Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Measuring Biophysical and Psychological Stress Levels Following Visitation to Three Locations with Differing Levels of Nature
Published on: June 19, 2019
Psychological health and change in closeness in platonic and romantic relationships
1Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, England.
Abstract:
The authors investigated (a) whether increased closeness and decreased closeness of a relationship are associated with better and poorer psychological health, respectively; and (b) whether poorer psychological health is related to perceiving oneself or to perceiving the other person as primarily responsible for decreased closeness. A sample of English undergraduate students (52 female, 52 male; 16-23 years of age) completed M. Rosenberg's (1965) Self-Esteem Scale, D. P. Goldberg's (1972) 12-item General Health Questionnaire, and a 6-item scale developed for this study to measure change in closeness and to identify the initiator(s) of the change. Decreased closeness was related to poorer psychological health in male participants' platonic relationships and in female participants' romantic relationships. Poorer psychological health was associated with (a) perceiving the other person as responsible for decreased closeness in male participants' platonic relationships and (b) perceiving both parties as mutually responsible for decreased closeness in female participants' romantic relationships.
Related Concept Videos
Social Relationships and Well-Being
Relationship Growth
Friendships and Close Friendships
Relationship Formation
Factors Influencing Attraction I: Proximity
Close Relationships and Culture
