Social Media Use and Intimate Relationship Development in College Students

The Contribution of Attachment Styles and Social Media Practices to Relationship Development
Distress within intimate relationships is a common reason for clients to seek counseling. For young adults, romantic experiences also play an important role in the development of their identity. In the July 2018 issue of the Journal of Counseling & Development, authors Renee S. Sherrell and Glenn W. Lambie begin to explore the directional relationship between college students’ attachment styles, their use of social media, and the quality of their relationship development. They found that social media practices, such as emotional connectedness, contributed more to the students’ relationship development than did their numbers of Facebook friends or actual friends outside of social media. The authors conclude that counselors need to be able to discuss social media influences and implications with their young clients, and to understand both positive and detrimental ramifications by asking informed questions and engaging in active listening.

FEATURED ARTICLE Volume 96 ■ Number 3 ■ July 2018:

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The Contribution of Attachment and Social Media Practices to Relationship Development
Renee S. Sherrell and Glenn W. Lambie

ISSUE CONTENTS:

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Research
An Examination of the Effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Groups 
K. Michelle Hunnicutt Hollenbaugh and A. Stephen Lenz

Alcohol Counseling in Hospital Trauma: Examining Two Brief Interventions
Laura J. Veach, Regina R. Moro, Preston Miller, Beth A. Reboussin, Nathaniel N. Ivers, Jennifer L. Rogers, and Mary Claire O’Brien

Narratives About Specific Romantic Conflicts: Gender and Associations With Conflict Beliefs and Strategies
Candice Feiring, Valerie A. Simon, and Jessica Markus

Self-Stigma, Mental Health Literacy, and Health Outcomes in Integrated Care
Allison Crowe, Patrick R. Mullen, and Kerry Littlewood

Psychological Safety and Appreciation of Differences in Counselor Training Programs: Examining Religion, Spirituality, and Political Beliefs
Amanda L. Giordano, Cynthia M. Bevly, Sarah Tucker, and Elizabeth A. Prosek

Self-Regulatory Growth Effects for Young Children Participating in a Combined Social and Emotional Learning and Mindfulness-Based Intervention
Matthew E. Lemberger-Truelove, Kira J. Carbonneau, David J. Atencio, Almut K. Zieher, and Alfredo F. Palacios

Did You Know?
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