phd in relationship psychology

Relationships Lab

Brooke Feeney

Professor, department of psychology.

• 356 B, Baker Hall
• bfeeney(through)andrew.cmu.edu
• 412-268-6203

Publications

Research papers.

• Department of Psychology >
• Graduate >
• Doctoral (PhD) Programs >

Social-Personality Psychology Program

Find your home in UB Psychology! We're here to help you every step of the way. 

• 5/6/24 Graduate Admissions
• 6/11/21 Graduate Funding

Already enrolled in UB? Get details about advisement, forms and other resources for current students. 

• 8/29/24 Info for Current Students
• 9/22/24 Graduate Student Directory

We're glad you found us, and we'll help ensure your transition is smooth and easy. 

• 6/7/23 Info for Transfer Students

Area head Mark Seery, PhD, (second from right) and graduate students

The Social-Personality Doctoral Program  at UB offers an exceptional, research-intensive training environment for students interested in understanding the dynamic interplay between the self and the interpersonal world. Program faculty are nationally and internationally known for innovative research on automatic processes, self-esteem, self-construal, close relationships and stress and coping. 

Area Head: Mark Seery, PhD

The Learning Environment

Well-equipped laboratories, a large participant base, a collegial and supportive atmosphere, and the opportunity to train with more than one faculty member afford our graduate students outstanding research opportunities.

In our doctoral program, students will: (1) master social psychological theory and research methodology to become skilled in the development and dissemination of research; (2) achieve a basic grounding in this field and develop an ability to think critically about the body of knowledge in their specialty; and (3) learn to reason theoretically and develop research projects that help them understand social phenomena in the everyday world.

Our graduates have an excellent record of job placement in academic and industry positions. Our goal is to help students tailor their education to fit their own interests and professional goals through the selection of appropriate elective courses, research projects and applied experiences.

• 9/27/22 Program Requirements and Curriculum
• 9/27/22 Student Learning Goals and Objectives
• 2/24/24 Experiential Learning Opportunities

Program Faculty

• Kim Chaney, PhD
• Rebecca Cipollina, PhD
• Kenneth DeMarree, PhD
• Shira Gabriel, PhD
• Sandra Murray, PhD
• Lora Park, PhD
• Michael Poulin, PhD
• Mark Seery, PhD

The Admissions Process

As our program is mentorship-based, students are admitted to work with an individual faculty member. Faculty members accepting students vary from year to year. Before applying, prospective students should view the list of faculty members accepting students and/or contact potential mentors. 

361 Park Hall

Phone: (716) 645-0239

[email protected]

• Mental Health
• Social Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Psychopharmacology
• Neuroscience

The psychology of love: 10 groundbreaking insights into the science of relationships

(Photo credit: OpenAI's DALL·E)

In the quest to understand the complex dynamics of love and relationships, recent scientific inquiries have unveiled fascinating insights into how our connections with others shape our mental health, preferences, and overall happiness.

From the profound impact of romantic relationships on psychological well-being to the evolutionary roots of love, these studies offer a comprehensive look into the forces driving our closest bonds. This article delves into the latest research findings, shedding light on the science behind love, attraction, and the deep psychological interplay at the heart of human relationships.

The exploration into the psychology of love spans various disciplines, including social psychology, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology, each contributing unique perspectives to our understanding of romantic connections.

These studies collectively reveal how aspects such as relationship quality, partner preferences, humor, and even our value systems play pivotal roles in the formation and maintenance of romantic relationships. Through a closer examination of these elements, we can begin to appreciate the intricate web of factors that not only draw us together but also sustain love over time.

1. The Link Between Romantic Relationships and Mental Health

In a study published in Current Opinion in Psychology , researchers Scott Braithwaite and Julianne Holt-Lunstad explored the intricate relationship between long-term romantic relationships and mental health. They delved into the question of causality—whether being in a marriage leads to better mental health or if individuals with better mental health are more likely to get married. Their review of both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies revealed that while married individuals generally exhibit better mental health than their non-married counterparts, the direction of causality leans more significantly from the quality and presence of romantic relationships towards improved mental health outcomes. This suggests that being in a committed relationship, such as marriage, tends to enhance one’s mental health more profoundly than less committed forms of cohabitation.

The study highlights the significance of relationship quality, noting that individuals in healthy and satisfying relationships experience better mental health. Moreover, improving the quality of a relationship was found to precede improvements in mental health, reinforcing the idea that positive relationship dynamics play a crucial role in fostering mental well-being. This insight underscores the greater impact that negative aspects of mental health, such as depression and depressive symptoms, have on romantic relationships compared to positive mental health constructs. The researchers emphasized the importance of focusing on preventing negative relationship patterns as a means of safeguarding mental health.

The implications of this research are profound, suggesting that interventions aimed at enhancing relationship quality could be as effective as those targeting individual mental health issues. The findings advocate for a shift in focus towards preventing dysfunctional relationships as a strategic approach to improving overall mental health. By establishing that healthy romantic relationships act as a protective factor against mental health problems, the study underscores the necessity of nurturing positive relationship dynamics. This reinforces the concept that investment in the health of personal relationships can lead to significant benefits for mental health, highlighting relationships as a cornerstone of human well-being.

2. Evolving Preferences in Partner Selection

In a fascinating study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , researchers led by Julie Driebe delved into how life events and personal growth influence people’s preferences in choosing a romantic partner over time. This research aimed to bridge gaps in understanding whether individuals’ ideal partner preferences evolve and if people are aware of these changes. Through a longitudinal approach, spanning 13 years from an initial speed dating experiment, the study revisited participants to reassess their partner preferences. The findings revealed a complex picture: while core preferences remained relatively stable, significant shifts did occur, notably with less emphasis on physical attractiveness and wealth and more on kindness, humor, and shared values as people aged. The influence of major life events, such as becoming a parent, was also highlighted as a factor contributing to these changes in preferences.

Driebe’s team’s methodology involved recontacting participants from the Berlin Speed Dating Study conducted in 2006, analyzing their responses to understand changes in eight key dimensions of partner preference. Despite the inherent stability in preferences over time, the study identified nuanced shifts, especially an increased value placed on status, resources, and family orientation as individuals aged. Interestingly, the study also discovered discrepancies between participants’ perceptions of their changing preferences and the actual changes observed, particularly regarding status, resources, and intelligence. This discrepancy points to the complexity of self-awareness in how personal growth and life experiences shape partner selection criteria.

The implications of these findings are profound, shedding light on the dynamic interplay between personal development, life experiences, and mate selection. The study underscores the importance of considering how individual experiences and the passage of time mold our desires in romantic partners, suggesting a fluidity in mate preferences that reflects broader personal evolution. Despite limitations, such as the reliance on a specific sample group and the unexplored influence of cultural factors, this research opens new avenues for understanding how and why our criteria for a romantic partner may change as we navigate through life’s milestones. It highlights the importance of acknowledging personal growth and life events in the study of mate selection, suggesting that as individuals evolve, so too do their preferences for a partner, with some changes more perceptible to the individual than others.

3. The Role of Humor in Romantic Attraction

A recent study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin has illuminated the significant role humor plays in romantic attraction, suggesting that a good sense of humor is not just a desirable trait but is perceived as an indicator of a partner’s creative problem-solving abilities. This research, spearheaded by Erika Langley, a PhD candidate in social psychology at Arizona State University, and her colleague Michelle Shiota, an associate professor, aimed to dissect the underlying reasons why humor is so universally valued in romantic partners. Through a series of six comprehensive studies involving various scenarios—from first-date impressions to long-term relationship dynamics—the researchers discovered that individuals with a keen sense of humor are more appealing as potential partners due to the association of humor with creativity, intelligence, and social competence.

The initial studies focused on participants’ reactions to hypothetical first-date scenarios, revealing that humor significantly influenced the perception of a partner’s creative ingenuity, irrespective of the participant’s gender. This suggests that both men and women value humor for similar reasons, associating it with a partner’s ability to navigate complex situations with inventive solutions. Interestingly, the effect of humor on the perception of creative problem-solving skills was consistent across different relationship contexts, whether the participants were considering a potential partner for a short-term fling or a long-term commitment. Furthermore, humor was valued not only for the immediate joy it brings to interactions but also for the implied cognitive abilities it suggests in a partner, especially in the context of overcoming life’s challenges together.

The latter studies extended these findings, exploring how humor portrayed in online dating profiles and video dating scenarios influences perceptions of potential partners. Profiles and responses infused with humor were not only seen as more creative but also more socially competent, enhancing the individual’s attractiveness for initiating romantic relationships. This comprehensive investigation into the role of humor in romantic attraction underscores its significance beyond mere entertainment, highlighting humor as a key indicator of desirable traits such as creativity and social adeptness.

4. Understanding Love Through the Brain’s Reward System

A study published in Behavioral Sciences by Adam Bode and Phillip S. Kavanagh has unveiled a compelling link between the brain’s reward system and the intensity of romantic love. By crafting a new scale, the Behavioral Activation System Sensitivity to a Loved One (BAS-SLO) Scale, researchers have illuminated how the Behavioral Activation System (BAS)—a mechanism in our brain that drives us towards rewards and motivates our actions—is intricately tied to the depth of romantic feelings we experience. This finding enriches our biological understanding of love, suggesting that the strength of romantic emotions is partially influenced by the same internal system that propels us towards goals and rewards.

The first part of the study involved developing and validating the BAS-SLO Scale with over 1,500 young adults who identified as being in love. This new tool, adapted from the existing Behavioral Activation System Scale, aimed to measure the BAS’s response specifically in romantic contexts. Participants answered questions about their reactions and feelings towards their partners, alongside completing the Passionate Love Scale—30, a measure assessing the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of romantic love. The results indicated that the new scale was reliable and valid for measuring the role of BAS in romantic love, showing that the brain’s reward responsiveness, drive, and fun-seeking behaviors in relation to a partner were closely linked to romantic love intensity.

In the second phase, with a subset of participants, the study further explored how the BAS-SLO scores correlated with the intensity of romantic love, finding that higher sensitivity in the Behavioral Activation System towards a romantic partner was significantly associated with stronger feelings of love. This correlation accounted for almost 9% of the variance in the intensity of romantic feelings, underscoring the substantial role of the BAS in shaping romantic love. Despite some limitations, such as the need for replication in different samples and controlling for the normal functioning of BAS, this research marks a significant step forward in understanding the biological underpinnings of romantic love, opening new avenues for exploring the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral mechanisms that fuel our love lives.

5. Positive Communication’s Impact on Romantic Outcomes

A new study published in Sexual and Relationship Therapy offers insightful findings on the dynamics of positive communication within romantic relationships and its impact on sexual and relationship satisfaction. Conducted by Christine E. Leistner and her team from the Department of Public Health and Health Services Administration at California State University, Chico, the research utilized data from 246 couples to explore how expressions of affection, compliments, and fondness contribute to the satisfaction and desire among partners. Utilizing both traditional statistical analysis and advanced machine learning techniques, the study revealed that positive communication, encompassing acts like showing affection and giving compliments, consistently leads to higher levels of satisfaction and desire in relationships for both individuals and their partners. Interestingly, the study also found nuanced differences in how various forms of positive communication, such as fondness and compliments, uniquely influence sexual satisfaction and desire.

The research highlighted that the impact of positive communication on relationship and sexual satisfaction is complex, with certain combinations of communication types producing different effects based on factors like age and the balance of compliments and affection. For example, while fondness and compliments were identified as strong predictors of sexual satisfaction, the interaction between high levels of compliments and affection showed a surprising nonlinear relationship with sexual satisfaction. In some cases, an abundance of both compliments and affection predicted an increase in sexual satisfaction, whereas, for others, it led to a decrease. Furthermore, the study uncovered age-related differences in how perceived affection from a partner influenced sexual desire, indicating that younger individuals might experience higher sexual desire with less perceived affection, in contrast to older individuals who showed an increase in desire with more affection.

These findings underscore the importance of positive communication in enhancing the quality of romantic relationships, while also pointing to the intricate ways in which such communication interacts with individual and relationship factors. The study’s use of machine learning to reveal nonlinear interactions offers a nuanced understanding of the relationship between communication practices and satisfaction outcomes, suggesting that the effects of positive communication are not universally linear or positive for all couples.

6. Romantic Love’s Evolutionary Roots

In a thought-provoking article published in Frontiers in Psychology , researcher Adam Bode introduces a new theory suggesting that the phenomenon of romantic love may have evolved from the neurobiological and endocrinological mechanisms initially developed for mother-infant bonding. This theory challenges the traditional view, proposed by Helen Fisher, that categorizes sex drive, romantic attraction, and attachment as three distinct emotional systems evolved independently. Bode’s theory posits that romantic love and mother-infant bonding share significant psychological, neurological, and hormonal similarities, indicating that romantic love might be an adaptation of the bonding process between mothers and their infants.

The evidence supporting this theory includes observed behaviors and emotional patterns common to both mother-infant bonding and romantic love, such as intense emotional connections, a desire for physical closeness, and exclusive attention to the loved one. Brain imaging studies have also shown overlapping activity in regions associated with love and bonding, including areas rich in oxytocin and vasopressin receptors, which are crucial for social and emotional behaviors. Furthermore, the presence of high levels of oxytocin in individuals in the early stages of romantic relationships mirrors the hormonal patterns observed in new mothers, reinforcing the idea that these types of love share common biological pathways.

Bode’s theory suggests a fundamental shift in how we understand romantic love, framing it as an evolutionarily repurposed mechanism that builds on the foundation of maternal-infant attachment. This perspective not only deepens our comprehension of human emotional and social bonds but also underscores the intricate ways in which evolutionary processes have shaped our experiences of love and attachment. As this theory continues to be explored and tested through future research, it holds the potential to offer new insights into the evolution of human relationships and the universal nature of love.

7. Goal Coordination and Life Satisfaction in Couples

A study published in the International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology explored the dynamics of how romantic couples in Hungary support each other in achieving personal goals and how this support influences their life satisfaction. The research, led by Orsolya Rosta-Filep and colleagues, focused on the concept of goal coordination, which involves partners aligning their efforts and resources to help each other reach their personal objectives. Through the analysis of 215 heterosexual couples, the study found that those who effectively coordinated on their personal goals not only made more progress in attaining these goals but also experienced higher levels of life satisfaction. This suggests that when couples work together towards their individual ambitions, they not only become better partners but also enjoy a more satisfying life together.

The methodology of the study involved participants evaluating their personal projects and the level of coordination with their partners at the beginning of the study and then assessing their progress and life satisfaction a year later. The findings indicated a clear link between successful goal attainment and increased life satisfaction, highlighting the importance of communication, cooperation, and emotional support in this process. However, the study also noted that goal coordination alone did not directly lead to life satisfaction; the key was the effectiveness of these coordinated efforts. If couples felt supported by their partners and saw tangible results from their joint efforts, this led to long-term life satisfaction, underscoring the value of not just supporting each other’s goals but doing so in a way that yields actual progress.

The research provides valuable evidence on the significance of couples supporting each other’s personal goals and the positive impact this can have on their relationship and overall happiness. The findings advocate for couples to not only coordinate their efforts around each other’s goals but also to ensure these efforts are effective, enhancing both individual and shared life satisfaction.

8. Sexual Activity, Health, and Longevity in Hypertensive Patients

A recent study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine has found that regular sexual activity may lead to improved health outcomes and longer life spans for middle-aged individuals diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure). This research, which analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the United States between 2005 and 2014, involved over 4,500 participants. It revealed that hypertensive patients engaging in more frequent sexual activities tend to have a significantly lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those with less sexual activity.

The significance of this study lies in its exploration of the link between sexual frequency and survival rates in people with hypertension, a condition known for its severe complications and absence of symptoms, making it a silent threat to public health. Researchers discovered that participants who reported having sexual intercourse 12-51 times a year, or more than 51 times a year, demonstrated a notably lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who had sexual activity less than 12 times a year. This association persisted even after adjusting for factors like age, gender, education level, body mass index, smoking status, and existing medical conditions, highlighting a potentially protective effect of sexual activity on overall health in hypertensive patients.

9. Humor’s Vital Role in Sustaining Romantic Connections

A study published in Psychological Science by Kenneth Tan and colleagues from Singapore Management University reveals the significant role of humor in strengthening and maintaining romantic relationships. This research, which involved 108 couples from a large university in Singapore, utilized a daily-diary method to collect 1,227 daily assessments over seven consecutive days. Participants reported their daily experiences of humor within their relationships, as well as their levels of relationship satisfaction, commitment, and perceived partner commitment. The findings suggest that humor acts as a powerful tool for signaling and maintaining interest in a romantic partner, with individuals reporting greater humor engagement on days when they felt more satisfied and committed to their relationships.

The study supports the “interest-indicator model” of humor, proposing that humor is not merely a trait that attracts individuals to each other during the early stages of a relationship but continues to play a crucial role in expressing and reinforcing commitment and satisfaction within established relationships. The researchers found that positive relationship quality was associated with increased humor production and perception, indicating that couples use humor to enhance their relationship quality and signal ongoing interest. Interestingly, the study did not find significant gender differences in the use of humor, challenging the stereotype that men use humor more frequently to attract mates.

These insights highlight the importance of humor in romantic relationships, suggesting that engaging in humorous interactions can contribute to a more satisfying and committed relationship. The research opens up new avenues for exploring the impact of humor in various relationship contexts, including work and parent-child relationships, and how humor might influence perceptions of a partner’s other positive traits, such as creativity, intelligence, and warmth.

10. The Influence of Self-Transcendence Values on Relationship Satisfaction

A study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin by Reine C. van der Wal and colleagues delves into how personal values, specifically self-transcendence values such as equality, kindness, and compassion, influence the quality of romantic relationships. Through four studies involving over a thousand participants, the researchers explored the connection between these values and relationship satisfaction. They discovered that individuals who prioritize self-transcendence values tend to report higher relationship satisfaction. Interestingly, the presence of these values in one partner did not significantly affect the other partner’s sense of relationship quality, suggesting that these values enhance satisfaction mainly for the individuals who hold them.

This research builds on Schwartz’s Value Theory, which categorizes human values into dimensions like self-enhancement versus self-transcendence and openness to change versus conservation. The study specifically found that self-transcendence values, which focus on caring for and accepting others, are positively associated with the quality of romantic relationships. In contrast, values related to self-enhancement, such as seeking power or personal success, were linked to lower relationship quality. The findings underscore the importance of altruistic values in fostering a healthy and satisfying romantic partnership, highlighting how personal values play a crucial role in relationship dynamics.

Overall, the study provides valuable evidence that prioritizing self-transcendence values within romantic relationships can contribute to greater satisfaction and underscores the potential impact of personal values on the health and longevity of these relationships.

These studies, each shining a light on different facets of romantic relationships, collectively contribute to a deeper understanding of the psychology of love. By exploring the myriad factors that influence our connections with romantic partners, science offers valuable insights into the art of maintaining healthy, fulfilling relationships.

Online dating and relationship success: The potential role of social media sharing

A study found that couples who met through online dating experienced better relationship success when they discussed their relationship on social media, while those who didn’t engage in such discussions showed less favorable outcomes, especially in marriages.

Eye-tracking study sheds light on sex differences in evaluations of online dating profiles

A new study shows that men focus mainly on physical attractiveness in online dating profiles, while women consider both looks and financial stability. Interestingly, men paid more attention to less attractive women when they had high-paying jobs.

High-pitched female voices encourage male risk-taking, but only if men think it boosts their attractiveness

Recent research found that high-pitched female voices made men more likely to take risks, but only when they believed it would make them more attractive to women. If they thought women preferred cautious men, the effect was reversed.

Husbands of employed wives report greater happiness and self-esteem

A new study suggests that wives tend to have a greater influence on their husbands' self-esteem and happiness than vice versa, with husbands of employed wives reporting higher psychological well-being compared to those with stay-at-home wives.

Recreational cannabis laws linked to rise in intimate partner violence

A study found that recreational marijuana legalization is associated with a 20% rise in intimate partner violence.

Attractive faces influence fairness decisions, reducing negative reactions to unfair proposals

A new study reveals that facial attractiveness and positive personality traits independently reduce negative emotional responses to unfair offers in economic decision-making, highlighting that beauty and charm can bias fairness judgments.

How sexual expression influences long-term marital satisfaction in older couples

A new study provides evidence that sexual expression—encompassing behaviors, desires, and attitudes—plays a key role in long-term marital satisfaction for older couples, emphasizing the importance of sexual health and intimacy for sustaining relationship satisfaction as people age.

The surprising connections between dating options and mental health

New research suggests that perceived mate availability is linked to mental health, with fewer dating options associated with increased anxiety and depression for those with low mate value, while an abundance of options is unexpectedly tied to worse mental health for those with high mate value.

STAY CONNECTED

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Doctor of Philosophy

PhD in Couple & Family Therapy

Degree Requirements

Career outlook, learning outcomes.

Admission / Cost & Aid

Additional Info

LICENSURE INFO

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

2024-2025 Program Handbook

2024-2025 Advanced Practical Experience Handbook

2023-2024 Program Handbook

Past Dissertations on AURA

Program Demographics

Foster strong interpersonal bonds.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Couple and Family Therapy (PhD in CFT) has a focus on Social Justice applications to couple and family therapy and prepares graduates for academic, leadership, supervision, and research careers. There is considerable focus on research training in this doctoral degree, and as a degree in CFT, there is also a clinical training component. In everything we do, we emphasize principles of social justice, and our students learn about ways to apply social justice principles in research, teaching and supervision, and clinical work.

This program is NOT designed to lead to state licensure. This degree is offered by Antioch University’s New England campus.

Antioch University New England’s Couple and Family Therapy programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). This specialized professional accreditation ensures that the program meets national standards not just state or regional standards for couple and family therapy education. The MA program has been accredited since 1993 and the PhD program since 2010.

Program Overview

AUNE’s PhD in CFT program is a low-residency program, designed to be completed in three years of full-time enrollment, with two years of coursework and practice experience, and one year of dissertation. Face-to-face meetings (residencies) will take place 3 times per year, and each residency is 5 days long. Between residencies, you will be working on class material and applying CFT concepts in clinical and teaching/supervision/leadership advanced practical experiences. Much of the learning will be facilitated online in a flexible format, and there will be weekly professional seminar meetings (group supervision experiences) facilitated online via video and/or voice conferencing. Students are not required to be located in the New England area, only to attend the residencies as scheduled, and still receive the benefits of regular face-to-face contact with instructors and fellow students. In this program, you will be able to use current clinical or training work positions as learning opportunities in these advanced practical experiences. For students who are located in New England, we have clinical and supervision training opportunities on campus at the Antioch University Couple and Family Therapy Institute, our campus-based training clinic for Master’s and Doctoral students.  For students who are not local, we will assist you in finding suitable locations to get clinical and supervisory/leadership experiences.  Clinical experiences in the program are designed to lead to licensure for those students who are not yet licensed. The PhD may also serve as a qualifying degree for licensure for those whose Master’s degree does not fit licensure requirements. The PhD in CFT program starts in the Fall semester each year, and students enter as a cohort. We work to build the cohorts as collaborative learning environments, and cohorts move through the program together. Each course in the program has a residency component and an online component, and student learning is evaluated through the successful completion of learning achievements. Students in the program will develop an academic portfolio that includes learning achievements dedicated to clinical theory, research, teaching, supervision and leadership, all with an emphasis on social justice. Residencies Residencies are intense gatherings combining seminars, workshops, guest lectures, advising sessions, peer discussions, and student presentations. Each of the three residencies are five days of classes, plus travel days. The fall residency typically takes place on our Keene, NH campus in September, the spring residency typically takes place on our Los Angeles, CA campus in January, and our summer residency typically takes place on our Seattle, WA campus in June.

Program Length – 86 to 89 Credits By the conclusion of the advanced practical experience requirements, the student must have spent one year, typically the first year (3 semesters), engaged in supervised clinical practice and one year (year 2 – 3 semesters) engaged in additional practical experience (teaching, consultation, leadership, and/or supervision). Students must have a clinical master’s degree in a mental health field to be eligible for admission to the PhD program in CFT. Students without a background in CFT will be required to take additional prerequisite coursework. Note: Advanced practical experience placements may require criminal background checks as well as verification of up-to-date vaccinations. Additional degree requirements:

• Satisfactory completion of a doctoral dissertation that demonstrates doctoral-level scholarship.
• Satisfactory performance on the Qualifying Examinations at the end of the second academic year.
• Students must attend six residencies across the first two years of the program. Residencies are held near the beginning of each semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer).
• Full-time students have a maximum of six years from initial enrollment to complete all course requirements, practical experience requirements, and dissertation.

Details of coursework sequence and course descriptions can be found in the AUNE Academic Catalog .

Graduates of the PhD program in Couple and Family Therapy work in a variety of clinical and academic settings. We have graduates teaching in MFT and HDFS programs while others are engaged in private practice or organizational leadership roles. The PhD opens doors for those interested in research, teaching and supervision, leadership, and advanced clinical work.

Additional Information

Graduate achievement criteria.

As a Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) accredited doctoral program, we are required to report a number of student achievement criteria on our website. VIEW REPORT

Social Justice Focus

Social justice informs our thinking about training in the PhD program. We see social justice in Marriage and Family Therapy education as involving the following key concepts:

• Social justice implies an explicit action orientation.
• Diversity includes ability, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and country of origin, age, social class, religion, and gender (that is, systems that affect individual and family access to power and resources). Particular focus is on underserved and high-risk families.
• Diversity also includes diverse family structures, including extended kinship networks, gay and lesbian families, step-families, etc.
• Social justice involves recognizing that social and legal systems affect people we work with
• Social justice researchers have a responsibility to do socially informed research, which is sensitive to diversity.
• Social justice clinical practice is focused on helping diverse families and contributes to the positive development of these families and their communities.

Statement on Diversity

Diversity is defined in terms of differences between groups of people with respect to structural disadvantage and systemic marginalization. These differences are related to such factors as gender, sexual identity, social class, ethnicity, race, religion, spirituality, age, health/ability, immigrant status, etc.

Antioch University as a system is committed to issues of social justice and diversity. To this end, we work to support diversity in as many ways as we can within the program. However, Antioch University New England is located in an area with very little racial diversity (New Hampshire is 94% White and Keene is nearly 95% White). As a result, our faculty, supervisors, and students largely represent the area demographics in terms of racial diversity. However, because our clinical sites are located all over New England, many of our students work with families from a wide range of socio-economic statuses and religious backgrounds, and in some of the urban areas, immigrant groups. Our department faculty includes White women and men who are heterosexual, lesbian, disabled, and multi-generational. Our adjunct faculty and field supervisors are fairly evenly split in terms of gender and are mostly White, with one or two Latino and African American supervisors, depending upon the yearly distribution of clinical sites. Our student body in the master’s program is predominantly female (about 85%) and mostly White at this time, but again it reflects a diversity of socio-economic backgrounds, religious backgrounds, and sexual orientations. One aspect of diversity in our student population is age diversity, which has run from 22 to 68 years old. Our doctoral program student body tends to be very diverse and includes African American, Vietnamese American, Iranian American, Korean, and Turkish students.

Take  your  next step – talk to our admissions team.

Program Director

Kevin Lyness, PhD

Department Chair, Applied Psychology and Program Director of PhD in Couple & Family Therapy at Antioch University New England.

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PhD in Couple and Family Therapy Faculty

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Social Justice Focus Statement on Diversity Understanding the Benefits of Marriage & Family Therapy (Video from AAMFT)

Application Deadline

Requirements

As a graduate school providing doctoral-level education, Antioch University New England assesses an applicant’s academic experience and promise; personal and interpersonal competence; and professional experience and promise. Our aim is to attract a talented, committed student body, marked by personal, ethnic, and cultural diversity. All doctoral students must maintain a full-time course load. Waiving required courses will be approved only in exceptional situations. Transfer coursework from another accredited doctoral program will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. A degree from a CFT master’s program or other clinical master’s program is required.

How to Apply

• Complete the online admissions application (includes a non-refundable $50 application fee).
• email transcripts to [email protected] , or
• mail to: Office of Admissions Antioch University New England 40 Avon Street Keene NH 03431-3516
• Personal Statement
• Work Sample
• Three Letters of Recommendation – signed across the seal of the envelope
• If the applicant’s master’s degree is pending, we request a letter from the registrar with the anticipated date of graduation.

Admissions applications materials should be mailed to: Office of Doctoral Admissions Antioch University New England 40 Avon Street Keene, New Hampshire 03431-3516

An interview with an Admissions Committee is required. Only those applicants who are judged to be an excellent fit with the educational goals of the program on the basis of their completed application materials will be invited for an interview. Interviews will take place between the end of February and the middle of March.

Admissions Decisions

Admissions decisions are made by a Doctoral Admissions Committee composed of faculty and admissions counselors. All completed applicant files will be evaluated, and the most suitable applicants will be invited for interviews. Applicants will be notified of the final admissions decision in April. We cannot give applicants specific feedback about their admissions decisions. All candidates who are accepted to the program must confirm their decision to enroll by submitting a $500.00 non-refundable deposit to hold their place.

International students must submit certified evidence of financial support for their educational and living expenses while at Antioch University New England. Applicants must request from the Office of Admissions the proper form for submitting this certified information. (This information is required in order to complete the I-20 paperwork for obtaining an F-1 student visa.)

Tuition & Financial Aid

Doctoral education is an investment in your future.  Let us help you understand the costs and explore the resources available to help make your college education even more affordable. The majority of AUNE students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public, and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AUNE.

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PhD Admissions

The PhD program in Psychology trains students for careers in research and teaching. In addition to a wide range of courses, the PhD program is characterized by close collaboration between students and their faculty advisors. 

General Information

The Department of Psychology holistically reviews each candidate's complete application to assess the promise of a career in teaching and research. Consideration is based on various factors, including courses taken, grade point average, letters of recommendation, and the statement of purpose. Additionally, the Department of Psychology places considerable emphasis on research training, and admitted students have often been involved in independent research as undergraduate students or post-baccalaureate settings. Although there are no course requirements for admission, all applicants should have sufficient foundational knowledge and research experience to engage in graduate-level coursework and research.

We accept students with undergraduate degrees and those with both undergraduate and master's degrees. An undergraduate psychology major is not required; the Department welcomes applicants from other academic backgrounds.

Our application portal is now OPEN for the AY25-26 admissions cycle.

How to Apply

Application and deadline.

Our 2025-26 Admissions application will open on September 15, 2024.

Applications will be due on November 22, 2024

The deadline for letters of recommendation will be  November 22, 2024 . 

Once an applicant submits the recommenders' information, the recommenders will receive an automated email with instructions for submitting the letter. Late letters should be sent directly to psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (psych-admissions[at]stanford[dot]edu) . Staff will add them to the application file if the review process is still underway. Still, the faculty reviewers are not obligated to re-review files for materials submitted after the deadline.

Generally, students will hear from us by the end of January. 

The status of submitted applications can be viewed anytime by logging in to the   application portal . 

The deadline to apply for the '25-26 PhD cohort this year is  November 22, 2024 . Applicants who are admitted to the program will matriculate in Autumn 2025. 

Our next admissions cycle will open in September 2025 and have a November 2025 deadline.

In addition to the information below, please review the  Graduate Admissions  website prior to starting your application. The Department of Psychology does not have rolling admissions. We admit for the Autumn term only.

Requirements

• U.S. Bachelor's degree or its  foreign equivalent
• Statement of Purpose (submitted electronically as part of the graduate application). You will be able to specify three  Psychology Department faculty members , in order of preference, with whom you would like to work. 
• Three  Letters of Recommendation  (submitted electronically). A maximum of six letters will be accepted.
• Unofficial transcripts from all universities and colleges you have attended for at least one year must be uploaded to the graduate application. Applicants who reach the interview stage will be asked to provide official transcripts as well; Department staff will reach out to these applicants with instructions for submitting official transcripts. Please do  not  submit official transcripts with your initial application.
• Required for non-native English speakers: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores, submitted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) electronically to Stanford. 

Application Fee

The fee to apply for graduate study at Stanford is $125. Fee waivers are available for some applicants. Please visit Graduate Admissions for information on applying for an  Application Fee Waiver .

Application Review & Status Check

The Department of Psychology welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. The review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

To check the status or activity of your application, please log into your  application account . You can also send reminders to recommenders who have not yet submitted their letter of recommendation.

Due to limited bandwidth, the Department of Psychology staff will not answer any phone or email queries about application status, including requests to confirm the receipt of official transcripts.

Our faculty will interview prospective students before making final admission decisions. Candidates who progress to the interview round will be informed in January. Interviews are generally conducted in February.

The Department of Psychology recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

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For More Information

Please see our  list of Frequently Asked Questions  and  psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (contact us)  should you have additional questions.

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Psychology: Social-Personality PhD

College of arts and sciences, program description.

Social psychology is the scientific study of how behavior is influenced by the presence of other people. The topical areas of study in our doctoral program include: attitudes, automaticity, close relationships, goal pursuit, pro-social and anti-social behavior, self and self-regulation, social perception, stereotyping and intergroup relations, and stress and coping. Students work within the general program requirements to tailor their education to fit their own interests and professional goals through the selection of research projects and electives.

Mary Wlodarczyk 213 Park Hall Buffalo, NY 14260 Email: [email protected] Phone: 716-645-8617 Fax: 716-645-3801

Instruction Method

• In Person   (100 percent of courses offered in person)

Full/Part Time Options

Credits required, time-to-degree, application fee, admission tests**.

This program is officially registered with the New York State Education Department (SED).

** At least one of the admissions tests are required for admission. Test and score requirements/exceptions vary by program. Contact the department for details.

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Psychology Graduate Program

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Please note that our GRE General Test score requirements for admission have changed. For candidates seeking Fall 2025 admission: -  required for applicants to the Clinical Science area  -  optional but recommended for applicants to the Social, Developmental, and CBB areas*  As  of Ma y 2024, GRE General Test scores will be required for all applicants seeking Fall 2026 admission.  The  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences welcomes applications for admission from individuals who have or will have by the time of matriculation a BA, BS, or equivalent undergraduate degree (for prospective international students, a three- or four-year undergraduate degree from an institution of recognized standing) and actively seeks applicants from groups historically  underrepresented in graduate schools . All degree candidates are admitted for full-time study beginning in the fall term.

Immigration status does not factor into decisions about admissions and financial aid. For more information, see  Undocumented at Harvard .

If you already hold a PhD or its equivalent, or are an advanced doctoral candidate at another institution, you may apply to a PhD program only if it is in an unrelated field of study; however, preference for admissions and financial aid will be given to those who have not already had an opportunity to study for a doctoral degree at Harvard or elsewhere. You may also want to consider pursuing non-degree study through our  Special Student or Visiting Fellow  programs.

Eligible Harvard College students with advanced standing may apply in the fall of their junior year to earn an AM or SM degree during their final year of undergraduate study. Interested students must contact the  Office of Undergraduate Education  for eligibility details before applying.

Questions about the application or required materials should be directed to the Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions Office at  [email protected] or 617-496-6100. 

Harvard Griffin GSAS does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification. 

Required Application Materials

Please refer to Completing Your Application on the Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions site for details.  A complete application consists of:

Online application form

Application fee payment ($105) -  Application fee waivers are available to those for whom payment of the application fee would be financially challenging. Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been completed, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility.

Transcripts

Letters of recommendation (at least 3)

Statement of purpose

Personal statement

Demonstration of English proficiency

GRE General Test scores:   -  required for applicants to the Clinical Science area  -  optional but recommended for applicants to the Social, Developmental, and CBB areas* As of May 2024, GRE General Test scores will be required for all applicants seeking Fall 2026 admission. 

Harvard Griffin GSAS may request additional academic documents, as needed.

*Graduate student admissions are among the most important decisions we make as a department. Like many other PhD programs around the US and abroad, we have wrestled with the question of whether we should continue to require that applicants to our PhD program submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of their application. After extensive review of the scientific literature and robust discussion among our faculty, we have decided to continue to make submission of GRE scores optional, but to Recommend that students submit GRE scores if they are able to do so. We wanted to share our candid thoughts on this here.  

A number of empirical and review papers have noted that performance on the GRE is not a strong predictor of performance on a number of graduate school metrics (e.g., correlation with graduate school GPA = .21-.31, which represent small to medium effect sizes; Woo et al., 2023) and that the fact that the significant group differences (by race/ethnicity and gender) in GRE scores suggest it may discourage those from underrepresented groups from applying to PhD programs. Other research has shown that although there are limitations to the GRE, other potential predictors of success in graduate school have even smaller correlations with such outcomes, and removing the GRE would lead us to rely on these other potentially biased factors, such as where a person received their undergraduate degree, what research lab they had the opportunity to train in, and letters of recommendation.(1) We have heard anecdotally from current and former PhD students (including those historically underrepresented in PhD programs) who argue that the GRE helped them demonstrate their abilities when they didn’t attend a top undergraduate institution or work in a well-known research lab.  

On balance, we acknowledge that the GRE is an imperfect test and should not be used as the single deciding factor in admissions; however, we fear that excluding it altogether will introduce more, not less, bias into the admissions decision-making process. Thus, we have decided to keep the submission of GRE scores optional, but to recommend that students submit their scores if they are able to do so.  

We know that many students might expect that we are looking for near-perfect scores as a requirement for admission. We are not. We do not use a rigid threshold for GRE scores, and take it into consideration with other factors (e.g., strong performance in undergraduate statistics might be used to demonstrate quantitative abilities in place of strong performance on the quantitative section of the GRE). To be transparent about this, we note that our past 10 years’ of admitted PhD applicants have had scores on the GRE ranging on the Quantitative section from the 38th to the 98th percentile, and on the Verbal section ranging from the 59th to the 99th percentile.(2 )

We will continue to work toward determining how to make admissions decisions in a way that identifies the candidates who match best with what our PhD training program has to offer and in doing so may make further adjustments to our admissions requirements in future admissions cycles.  

(1) For a review of these issues, see: Woo, S. E., LeBreton, J. M., Keith, M. G., & Tay, L. (2023). Bias, Fairness, and Validity in Graduate-School Admissions: A Psychometric Perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916211055374  

(2) Note: Test scores were not required for the past 3 years and so are largely unavailable for that period. 

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Explore this Section

We’re a team of faculty, staff and graduate students who are working together to develop knowledge about risk, protective factors, couple development and marriage education to enhance marital and family relationships. Read on to learn more about our team’s research interests and backgrounds.

Yunying (Annie) Le, Research Assistant Professor

Yunying (Annie) Le , Ph.D. (she/her/hers), is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver. She was born and raised in Shanghai, China and received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from the Pennsylvania State University. Her research is situated at the intersection of couple relationship health, prevention/intervention, and research methodology. Specifically, using advanced quantitative methods, she conducts translational work evaluating couple-based intervention targeting at-risk couples as well as basic research on relational processes within couples as they adapt to stress across normative transitions and non-normative experiences. Her goal is to develop and adapt prevention and intervention programs that promote couples’ relationship health at different stages across the lifespan.

View Yunying Le's publications .

Howard Markman,  John Evans Distinguished Professor, Co-Director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies

Howard Markman , Ph.D., is a Distinguished University Professor of Psychology at the University of Denver and Co-director of the Family Research Center. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association Division of Family Psychology and the Association of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy. His awards include the Distinguished Contributions to Family Therapy Research Award from American Association to Family Therapy.

Dr. Markman is the developer of the internationally known evidence based couples relationship education program, PREP (The Prevention and Relationship Education Program). He is one of the leading researchers in the areas of couples, marriage, divorce-prevention, couples relationship education and therapy in the world. He has written over 100 books and scientific articles in the couples and family field including the bestselling couples relationship education book, Fighting FOR Your Marriage (Wiley/Jossey-Bass, 2010). He has had grants from NIMH, NSF and NICHD since 1980 to support his research at the University of Denver. He also has practice in couples therapy and gives workshops for couples and he is the Director of the University of Denver’s Couples Clinic. The PREP program is widely used in the U.S. Military and in over 10 countries around the world including, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore, Israel, Estonia, Australia, Austria, Colombia, Germany, and Chile. PREP has cited by the CDC as a research-based program that can prevent or ameliorate Inter partner violence and has been reviewed by the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and is listed in the U. S. Government’s (SAMHSA) registry of evidence-based programs and practices. A new on-line version of PREP is available and several RCT’s has found positive findings including increasing relationship quality and decreasing IPV. Dr. Markman has appeared in the local and national media, including Oprah, Today Show, 20-20, NY Times, CNN, WSJ, Denver Post, Jerusalem Post, Washington Post, and NPR etc. and gives talks and workshops around the world.

View Howard Markman's publications .

Nicholas Perry, Research Assistant Professor

Nicholas Perry , Ph.D. (he/him) is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver. He completed his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Utah in 2018 and his clinical psychology internship and postdoctoral research fellowship at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. His program of research focuses on sexual and gender minority health through a couple and family lens, as well as the implementation and evaluation of community-based programs to strengthen relationships and reduce health disparities.

His active research projects include: (1) an NIH-funded (R01MD018167; PI: Perry) longitudinal study examining sexual minority couples’ health and relationships in the newlywed period using quantitative, qualitative, and psychophysiological methods; (2) an American Psychological Foundation-funded study (MPI: Perry, Goldstein) of daily health behaviors and relationship functioning among sexual minority female couples who are of higher body weight using ecological momentary assessment and Fitbit data; and (3) a Mental Research Institute-funded (MPI: Perry, Harkness) project tailoring and piloting an evidence-based relationship education program for Latino sexual minority men via community stakeholder input. He also collaborates closely with Drs. Rhoades, Stanley, and Le on several other ongoing federally-funded projects. He also maintains a small private practice where he sees adult and couples, primarily from the LGBTQIA+ community. In his spare time, he loves Colorado’s outdoors, as well as trying to improve his game in his queer rec dodgeball league. 

View Nicholas Perry's publications .

Galena Rhoades, Research Professor, Director of the Institute for Relationship Science

Galena Rhoades , Ph.D., is the Director of the Institute for Relationship Science Center and a Research Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver. Her research program focuses on romantic relationship development and predictors of relationship success, maternal health and mental health, and evaluations of community-based relationship education and coaching programs for teens, adults, and couples. She has over 100 publications in these areas. She also founded a non-profit in Denver, Thriving Families , that offers MotherWise , a program for women during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as mental health support. She also has a small private practice where she conducts individual and couple therapy.

View Galena Rhoades' publications .

Scott Stanley, Research Professor, Co-Director of the Institute for Relationship Science

Scott Stanley , Ph.D. is a research professor at the University of Denver. He is an expert in family psychology, focusing on commitment, conflict, cohabitation, relationship development, and the prevention of relationship distress/dissolution. He has published extensively, both in peer-reviewed journals and scholarly book chapters, and is widely sought after as a research consultant, providing input to many research projects around the U.S. Along with colleagues such as Dr. Howard Markman and Dr. Galena Rhoades, Stanley has conducted research on relationship education since the early 1980s, mostly funded by grants (to one of these three scholars) from the National Institutes of Health or the Administration for Children and Families. Stanley and Rhoades have also conducted research on cohabitation, relationship development, and commitment, also funded by the National Institutes of Health. This research has influenced efforts aimed at helping individuals improve their relationship decision-making in consequential relationships. Stanley writes blog articles on relationship development, commitment, asymmetrical commitment, marriage, cohabitation, and relationship education at slidingvsdeciding.com .

View Scott Stanley's publications .

Nandi Dube, Research Assistant

Anely Alamo, Project Coordinator

Anely Alamo is a Project Coordinator in the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver. She earned her Bachelors in Health Sciences and Minors in Psychology from the University of West Texas A&M in 2020. Anely also has experience in clinical and administrative settings which fall in with her professional interests in obstetric care, labor and delivery and neonatal intensive care. On her time off, she enjoys the beautiful Colorado scenery, reading and giving all the love to her dog, Zoey.

Claire Chapman, Research Assistant

Claire Chapman (she/her/hers) is a Research Assistant in the Institute for Relationship Science at the University of Denver. She earned her Bachelors in Psychology from UMass Amherst in 2020. Claire has a clinical research background in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and asthma clinical trials. Claire is interested in exploring the bidirectional forces of the environment and psychopathology as it relates to family and marital health. She is passionate about teaching positive communication styles to at-risk adolescents and their family members.

View Claire Chapman's publications .

Carra Gilson, Project Manager

Carra Gilson (she/her/hers) is a Project Manager in the Institute for Relationship Science at the University of Denver. She earned her Bachelors and Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from  The Ohio State University (2019, 2020). With experience in clinical, interpersonal, and community-based applications of study and service, she maintains a passion at the intersection of human trafficking survivorship and maternal/ infant health outcomes.  At the Institute, Carra supports the evaluation of many healthy relationship programs delivered to youth, adults and couples across the country. Additionally, Carra manages the data for MotherWise , a local organization that provides relationship education and supportive services to birthing people who are either expecting or have recently given birth. Most recently, Carra was trained as a certified Doula and is serving patients at Denver Health.

View Carra Gilson's  publications .

Dominique Harlan, Project Coordinator

Dominique Harlan (she/her), BA, is a project coordinator at the University of Denver’s Institute for Relationship Science. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Colorado Denver, where she double majored in Psychology and Ethnic Studies. She is passionate about trauma psychology. This was an area of interest that was solidified during her time at the University of Colorado Denver as she sought to understand the multi-faceted experiences of racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S., along with how racism and inequity are systemically upheld and compounded. As a result, she is interested in continuing to explore the vastness of trauma psychology and how it can be applied to other social positions, including sexual and gender minorities.

Jenny Lee, Research Assistant

Jenny Lee (she/her/hers) is a research assistant in the Institute for Relationship Science at the University of Denver. She earned her Bachelors in Epidemiology from the University of Rochester. Jenny also has experience in clinical settings, program development, and UI/UX design which compliment her current interests in adolescent development and wellness. During her free time, she likes to travel, eat, and explore high quality teas.

Daphne Yunjing Liu, Postdoctoral Fellow

Daphne Liu, PhD (she/her) is a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Relationship Science at the University of Denver. Her research interests center around emotion regulation, psychopathology, and romantic relationships. She has pursued several lines of research, including (1) how emotion regulation uniquely manifests in psychopathology (e.g., major depressive disorder), (2) how people regulate emotion in social relationships (e.g., romantic relationships), and (3) the link between romantic relationships and mental health. Besides her research endeavors, Daphne is a licensed clinical psychologist with a generalist training background and a specialization in couples therapy. She received her PhD in Psychological and Brain Sciences, with a Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Data Analysis, from Washington University in St. Louis, and completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship at Emory University School of Medicine. Prior to joining the University of Denver, Daphne completed a one-year clinical/research postdoctoral fellowship at Stony Brook University. 

View Daphne Liu's  publications .

John Miller, Graduate Research Assistant, PhD Student, Clinical Psychology 

John Miller, JD (he/him/his) is a PhD student in the Institute for Relationship Science and the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver. His research interests center around romantic and peer relationships, relationship education, and mood disorders, as well as psychological law, ethics, and policy. Prior to joining the University of Denver, he received a B.A. in Political Science at Adelphi University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Outside the lab, John enjoys nature walks, photography, reading, and just about every genre of film. 

View John Miller’s publications .

Paige Vuksanovich, Project Coordinator

Paige Vuksanovich (she/her/hers) is a project coordinator for the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver. She earned a Bachelor's in Psychology from SUNY Albany (2020), and a Master's in Educational Psychology and Quantitative Methods from SUNY Buffalo (2023). Paige has experience with research methods and statistical analysis, and is interested in applying these skills to researching areas of equity and diversity in education. On her days off, you can find Paige snowboarding, hiking, or taking pictures of Colorado wildflowers.

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Graduate Academic Programs

Ph.D. in Psychology: Social-Personality

Wayne State's Ph.D. in Social-Personality trains students for research and teaching careers in a variety of settings. Coursework provides students with foundational knowledge about classic and contemporary issues in social and personality psychology, research methods and statistics.

Our research training philosophy is built on the apprenticeship model; students work closely on multiple research projects with one or more faculty members as they develop their research interests and methodological skills. Social and personality faculty members and doctoral students conduct theoretically rigorous research that addresses both basic and applied questions about human behavior at the intersection of individuals and their social environment.

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See graduate admissions for more information.

Five key strengths of our program

Students become involved in many types of research, which provide opportunities to:

• Examine basic and applied research issues
• Work with a variety of research methods including experimental designs, survey research, interventions, behavioral observation, experience sampling, alcohol administration, hormone assays and implicit/automatic processing
• Participate in a multidisciplinary research team

Specialized minors

Students minor in quantitative psychology, health psychology or develop a specialized minor that meets their career goals.

Teaching skills

Students develop teaching skills, first as a teaching assistant and later teaching an independent course. There are multiple department and campus resources available to help students enhance their teaching effectiveness.

Students have a mentoring team of three faculty members (their primary advisor and two others they choose) who provide career guidance throughout their time as a doctoral student.

Professional development

Students participate in a weekly brown bag series that is organized by second and third-year students. Research presentations are made by students, program faculty and faculty from other institutions. Professional development sessions address a variety of topics including career options and research funding opportunities.

Faculty members in the social-personality area are broadly interested in motivation, goal conflict, close relationships, personality, sexual aggression, stress and health.

Some of the specific research questions that faculty members are currently examining include:

• What are the processes underlying romantic relationship satisfaction and stability?
• Is risk and self-defeating behavior a sign of self-regulatory failure or strategic pursuit of people's goals?
• How do interpersonal stressors affect health and behavior?
• How can personality trait standing be modified to improve health status?
• What psychological experiences mediate and moderate social status and racial health disparities?
• Do stress biomarkers mediate the relationship between risky family environments and negative health outcomes?
• What is alcohol's role in sexual assault?
• What risk and protective factors predict men's likelihood of committing acts of sexual aggression?
• How can the "in the moment" decisions that people make when intoxicated be examined in experimental research?
• How do insecurities affect people's willingness to settle for less in relationships?
• Why do some people have greater difficulty getting over their romantic ex-partners?
• To what extent do personality traits, social investment and self-regulation influence someone's probability of engaging in excessive alcohol consumption?
• How do people solve goal conflict?

Graduate students

Prospective graduate students should review faculty profiles and contact potential advisors directly prior to submitting an application to ensure the faculty member is currently accepting new students.

Some recent courses offered include:

• Social Psychology: Research and Theory
• Personality
• Social Cognition
• Close Relationships
• Health Psychology I: Theory and Basic Research
• Health Psychology III: Biobases of Health Psychology
• Social Psychology of Motivation
• Evolutionary Psychology of Emotions
• Seminar in Experimental Social Psychology (special topics)

Consult these materials when you first consider pursuing a doctoral degree. They provide some suggestions that should be initiated several years before you apply.

The Society for Personality and Social Psychology offers a comprehensive and user-friendly road map explicating the graduate school application process , from helping you decide which type of graduate program is right for you, to advice on how to craft personal statements and the interview process.

The American Psychological Association offers useful and very thorough guides on how to prepare for the graduate school application process , as well as some information about the factors that help you succeed once in graduate school.

Highlights of this guide include:

A series of 12 videos that offer information and instruction on each step of the graduate school application process: Preparing and Applying for Graduate School in Psychology

Detailed advice regarding important milestones students need to achieve during their undergraduate career in order to find their way into a graduate program: Before You Apply to Graduate Programs in Psychology: Knowing When You're Ready and Gaining Post-Baccalaureate Experiences

Career insights

This tool provides a broad overview of how major selection can lead to careers and is provided without any implied promise of employment. Some careers will require further education, skills, or competencies. Actual salaries may vary significantly between similar employers and could change by graduation, as could employment opportunities and job titles.

Alia Allen , academic services officer III [email protected] ,  313-577-2823

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The Research on Love: A Psychological, Scientific Perspective on Love

Dr. Nina Mikirova

And now here is this topic about love, the subject without which no movie, novel, poem or song can exist. This topic has fascinated scientists, philosophers, historians, poets, playwrights, novelists, and songwriters. I decided to look at this subject from a scientific point of view. It was very interesting to research and to write this article, and I am hoping it will be interesting to you as a reader.

Whereas psychological science was slow to develop active interest in love, the past few decades have seen considerable growth in research on the subject.  The following is a comprehensive review of the central and well-established findings from psychologically-informed research on love and its influence in adult human relationships as presented in the article: “Love. What Is It, Why Does It Matter, and How Does It Operate?”  by H. Reis and A. Aron. A brief summary of the ideas from this article is presented below.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF LOVE RESEARCH

Most popular contemporary ideas about love can be traced to the classical Greek philosophers. Prominent in this regard is Plato’s Symposium. It is a systematic and seminal analysis whose major ideas

have probably influenced contemporary work on love more than all subsequent philosophical work combined. However, four major intellectual developments of the 19th and 20th centuries provided key insights that helped shape the agenda for current research and theory of love.

The first of these was led by Charles Darwin, who proposed that reproductive success was the central process underlying the evolution of species. Evolutionary theorizing has led directly to such currently popular concepts as mate preference, sexual mating strategies, and attachment, as well as to the adoption of a comparative approach across species.

A second important figure was Sigmund Freud. He introduced many psychodynamic principles, such as the importance of early childhood experiences, the powerful impact of motives operating outside of awareness, the role of defenses in shaping the behavioral expression of motives, and the role of sexuality as a force in human behavior.

A third historically significant figure was Margaret Mead. Mead expanded awareness with vivid descriptions of cultural variations in the expression of love and sexuality. This led researchers to consider the influence of socialization and to recognize cultural variation in many aspects of love.

The emerging women’s movement during the 1970s also contributed to a cultural climate that made the study of what had been traditionally thought of as ‘‘women’s concerns’’ not only acceptable, but in fact necessary for the science of human behavior. At the same time, a group of social psychologists were beginning their work to show that adult love could be studied experimentally and in the laboratory.

WHAT’S PSYCHOLOGY GOT TO DO WITH LOVE

What is Love?  According to authors, Reis and Aron, love is defined as a desire to enter, maintain, or expand a close, connected, and ongoing relationship with another person. Considerable evidence supports a basic distinction, first offered in 1978, between passionate love (“a state of intense longing for union with another”) and other types of romantic love, labeled companionate love (“the affection we feel for those with whom our lives are deeply entwined”).

The evidence for this distinction comes from a variety of research methods, including psychometric techniques, examinations of the behavioral and relationship consequences of different forms of romantic love, and biological studies, which are discussed in this article.  Most work has focused on identifying and measuring passionate love and several aspects of romantic love, which include two components: intimacy and commitment.  Some scholars see companionate love as a combination of intimacy and commitment, whereas others see intimacy as the central component, with commitment as a peripheral factor (but important in its own right, such as for predicting relationship longevity).

In some studies, trust and caring were considred highly prototypical of love, whereas uncertainty and butterflies in the stomach were more peripheral.

Passionate and companionate love solves different adaptation problems. Passionate love may be said to solve the attraction problem—that is, for individuals to enter into a potentially long-term mating relationship, they must identify and select suitable candidates, attract the other’s interest, engage in relationship-building behavior, and then go about reorganizing existing activities and relationships so as to include the other. All of this is strenuous, time-consuming, and disruptive. Consequently, passionate love is associated with many changes in cognition, emotion, and behavior. For the most part, these changes are consistent with the idea of disrupting existing activities, routines, and social networks to orient the individual’s attention and goal-directed behavior toward a specific new partner.

Considerably less study has been devoted to understanding the evolutionary significance of the intimacy and commitment aspects of love. However, much evidence indicates that love in long-term relationships is associated with intimacy, trust, caring, and attachment; all factors that contribute to the maintenance of relationships over time.  More generally, the term companionate love may be characterized by communal relationship; a relationship built on mutual expectations that oneself and a partner will be responsive to each other’s needs.

It was speculated that companionate love, or at least the various processes associated with it, is responsible for the noted association among social relatedness, health, and well-being. In a recent series of papers, it was claimed that marriage is linked to health benefits. Having noted the positive functions of love, it is also important to consider the dark side. That is, problems in love and love relationships are a significant source of suicides, homicides, and both major and minor emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Love matters not only because it can make our lives better, but also because it is a major source of misery and pain that can make life worse.

It is also believed that research will address how culture shapes the experience and expression of love. Although both passionate and companionate love appear to be universal, it is apparent that their manifestations may be moderated by culture-specific norms and rules.

Passionate love and companionate love has profoundly different implications for marriage around the world, considered essential in some cultures but contraindicated or rendered largely irrelevant in others. For example, among U.S. college students in the 1960s, only 24% of women and 65% of men considered love to be the basis of marriage, but in the 1980s this view was endorsed by more than 80% of both women and men.

Finally, the authors believe that the future will see a better understanding of what may be the quintessential question about love: How this very individualistic feeling is shaped by experiences in interaction with particular others.

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6 Strategies for High Conflict Couples

Managing conflict differently will likely bring you closer to your partner..

Posted September 28, 2024 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

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• High-conflict couples often repeat their upsets over and over again.
• High-conflict couples typically over focus on their partner to the detriment of their own self-growth.
• Growing your communication and self-awareness skills starts a new pattern.
• Growing yourself helps the relationship improve or you will better see the reality of your situation.

When a high-conflict relationship enters my office, I usually point it out immediately. This is because it is impossible to heal and grow before you accept the reality of your situation. Otherwise, instead of developing new tools for connecting, you go round and round with the same old list of upsets.

If you feel stuck, unheard, and walk constantly on eggshells, then you and your partner are likely living with the stress of a chronic emotional crisis. As a result, feelings are pulsing; you can’t think clearly, and perspective is out of reach. If you learn to manage conflict differently you may find you feel better and closer to your partner even after a disagreement. The problem: Couples are very resistant to doing what needs to be done to initiate this new pattern.

In my experience, couples who improve always have two things in common: They accept that they are in a high-conflict relationship and each comes to recognize that they must focus on changing themselves.

Take a moment to consider whether your relationship is high-conflict and pick an area that you are willing to change on your own.

• Put your sword down: As couples lower their blades, that is to say, let go of their upset long enough to hear their partner’s upset, the dynamic shifts. For many, this act and then prioritizing what your partner has to say over yourself, feels like giving in, like being a doormat, like agreeing to things that don’t feel true or right to you. In reality, putting your sword down doesn’t mean any of these things. It means switching mental sets, and actively listening to understand your partner’s perspective. This doesn’t mean you have forgotten your own perspective. It does mean connecting with how your partner feels rather than the facts of what may or may not have occurred between the two of you. Genuinely trying to understand their distress or experience of you makes all of the difference.
• Halt Hostile Communication: When people don’t speak in mature ways and when they don’t actively work to deeply hear one another, they grow, with time, increasingly hostile. This hostility often emerges by way of passive-aggressive behaviors and nonverbal communication —eye-rolling, sarcastic comments, and true feelings disguised as jokes. Do away with all of that. Commit to no longer engaging in these tactics that in the short term feel like a release but in the long term push your partner further away.
• Build Insight: Do a deep dive into yourself; examine what you know to be true that you defend, hide, or feel shame about. Everyone has baggage and issues that play out in their intimate relationships. There is no shame in this fact. The key, however, is to know what your issues are and to accept them as real points of growth. Consider what has repeated for you with close others. Are you obsessive or controlling? Do you overly accommodate or expect things your way all of the time? Do you not take care of yourself or expect everyone else to take care of you? Are you a procrastinator or a micromanager? Deeply consider what core work on yourself needs to happen and commit to doing this work.
• Develop Active Listening : When your partner speaks of their upset with you, drop your sword. Don’t think about what you are going to say in response, your rationalization , your defense. Just listen with the intention of understanding. This doesn’t mean they are right or wrong. You just want to understand their underlying feelings and emotions. Put in words what you hear and reflect it back.
• Take Authentic Responsibility: When you hear things that strike on the thing you see as a problem about yourself from #2, own it: “You’re right; I am overly critical, and I need to work on that.”
• Build Joy: When couples are stuck in the high conflict zone, joy is choked out of their lives. Without shared activities that bring joy, couples start to build their identity around the conflict. It becomes how they relate, how they spend time together, and what they think about when not in the presence of the other. As much as you might not want to do something fun with your partner at this moment, initiate a regular activity that you can talk about, enjoy, and eventually look forward to. When doing said activity, commit to yourself that you are not going to engage in hostile communication or bring up your points of irritation.

As you start a new pattern and commit to it, no matter how your partner reacts, you will find yourself becoming less defeated and stuck. Either your relationship will grow, or you will grow as an individual, either way, your path forward becomes clearer.

Jill P. Weber, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and the author of Overcoming Stress-Induced Brain Fog: 10 Simple Ways to Find Focus, Improve Memory, and Feel Grounded.

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The science of why friendships keep us healthy

American culture prioritizes romance, but psychological science is exploring the human need for platonic relationships and the specific ways in which they bolster well-being

Vol. 54 No. 4 Print version: page 42

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American culture places a high premium on romantic love. In fact, relationship woes—or the lack thereof—are among the top reasons people seek therapy. And while romance can be a meaningful part of life, the benefits of friendships should not be overlooked. Psychological research suggests that stable, healthy friendships are crucial for our well-being and longevity.

People who have friends and close confidants are more satisfied with their lives and less likely to suffer from depression ( Choi, K. W., et al., The American Journal of Psychiatry , Vol. 177, No. 10, 2020 ). They’re also less likely to die from all causes, including heart problems and a range of chronic diseases ( Holt-Lunstad, J., et al., PLOS Medicine , Vol. 7, No. 7, 2010 ; Steptoe, A., et al., PNAS , Vol. 110, No. 15, 2013 ).

“On the other hand, when people are low in social connection—because of isolation, loneliness, or poor-quality relationships—they face an increased risk of premature death,” said Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University who studies how relationships affect the body and brain.

Fortunately, research also suggests that friendships can be made and maintained at any age, relationships with friends can strengthen or stand in for romantic relationships, and even minimal social interactions can be powerful.

[ Related: Conversations are powerful. Here are ways to embrace the awkward and deepen relationships ]

“Friendship is something we really need to understand. There’s been this preoccupation with romantic relationships, but many of our close relationships are with friends,” said Thalia Wheatley, PhD, a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College who studies social connectivity. “So how do they impact our health?”

How friendship changes the body and brain

Psychological research from around the world shows that having social connections is one of the most reliable predictors of a long, healthy, and satisfying life.

A review of 38 studies found that adult friendships, especially high-quality ones that provide social support and companionship, significantly predict well-being and can protect against mental health issues such as depression and anxiety—and those benefits persist across the life span ( Pezirkianidis, C., et al., Frontiers in Psychology , Vol. 14, 2023 ; Blieszner, R., et al., Innovation in Aging , Vol. 3, No. 1, 2019 ). People with no friends or poor-quality friendships are twice as likely to die prematurely, according to Holt-Lunstad’s meta-analysis of more than 308,000 people—a risk factor even greater than the effects of smoking 20 cigarettes per day ( PLOS Medicine , Vol. 7, No. 7, 2010 ).

“In the face of life’s challenges, having a close friend to turn to seems to be a buffer or protective factor against some of the negative outcomes we might otherwise see,” said Catherine Bagwell, PhD, a professor of psychology at Davidson College in North Carolina.

Friendships protect us in part by changing the way we respond to stress. Blood pressure reactivity is lower when people talk to a supportive friend rather than a friend whom they feel ambivalent about ( Holt-Lunstad, J., et al., Annals of Behavioral Medicine , Vol. 33, No. 3, 2007 ). Participants who have a friend by their side while completing a tough task have less heart rate reactivity than those working alone ( Kamarck, T. W., et al., Psychosomatic Medicine , Vol. 52, No. 1, 1990 ). In one study, people even judged a hill to be less steep when they were accompanied by a friend ( Schnall, S., et al., Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , Vol. 44, No. 5, 2008 ).

Scientists studying friendship have even found similar brain activity among friends in regions responsible for a range of functions, including motivation, reward, identity, and sensory processing ( Güroğlu, B., Child Development Perspectives , Vol. 16, No. 2, 2022 ). When Wheatley and her colleagues collected fMRI data on people in a social network, closer friends had more similar brain activity when watching a series of video clips ( Nature Communications , Vol. 9, 2018 ). In another study, currently under review, she and her colleagues can even begin to predict whether first-year MBA students at Dartmouth will later become friends based solely on their neural patterns.

“The big surprise here is that the similarities are all over the brain, including regions that control how we direct our attention, how we think about things, and even what we’re looking at,” Wheatley said.

The risks of social isolation

On the other side of the coin, research has shown that loneliness—among people who lack quality friendships, romantic partnerships, or other relationships—increases our risk for heart attack, stroke, and premature death, according to a longitudinal study of nearly 480,000 U.K. residents ( Hakulinen, C., et al., Heart , Vol. 104, No. 18, 2018 ). A meta-analysis by Holt-Lunstad estimates that loneliness increases the risk of early death as much as 26% ( Perspectives on Psychological Science , Vol. 10, No. 2, 2015 ).

Those findings have prompted leading health organizations, including the American Heart Association and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), to warn the public against the dangers of isolation, particularly for older adults ( Cené, C. W., et al., Journal of the American Heart Association , Vol. 11, No. 16, 2022 ; Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System , NASEM, 2020).

Despite the risks, Americans are getting lonelier. In 2021, 12% of U.S. adults said they did not have any close friends, up from 3% in 1990 ( “The State of American Friendship: Change, Challenges, and Loss,” Survey Center on American Life, 2021 ). That decline began well before the Covid -19 pandemic, with companionship and social engagement among friends, family, and others decreasing steadily over the past two decades ( Kannan, V. D., & Veazie, P. J., SSM – Population Health , Vol. 21, 2023 ).

Social disconnection, which is rising across age groups, appears to have worsened after 2012, when smartphones and social media became virtually ubiquitous. An international study of high school students found that between 2012 and 2018, school loneliness increased in 36 of 37 countries ( Twenge, J. M., et al., Journal of Adolescence , Vol. 93, No. 1, 2021 ).

“There were significant downward trends in social contact even before the pandemic,” Holt-Lunstad said. “What’s remarkable about that is that ‘getting back to normal’ is not going to be enough—because it wasn’t looking good before.”

The Covid -19 pandemic likely exacerbated an existing trend toward social isolation—and it also provided a natural way for scientists to measure the effects of that shift. Bagwell and psychologist Karen Kochel, PhD, of the University of Richmond, found that college students with less social support from their friends during the first year of the pandemic also had more problems with anxiety, depression, and academic adjustment ( Emerging Adulthood , Vol. 10, No. 5, 2022 ).

“For these students, their relationships with their friends and peers were quite significant in predicting how they were doing, both academically and in terms of their emotional adjustment,” Bagwell said.

[ Related: Making new friends and keeping existing ones is hard. Here’s some science-backed tips to help ]

The strength of “weak” ties

Having a close friend or confidant is undeniably good for us, but psychologists have found that interactions with acquaintances—and even strangers—can also give our mental health a boost. A casual relationship with the operator of a hot dog stand in Toronto helped Gillian Sandstrom, PhD, feel grounded and connected while pursuing her master’s degree. The relationship also inspired Sandstrom, now a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Sussex, to start studying “weak” social ties.

These connections with acquaintances—a work friend you bump into once a week, the pet store employee who remembers your cat—can be surprisingly sustaining. Sandstrom’s research has found that people who have more weak-tie interactions are happier than those who have fewer and that people tend to be happier on days when they have more than their average number of weak-tie interactions ( Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , Vol. 40, No. 7, 2014 ). She also encourages talking to strangers and has shown that repeated practice can make doing so easier and more enjoyable ( Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , Vol. 102, 2022 ).

“These minimal social interactions give us something important that we missed during the pandemic: novelty,” Sandstrom said. “We learn surprising things when we have unplanned encounters and conversations with people,” a benefit that people tend to underestimate ( Atir, S., et al., PNAS , Vol. 119, No. 34, 2022 ).

People often avoid conversations with strangers, assuming they will be awkward or shallow, but research suggests those worries may be overblown. Psychologist Nicholas Epley, PhD, of the University of Chicago, and his colleagues have found that conversations with strangers tend to be less awkward, more enjoyable, and more connecting than people expect. To their own surprise, people also tend to prefer having deep conversations with strangers over shallow ones ( Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , Vol. 122, No. 3, 2022 ).

Sandstrom has some advice for connecting with strangers: Tap into your curiosity. Ask someone what they’re reading, for example, or why they’re wearing airplane earrings. Another tip: Comment on the shared situation. While standing in the checkout line at a mini-mart, Sandstrom once connected with a fellow customer over the store’s unusual mishmash of Halloween and Christmas decorations.

“You’re in the same place at the same time as the other person, so there’s always something in common,” she said.

Lovers and friends

We tend to see friendship and romance as separate entities, but the two may have more in common than we realize. Psychological research points to qualities such as chemistry, intimacy, and warmth as key building blocks of close, stable friendships ( Ledbetter, A. M., et al., Personal Relationships , Vol. 14, No. 2, 2007 ; Campbell, K., et al., The Social Science Journal , Vol. 52, No. 2, 2015 ).

Regular interactions with acquaintances—the local coffee barista, for example—make people happier.

“When we view behaviors that create intimacy—being vulnerable, buying gifts, taking someone out on a date—as only appropriate for a romantic relationship, we end up limiting the potential of our friendships,” said psychologist Marisa G. Franco, PhD, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Maryland and author of Platonic , a book about making and keeping friends. “Many of us could really benefit from blurring the lines between the two.”

Conversely, romantic relationships may be more fulfilling if they look more like friendships. An analysis of nearly 8,000 respondents to the British Household Panel Survey showed that life satisfaction was about twice as high among people who said their spouse was also their best friend ( “How’s Life at Home? New Evidence on Marriage and the Set Point for Happiness,” NBER Working Paper No. 20794, 2014 ).

Research also suggests a symbiosis between romantic and platonic relationships, Franco said, suggesting that one can benefit the other. For example, marital conflict can trigger unhealthy changes in cortisol levels, but that harm is buffered when spouses feel they have adequate social support outside the marriage ( Keneski, E., et al., Social Psychological and Personality Science , Vol. 9, No. 8, 2017 ). Other research indicates that women who have social support are more resilient to stress that occurs within a marriage ( Abbas, J., et al., Journal of Affective Disorders , Vol. 244, 2019 ).

There’s also reason to believe that skills developed in friendships can be carried forward into healthier romantic relationships, particularly among teens and young adults.

“Friendships are the first relationships in life that we get to freely choose,” said Melanie Dirks, PhD, a professor of psychology at McGill University in Montreal who studies peer relationships in children, adolescents, and young adults. “Because of that, they present a really important opportunity to learn how to navigate challenging interpersonal situations before we enter relationships as adults.”

For example, self-disclosure between friends—sharing thoughts and feelings—helps young adults build empathy for others, practice seeking and providing social support, and even solidify their identities, said Rebecca Schwartz-Mette, PhD, an associate professor of clinical psychology and director of the Peer Relations Lab at the University of Maine who studies friendship in children, adolescents, and young adults.

Many young adults in the United States are juggling life transitions, stress, and developmental challenges—and friends are typically their main sources of social support, which makes them critical for psychologists to study and understand, said Dirks.

She has studied the types of challenges that tend to arise in young adult friendships, finding that they undergo strain for one of three reasons: needs are in conflict (for example: there’s one spot on a sports team that both friends want); a transgression occurs (for example: one friend reveals private information about the other); or friends have trouble exchanging support (for example: one has a problem with alcohol use, but the other doesn’t know how to help) ( Journal of Research on Adolescence , Vol. 31, No. 2, 2021 ).

In childhood and adolescence, high-quality friendships can protect kids from mental health issues—such as anxiety and depression—that might otherwise result from social challenges, including being bullied ( Bayer, J. K., et al., Child and Adolescent Mental Health , Vol. 23, No. 4, 2018 ). But there are also conditions where mental health struggles can harm friendships. Schwartz-Mette and her colleagues have found that between friends, excessive self-disclosure about life’s challenges (known as “corumination”) can trigger distancing within a friendship or even lead to the social contagion of depression, self-injury, and suicidality ( Developmental Psychology , Vol. 50, No. 9, 2014 ; Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology , Vol. 47, No. 6, 2018 ).

“Our goal in isolating these different friendship trajectories is to inform interventions for people who are distressed—so that they can keep their relationships and have that crucial social support but not overtax or overstress their relationship partners,” Schwartz-Mette said.

Supporting healthy friendships

Given the clear benefits of friendship, psychologists say we should promote platonic social connection across society—including in school, at work, in public spaces (such as on public transportation), and through entertainment.

“After having to reduce social contact during the pandemic, we’ve realized how it impacts basically every sector of society,” said Holt-Lunstad. “That suggests that each of these sectors can potentially play a role in solutions.”

Researchers still have a lot to learn about how and why social connection supports health and well-being. The National Institutes of Health and other organizations are distributing funding for studies on “dyadic processes”—or interactions between two people—including exciting new efforts to collect fMRI data on friends while they communicate.

“What we know is that if we don’t interact regularly, things go really bad remarkably fast. But what is the magic in these interactions that’s keeping us healthy and sane?” Wheatley asked. “More and more researchers are saying there’s this huge part of human behavior we know very little about. Let’s change that.”

Further resources

The role of friendships in well-being Fehr, B., & Harasmychuk, C. In Maddux, J. E. (Ed.), Subjective Well-Being and Life Satisfaction, Routledge , 2017

Beyond the isolated brain: The promise and challenge of interacting minds Wheatley, T., et al., Neuron , 2019

Adult friendship and wellbeing: A systematic review with practical implications Pezirkianidis, C., et al., Frontiers in Psychology , 2023

What prevents people from making friends: A taxonomy of reasons Apostolou, M., & Keramari, D., Personality and Individual Differences , 2020

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