Vacations offer a break from daily stressors but at the same time introduce challenges away from home. While the positive aspects of vacationing, especially individual benefits, are well documented, the challenges couples face and their psychological mechanisms and outcomes remain unexplored. This study investigated the effects challenges and challenge resolution might have on shared experiences and on relationship quality. We collected data from 100 romantic couples at major tourist destinations in the Netherlands in Spring 2024. Random intercept regression models showed that novelty is positively associated with positive emotions, passionate love, and feelings of connection with partner; and that challenges would take away some of these benefits. Interestingly, challenges were associated with self-expansion, a major predictor of long-term love and passion, especially when partially resolved. Positive emotions mediated some of these relationships. These findings highlight the importance and value of studying challenges and challenge resolution on vacations for relationship and experience quality.
Breastfeeding has important health consequences, not only for infants, but also for mothers (Victora et al., 2016). However, many mothers stop breastfeeding before the advised six month period. Research indicates that difficulties associated with combining work and breastfeeding are an important reason for mothers to discontinue breastfeeding prematurely (Peeters, Lanting, & Van Wouwe, 2015). One important issue in this respect seems to be that in many organizations a lactation room is either lacking or of poor quality. This study examines the relationship between objective and subjective lactation room quality, mood, relaxation, and behavioral determinants of pumping milk at work: attitude, social norms, perceived behavioral control and intention.First, an observation list was developed and pre-tested to determine objective lactation room quality. Then, 511 lactating women completed a questionnaire that included questions about objective and subjective lactation room quality, mood, relaxation, attitude, social norms, perceived behavioral control and intention towards pumping milk at work. Regression analyses showed that both objective and subjective lactation room quality is positively related to mood, relaxation, social norms and perceived behavioral control towards pumping milk at work. Notably mothers’ subjective experience of the room mediated the relationships between objective lactation room quality and mood, relaxation, and social norms and perceived behavioral control. The results of this study show that lactation room quality can potentially impact the process of pumping milk at work in important ways. It is important to further explore the causality of this relationship and its potential effects in experimental settings.
Stress is increasingly being recognized as one of the main factors that is negatively affecting our health, and therefore there is a need to regulate daily stress and prevent long-term stress. This need seems particularly important for adults with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) who have been shown to have more difficulties coping with stress than adults without intellectual disabilities. Hence, the development of music therapy interventions for stress reduction, particularly within populations where needs may be greater, is becoming increasingly important. In order to gain more insight into the practice-based knowledge on how music therapists lower stress levels of their patients with MID during music therapy sessions, we conducted focus group interviews with music therapists working with adults with MID (N = 13) from different countries and clinical institutions in Europe. Results provide an overview of the most-used interventions for stress reduction within and outside of music. Data-analysis resulted in the further specification of therapeutic goals, intervention techniques, the use of musical instruments, and related therapeutic change factors. The main findings indicate that music therapists used little to no receptive (e.g., music listening) interventions for stress reduction, but preferred to use active interventions, which were mainly based on musical improvisation. Results show that three therapy goals for stress relief could be distinguished. The goal of “synchronizing” can be seen as a sub goal because it often precedes working on the other two goals of “tension release” or “direct relaxation,” which can also be seen as two ways of reaching stress reduction in adults with MID through music therapy interventions. Furthermore, the tempo and the dynamics of the music are considered as the most important musical components to reduce stress in adults with MID. Practical implications for stress-reducing music therapy interventions for adults with MID are discussed as well as recommendations for future research.
