The Abstracts of the 5th Annual Conference of the APS on the Psychology of Relationships Interest Group The good, the bad, and the ugly in personal, national, and international relationships 12–13 November 2005 Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, V

On behalf of the National Committee and the Conference Organising Committee of the APS Psychology of Relationships Interest group, I welcome you to this the Fifth Annual Conference of the Psychology of Relationships Interest Group. Our aim for this year’s conference was to provide a forum with an emphasis on The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly in Personal, National and International Relationships. As individuals and as members of identifiable groups we are involved in a multiplicity of relationships. While many of the relationships in which we participate are extremely positive and bring us our greatest joys, some are not as successful and bring us our tears and our sorrows. This year we are honoured to have Rosalie Pattenden from Relationships Australia and Alan Hayes from the Australian Institute of Family Studies as our Keynote Speakers. Selected through a refereed process, a diversity of papers to be presented at the Conference include two international authors – one from the People’s Republic of China and one from New Zealand.. The individual presentations along with our two Keynote addresses attest to the theme. As in other years, the independently refereed proceedings of the Conference will be published later in this calendar year. Finally, let me thank you the participants for your attendance at our 5th Annual Conference. It is your participation and attendance that enables the Interest Group to meet some of the needs of its members as well as provide an excellent opportunity for those with an interest in the development of our own research, practice, and personal relationships as well.