Browsing by Subject "Interpersonal relationships"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Expensive Egos: Narcissistic Males Have Higher Cortisol
    (PLOS, 2012-01-23) Reinhard, David A.; Konrath, Sara H.; Lopez, William D.; Cameron, Heather G.
    Background Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity, low empathy, and entitlement. There has been limited research regarding the hormonal correlates of narcissism, despite the potential health implications. This study examined the role of participant narcissism and sex on basal cortisol concentrations in an undergraduate population. Methods and Findings Participants were 106 undergraduate students (79 females, 27 males, mean age 20.1 years) from one Midwestern and one Southwestern American university. Narcissism was assessed using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, and basal cortisol concentrations were collected from saliva samples in a laboratory setting. Regression analyses examined the effect of narcissism and sex on cortisol (log). There were no sex differences in basal cortisol, F (1,97) = .20, p  = .65, and narcissism scores, F (1,97) = .00, p  = .99. Stepwise linear regression models of sex and narcissism and their interaction predicting cortisol concentrations showed no main effects when including covariates, but a significant interaction, β = .27, p = .04. Narcissism was not related to cortisol in females, but significantly predicted cortisol in males. Examining the effect of unhealthy versus healthy narcissism on cortisol found that unhealthy narcissism was marginally related to cortisol in females, β = .27, p = .06, but significantly predicted higher basal cortisol in males, β = .72, p = .01, even when controlling for potential confounds. No relationship was found between sex, narcissism, or their interaction on self-reported stress. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the HPA axis is chronically activated in males with unhealthy narcissism. This constant activation of the HPA axis may have important health implications.
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    Relationship and sexual satisfaction are associated with better disease self-management in persons with epilepsy
    (Elsevier, 2021) Gesselman, Amanda N.; Wion, Rachel K.; Garcia, Justin R.; Miller, Wendy R.; School of Nursing
    Prior research has demonstrated that PWEs view intimate interpersonal relationships as personally important and as a substantive challenge in their lives. This is significant as high-quality intimate relationships have been linked with greater well-being and better healthcare self-management in other disease contexts. For persons with epilepsy (PWEs), self-management is critical for seizure control, lower mortality, and better quality of life. In the current study, we conducted the first known investigation into the quality of PWEs' intimate relationships and their self-management abilities. In a sample of 88 PWEs, using the Adult Epilepsy Self-Management Instrument, results demonstrate links between greater relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction with better self-management on seven of the eleven subscales: health communication, coping skills, social support, seizure tracking, seizure response, stress management, and wellness; satisfaction was unrelated to the treatment, safety, medical adherence, and proactivity subscales. Importantly, these results held while controlling for age, gender, social support, and presence of comorbidities. These findings provide some evidence of the importance of intimate relationships in understanding PWEs' healthcare management abilities. Given that intimate relationship dynamics have been shown to be highly amenable to intervention, this is an area of potential interest for improving self-management in PWEs.
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    Toward a neuroscience of interactive parent–infant dyad empathy
    (2013-08) Swain, James E.; Konrath, Sara H.; Dayton, Carolyn J.; Finegood, Eric D.; Ho, S. Shaun
    In accord with social neuroscience's progression to include interactive experimental paradigms, parents' brains have been activated by emotionally charged infant stimuli - especially of their own infant - including baby cry and picture. More recent research includes the use of brief video clips and opportunities for maternal response. Among brain systems important to parenting are those involved in empathy. This research may inform recent studies of decreased societal empathy, offer mechanisms and solutions.