The International Society for the Study of Personal Relationships (ISSPR) was founded in 1984, at a time when the psychology of personal relationships was only just establishing itself as an autonomous scientific discipline. For nearly two decades, this learned society brought together researchers from around the world around one central question: how do intimate human relationships work?

The Scientific Legacy (1984–2002)

The original ISSPR published the ISSPR Bulletin, a quarterly scientific newsletter that synthesized advances in research on attachment, couple communication, relationship satisfaction and loneliness. This bulletin was read by hundreds of researchers, clinicians and psychology students around the world.

The society organized biennial conferences that brought together major figures such as John Gottman, Elaine Hatfield, Caryl Rusbult and Harry Reis. These meetings helped structure a field of research now recognized in universities around the world.

The ISSPR.org Editorial Project

ISSPR.org is an independent editorial project, with no organizational or institutional link to the original ISSPR (1984–2002), now dissolved. It stands in the continuity of this scientific tradition with a clear goal: to make the most important discoveries in the psychology of relationships accessible to the general public. We do not produce original research — we translate it, put it in context and turn it into narrative, systematically citing the original researchers and publications. To learn more about the history of the original learned society and the recovered archives of its bulletin, see our page History of the ISSPR.

Our editorial line rests on three principles:

  • Rigor: every claim is sourced. We cite the original studies, the researchers, the journals.
  • Accessibility: science must be understandable. We avoid jargon without oversimplifying.
  • Bilingualism: research on human relationships is international. Our guides are available in French and English.

Why This Field Matters

Interpersonal relationships — friendships, romantic and family ties — are among the most powerful factors in human health and well-being. Decades of research confirm it: the quality of our social ties predicts our life expectancy better than smoking, obesity or physical inactivity.

Yet few people know the foundational discoveries of Bowlby on attachment, of Gottman on communication, of Sternberg on the components of love. ISSPR.org was born of this conviction: if more people had access to this research, they could build more fulfilling relationships.

Contact

For any editorial question or collaboration proposal: Write to us