For leaders: rIQ Research
rIQ conducts research on program effectiveness and young adult relational and spiritual development. Our research team is comprised of Pepperdine University faculty, Graduate School of Education and Psychology student research assistants, and doctoral students.
Students report benefiting significantly from Relationship IQ. We have also found significant correlations between relational health and physical health. To learn more about our findings browse the poster presentations listed below.
Our research team has presented posters at professional conferences and continues to research the ongoing work of rIQ.
If you would like more information about our current research efforts or would like to conduct research on your use of rIQ, please contact us and we would be glad to assist you.
Research Findings
Relationship IQ Program Evaluation - Qualitative
Presented by Priscilla Morrison, MA (PsyD candidate) at ABCT, November 2014
Do Friendships, Healthy Relationship Beliefs and Strong Relationship Skills Matter for College Students?
By: John Mattscheck, MA
Description
Friendships become more important for emerging adults (teens to early twenties) as they enter into college (Arnett, 2004). As students leave home to attend college or university, there is a greater reliance on friendships to provide support. Research suggests that friendships are important in sustaining feelings of self-worth, camaraderie and intimacy (Barry, Madsen, Nelson, Carroll, & Badger, 2009). However, little research has actually examined the connection between quality of friendships during emerging adulthood and health, despite the greater dependence on friendships during this time. There is also limited literature on the connection between friendship quality, and relationship beliefs and skills for emerging adults. Thus, Relationship IQ (rIQ) sought to examine the association between friendship quality and current physical, emotional and spiritual health, and investigate how relationship beliefs and skills impact friendship quality.
Through research analysis, Relationship IQ (rIQ) found significant associations between friendship quality and physical, emotional, and spiritual health. This indicates as friendship quality improves, health in the three domains also improves. Through another research analysis, rIQ found that several relationship beliefs and skills (representative of healthy beliefs and strong skills) significantly impact friendship quality. However, the 3 relationships beliefs and the 5 relationship skills tested only accounted for 8.5% of the variance in friendship quality. Meaning, the several relationship skills and beliefs tested, despite accounting for a small percentage of the variance, can help lead to better quality friendships. Overall, promoting strong relationship skills and healthy relationship beliefs among emerging adults may facilitate better quality friendships and improved health during this developmental phase.
Poster presented at WPA, May 2015
My Spirit Needs to Talk! Understanding how college students' faith is connected with health and socio-emotional topics often discussed in psychotherapy
Presented at AACC, September 2015 by Sean (Solomon) Wang
Association Between Relationship Quality and Childhood Trauma in Emerging Adults
Presented at WPA, May 2015 by Holly George, MA