Dr. Estlein is the Director of the Parenting, Couple, and Family Research Lab at the University of Haifa. The Lab is currently working on research on:

- The transition to parenthood: The role of expectations pre- and post-birth in shaping first-time parents' experiences of parenting

- The transition to fatherhood: Extending theorey and practice

- Associations between family communication characteristics and children's prosocial and antisocial behavior

Other research projects (e.g., couple relationship characteristics and mental health during the transition to retirement; characteristics of family communication and relational dynamics and their association with members' mental health [i.e., symptoms of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation]) are in different stages of preparation.

Dr. Estlein also serves at the Center for Research and Study of the Family's academic board of directors where he currently works with his colleagues on several research projects that explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on couple and family dynamics.

Selected Publications:

Estlein, R., & Shai, D. (2024). Dyadic prenatal coparenting interaction behaviors predicting postpartum depressive symptoms during the transition to parenthood. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology, and Education, 14 (6), 1722-1734 https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe14060114

Estlein, R., Theiss, J. A., Jones, H. E., Weber, K. M., & Yoon, D. B. (2024). Facilitation and interference from partners during the transition to parenthood: A co-occurrence analysis of themes emerging within and between romantic partners. Journal of Family Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2024.2337379

Estlein, R., Dror, R., & Winstok, Z. (2024). The association between women's history of sexual abuse, mental health, and sexual motivations in committed intimate relationships. Healthcare, 12(3), 389. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12030389

Zamir, O., Oved, N., Szepsenwol, O., Estlein, R., & Borelli, J. L., Granger, D. A., & Shai, D. (2024). The intersection between alexithymia, testosterone reactivity, and coparenting in fathers predicting pro-social behavior. Hormones and Behavior, 164, 105565. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/hormones-and-behavior/vol/164/suppl/C

Avichail, T., Cohen-Eick, N., Ruhrman, A., Estlein, R., & Halperin, E. (2024). Promoting solidarity based collective action through increasing hope using nonviolent communication intervention. Journal of Applied Social Psychology.  https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.13033

Segel-Karpas, D., Ermer, A., & Estlein, R. (2024). Links between couples’ cynical hostility and mental health: A dyadic investigation of older couples. Behavioral Sciences, 14, 283. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14040283

Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Sowan, W., Estlein, R., & Winstok, Z. (2024). Rights or obligations? Who determines sexual intimacy in romantic relationships. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 50(49), 482-497. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2024.2310693

Estlein, R., & Shai, D. (2023). Actor and partner effects of prenatal coparenting behavior on postpartum depression among first-time parents. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(11), 3540-3562. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231179080

Estlein, R., Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Mitchell, K., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2023). COVID-19 related fear among youth in Israel. Youth, 3(3), 883-896; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth3030057

Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Estlein, R. [equal first author contribution] & Finzi-Dottan, R. (2023). The relationship between narcissistic traits and attitudes toward infidelity: A dyadic analysis. Journal of Family Psychology, 37(6), 932–941. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001126

Elran-Barak, R., Segel-Karpas, D., & Estlein, R. (2023). Health behaviors during the early COVID-19 containment phase and their impact on psychological health. Healthcare, 11(14), 2051; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11142051

Estlein, R., Segel-Karpas, D., & Elran-Barak, R. (2022). Relational uncertainty, interdependence, and psychological distress during COVID-19: A longitudinal study. Stress and Health, 38(5), 1029-1044. http://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3155

Estlein, R., Gewirtz-Meydan, A. [equal first author contribution], & Opuda, E. (2022). A systematic mapping review of empirical research on romantic relationships during COVID-19. Family Process, 61, 1208-1228. http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12775

Estlein, R., & Theiss, J. A. (2022). Responsiveness and control in marital and parental communication: Exploring interdependent relationships across family subsystems. Journal of Family Studies, 28(3), 968-985. https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2020.1773294

Zion-Shavit, Y., Estlein, R., Elran-Barak, R., & Segel-Karpas, D. (2022). Positive Relationships have Shades of Gray: Age is Associated with More Complex Perceptions of Relationship Quality During the COVID-19 Lockdown. Journal of Adult Development, 30, 224–235. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-022-09431-6

Estlein, R. (2021). Parenting as a communication process: Integrating interpersonal communication theory and parenting styles conceptualization. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 13(1), 21-33. http://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12407

Estlein, R., & Lavee, Y. (2021). Effect of daily stress on desire for physical proximity and dyadic closeness. Journal of Family Issues, 43(4), 1039-1067. http://doi.org/10.1177/0192513x211007528

Estlein, R. & Theiss, J. A. (2021). Childbearing and childrearing. In T. A. Cofflet (Ed.), Sexual communication through the lifespan (pp. 135-150). New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

Estlein, R. (2016). Family communication. In C. Shehan (Ed.), Encyclopedia of family studies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell (pp. 383-390). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781119085621.wbefs211

Estlein, R. (2016). Parenting styles. In C. Shehan (Ed.), Encyclopedia of family studies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell (pp. 1567-1569). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781119085621.wbefs030

Estlein, R. (2016). Marital/dyadic communication. In C. Shehan (Ed.), Encyclopedia of family studies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell (pp. 377-383). http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781119085621.wbefs240

Estlein, R., & Theiss, J. A. (2014). Inter-parental similarity in responsiveness and control and its association with perceptions of the marital relationship. Journal of Family Studies, 20, 239-257. https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2014.11082009

Theiss, J. A., & Estlein, R. (2014). Antecedents and consequences of the perceived threat of sexual communication: A test of the relational turbulence model. Western Journal of Communication, 78, 404-425. https://doi.org/10.1080/10570314.2013.845794

Theiss, J. A., Estlein, R., Weber, K. M. (2013). A longitudinal assessment of relationship characteristics that predict new parents’ marital satisfaction. Personal Relationships, 20, 216-235. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2012.01406.x