad dreams every week were almost <a href="https://www.emjreviews.com/neurology/news/ean-2025-nightmares-linked-to-faster-ageing-and-premature-mortality/">three times</a> more likely to die before age 75 than people who rarely have them.</p>
<p>This <a href="https://www.emjreviews.com/neurology/news/ean-2025-nightmares-linked-to-faster-ageing-and-premature-mortality/">alarming</a> conclusion – which is yet to be peer reviewed – comes from researchers who combined data from four large long-term studies in the US, following more than 4,000 people between the ages of 26 and 74. At the beginning, participants reported how often nightmares disrupted their sleep. Over the next 18 years, the researchers kept track of how many participants died prematurely – 227 in total.</p>
<p>Even after considering common risk factors like age, sex, mental health, smoking and weight, people who had nightmares every week were still found to be nearly three times more likely to die prematurely – about the same risk as heavy smoking.</p>
<p>The team also examined “epigenetic clocks” – chemical marks on DNA that act as biological mileage counters. People haunted by frequent nightmares were biologically older than their birth certificates suggested, across all three clocks used (DunedinPACE, GrimAge and PhenoAge).</p>
<h2>The science behind the silent scream</h2>
<p>Faster ageing accounted for about 39% of the link between nightmares and early death, implying that whatever is driving the bad dreams is simultaneously driving the body’s cells <a href="https://www.emjreviews.com/neurology/news/ean-2025-nightmares-linked-to-faster-ageing-and-premature-mortality/">towards the finish line</a>.</p>
<p>How might a scream you never utter leave a mark on your genome? Nightmares happen during so-called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MbLSnGOCDk">rapid-eye-movement sleep</a> when the brain is highly active but muscles are paralysed. The sudden surge of adrenaline, cortisol and other fight-or-flight chemicals can be as strong as anything experienced while awake. If that alarm bell rings night after night, the stress response may stay partially switched on throughout the day.</p>
<p>Continuous stress takes its toll on the body. It triggers <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3253267/">inflammation</a>, raises <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/stress-and-heart-health">blood pressure</a> and speeds up the ageing process by wearing down the protective tips of our <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5590630/">chromosomes</a>.</p>
<p>On top of that, being jolted awake by nightmares disrupts deep sleep, the crucial time when the body <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3256323/">repairs itself</a> and clears <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38639025/">out waste</a> at the cellular level. Together, these two effects – constant stress and poor sleep – may be the main reasons the body seems to age faster.</p>
<p>The idea that disturbing dreams foreshadow poor health is not entirely new. Earlier studies have shown that adults tormented by weekly nightmares are more likely to develop <a href="https://theconversation.com/nightmares-are-a-good-predictor-of-future-dementia-new-study-191016">dementia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/parkinsons-disease-bad-dreams-could-be-an-early-warning-sign-new-study-184495">Parkinson’s disease</a>, <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(22)00370-4/fulltext">years before</a> any daytime symptoms appear.</p>
<p>Growing evidence suggests that the brain areas involved in dreaming are also those affected by brain diseases, so frequent nightmares might be an early warning sign of neurological problems.</p>
<p>Nightmares are also <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(22)00370-4/fulltext">surprisingly common</a>. Roughly 5% of adults report at least one each week and another 12.5% experience them monthly.</p>
<p>Because they are both frequent and treatable, the new findings elevate bad dreams from a spooky nuisance to a potential public health target. Cognitive behavioural therapy for <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3900619/">insomnia</a>, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4120639/">imagery-rehearsal therapy</a> – where sufferers rewrite the ending of a recurrent nightmare while awake – and simple steps such as keeping bedrooms cool, dark and screen free have all been <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5991964/">shown</a> to curb nightmare frequency.</p>
<p>Before jumping to conclusions, there are a few important things to keep in mind. The study used people’s own reports of their dreams, which can make it hard to tell the difference between a typical bad dream and a true nightmare. Also, most of the people in the study were white Americans, so the findings might not apply to everyone.</p>
<p>And biological age was measured only once, so we cannot yet say whether treating nightmares slows the clock. Crucially, the work was presented as a <a href="https://www.ean.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ean/Congress-2025/EAN2025_Congress_Abstract_Book.pdf">conference abstract</a> and has not yet navigated the gauntlet of peer review.</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, the study has important strengths that make it worth taking seriously. The researchers used multiple groups of participants, followed them for many years and relied on official death records rather than self-reported data. This means we can’t simply dismiss the findings as a statistical fluke.</p>
<p>If other research teams can replicate these results, doctors might start asking patients about their nightmares during routine check-ups – alongside taking blood pressure and checking cholesterol levels.</p>
<p>Therapies that tame frightening dreams are inexpensive, non-invasive and already available. Scaling them could offer a rare chance to add years to life while improving the quality of the hours we spend asleep.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/260008/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-frequent-nightmares-may-shorten-your-life-by-years-260008">original article</a>.</em></p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-research-supports-the-universality-of-maternal-sensitivity-in-shaping-child-attachment/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">New research supports the universality of maternal sensitivity in shaping child attachment</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 25th 2025, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14256" target="_blank">Child Development</a> provides the strongest longitudinal evidence to date that sensitive caregiving in early life predicts children’s attachment security in China, a country with cultural traditions and parenting styles often seen as different from those in the West. Drawing from a nine-year study of over 350 mother-child pairs in Nanjing, researchers found that maternal sensitivity in infancy was associated with children’s secure attachment representations at age 10. This finding lends support to the idea that maternal sensitivity plays a universal role in shaping attachment.</p>
<p>Attachment theory argues that children form expectations about caregivers based on their early experiences of support, and these expectations—called internal working models—go on to influence social and emotional development. A central idea in the theory is the “sensitivity hypothesis,” which states that responsive and emotionally attuned caregiving fosters secure attachments. But critics have long questioned whether this claim holds true in cultures with different parenting practices and values, particularly in East Asian societies like China, where overt expressions of warmth may be less common and autonomy is not always emphasized.</p>
<p>The research team, led by Theodore E. A. Waters and Rui Yang from New York University, set out to test whether the link between early maternal sensitivity and later attachment security would still hold in this distinct cultural context. To do this, they used data from the Nanjing Child Development Project, a long-term study tracking parent-child relationships from infancy to middle childhood.</p>
<p>The study followed 356 Chinese mother-child pairs from when the children were 14 months old until they were 10 years old. The mothers, mostly well-educated and from middle- to upper-middle-class families, participated in lab-based sessions where researchers observed their interactions with their children. These sessions were videotaped when the children were 14 and 24 months old. Trained observers rated each mother’s sensitivity based on how responsive, warm, and non-intrusive she was during play and structured tasks like reading and bead threading.</p>
<p>When the children turned 10, they completed a Chinese-adapted version of the Attachment Script Assessment. This task measures a child’s secure base script knowledge, or how well they can tell stories that reflect the expectation that caregivers provide help when needed. Children were given story outlines involving common situations, such as getting lost in a mall or preparing for an exam, and asked to tell first-person stories involving a parent. Coders rated these stories based on how clearly they reflected a secure pattern—asking for help, receiving support, resolving distress, and returning to normal.</p>
<p>The researchers also collected background information, including maternal education levels and the child’s sex, to account for other possible influences on attachment development.</p>
<p>The results showed a clear and consistent pattern: the more sensitive a mother was during her child’s infancy and toddlerhood, the more secure the child’s attachment representations were at age 10. Children whose mothers were warm, responsive, and not overly controlling during early interactions were more likely to tell stories that reflected a secure attachment script. This link held even after accounting for the mother’s education level and the child’s sex.</p>
<p>The effect size of this relationship (β = 0.20) was in line with findings from similar studies in Western countries, suggesting a comparable strength of association. Girls tended to score higher on the attachment measure than boys, and children with more educated mothers also scored higher, possibly reflecting the influence of language exposure or other cognitive supports.</p>
<p>Importantly, the Chinese version of the Attachment Script Assessment showed strong internal consistency and fit well with models used in Western research. The researchers found that the measure tapped into a generalized sense of attachment security that was not limited to relationships with a particular parent, mirroring findings from previous studies.</p>
<p>While the findings support the universality of the sensitivity hypothesis, the study had some limitations. First, the observations of maternal sensitivity only occurred in low-stress situations like free play and structured tasks. Because attachment theory emphasizes how caregivers respond during distress, future research should also observe parent-child interactions in more emotionally intense situations.</p>
<p>Second, the research only included maternal caregiving. Although mothers are often the primary caregivers in China, other adults—especially fathers and grandparents—also play important roles in children’s development. Future work could explore how sensitivity from different caregivers contributes to attachment security.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the study offers evidence that the link between maternal sensitivity and children’s attachment security extends beyond the Western world. Even in a cultural context like China—where parenting practices are shaped by different values around authority, emotion, and independence—early sensitivity from caregivers still predicted the formation of secure attachment expectations.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14256" target="_blank">Maternal Sensitivity Predicts Child Attachment in a Non-Western Context: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study of Chinese Families</a>,” was authored by Theodore E. A. Waters, Rui Yang, Yufei Gu, Victoria Zhu, Lixian Cui, Xuan Li, Niobe Way, Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Xinyin Chen, Sumie Okazaki, Kristen Bernard, Guangzhen Zhang, and Zongbao Liang.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/people-in-open-relationships-report-better-sexual-communication/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">People in open relationships report better sexual communication</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jul 25th 2025, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study suggests that people in consensually nonmonogamous relationships tend to experience higher-quality sexual communication compared to those in monogamous relationships. Despite this difference, both groups showed similar levels of sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and communication self-confidence.</p>
<p>How couples talk about sex plays a key role in how satisfied they feel with their relationships. But when researchers have explored this topic, they’ve typically focused on monogamous couples. A new study published in the <em><a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-15890-001?doi=1" target="_blank">Journal of Family Psychology</a></em> aims to broaden that lens by examining how people in consensually nonmonogamous relationships compare to those in monogamous ones when it comes to sexual communication and related outcomes. The researchers found that people in nonmonogamous relationships tended to report more positive experiences discussing sex with their partners, but the overall levels of sexual and relationship satisfaction were similar between both groups.</p>
<p>The study was conducted by Emily S. Bibby and Joanne Davila from Stony Brook University. The researchers wanted to better understand whether people in nonmonogamous relationships—such as those who identify as polyamorous, open, or practicing relationship anarchy—differ from monogamous couples in how they talk about sex. </p>
<p>Past research has linked strong sexual communication to better sexual and relationship outcomes. However, little research has directly compared these dynamics across different types of relationship structures, even as nonmonogamy becomes more visible and accepted in mainstream culture. Bibby and Davila designed the study to address this gap and to explore whether relationship structure influences communication quality and sexual satisfaction.</p>
<p>To carry out the study, the researchers recruited 576 young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 who were in at least one committed romantic relationship. Participants were recruited through both online platforms and a university campus. They completed a series of surveys about their relationship status, sexual practices, and communication habits. Participants in nonmonogamous relationships were asked to focus on one specific partner to make their responses comparable to those in monogamous relationships.</p>
<p>The surveys included measures of sexual communication quality, which assessed how open and satisfying their conversations about sex were. Another set of measures looked at sexual communication self-efficacy, or how confident people felt about expressing both positive and negative thoughts about sex. Participants also reported on their sexual satisfaction, how happy they were with their sexual communication, how satisfied they were with their relationship overall, and how often they had sex with their selected partner.</p>
<p>When comparing the two groups, one key difference stood out. People in consensually nonmonogamous relationships reported significantly higher levels of sexual communication quality. They were more likely to agree with statements like “talking about sex is a satisfying experience for both of us,” suggesting a more open and collaborative atmosphere around sexual discussions. This difference remained even after controlling for other factors like gender identity, sexual orientation, and how long participants had been in their relationship.</p>
<p>In contrast, there were no significant differences between groups when it came to self-efficacy. Both monogamous and nonmonogamous participants reported similar levels of confidence in their ability to communicate about sex. This held true for both positive topics, like suggesting a new sexual activity, and negative ones, such as expressing discomfort or dissatisfaction. The authors note that while people in nonmonogamous relationships may be more practiced at discussing relationship logistics and boundaries, this does not necessarily translate into greater self-assuredness in every aspect of sexual communication.</p>
<p>Another important finding was that there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of how satisfied they were with their sex lives, how satisfied they were with sexual communication, or how happy they were in their relationships. The frequency of sexual activity also did not differ between groups. This challenges a common assumption that open relationships are either inherently more or less satisfying than monogamous ones. It also echoes prior research showing mixed results on whether polyamorous or open couples report better outcomes than monogamous ones.</p>
<p>Despite some of these null findings, the study confirmed a pattern that has been seen across past research: better sexual communication is linked to better outcomes. Participants who reported higher communication quality also reported greater sexual satisfaction, more happiness with sexual communication, and higher overall relationship satisfaction. This was true regardless of whether they were in a monogamous or nonmonogamous relationship. </p>
<p>People who felt more confident in their ability to communicate both positive and negative sexual messages also tended to be more satisfied in these areas, although there were some exceptions. For example, confidence in discussing negative sexual topics was not strongly linked to how often couples had sex.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the researchers found no evidence that relationship structure changed the strength of these associations. In other words, the benefits of sexual communication were similar for everyone, whether they were in a monogamous or nonmonogamous relationship. This suggests that the tools for building a healthy sexual relationship—such as being open, honest, and communicative—may be useful regardless of the relationship model a person chooses.</p>
<p>The study does have limitations. For example, participants in nonmonogamous relationships were only asked to report on one of their partners, which may not reflect their broader communication patterns across multiple relationships. Some aspects of sexual communication that may be especially relevant in nonmonogamous relationships—like negotiating safer sex with multiple partners—were not directly measured. Also, because the study focused only on people in committed relationships, the findings may not apply to people who are casually dating or in newer relationships.</p>
<p>Another limitation relates to the demographics of the sample. While the study included a large number of gender-diverse and queer participants, it was predominantly White. This may affect how broadly the findings can be applied to more racially or culturally diverse populations. The researchers also note that their sample consisted of relatively young adults, which may influence the results. People in different life stages may have different communication patterns or relationship needs.</p>
<p>The study’s design was cross-sectional, meaning all data were collected at one time point. This limits the ability to draw conclusions about how communication and satisfaction influence each other over time. Future research might benefit from tracking these dynamics longitudinally or examining daily patterns using diary methods to reduce recall bias. More comprehensive measures of sexual communication that capture the full range of discussions in both monogamous and nonmonogamous relationships could also deepen our understanding of these processes.</p>
<p>Overall, the study adds to a growing body of evidence that open communication about sex is linked to greater satisfaction in relationships. It also challenges the assumption that monogamous and nonmonogamous relationships function in fundamentally different ways when it comes to communication and satisfaction. </p>
<p>The findings may have practical implications for therapists, counselors, and educators working with individuals and couples across a range of relationship structures. Rather than focusing narrowly on whether a relationship is monogamous or not, the researchers said, professionals may want to emphasize developing communication skills and self-confidence when talking about sexual needs and preferences.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001356" target="_blank">Sexual Communication and Satisfaction in Young Adults’ Monogamous and Consensually Nonmonogamous Relationships</a>,” was authored by Emily S. Bibby and Joanne Davila.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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