Acknowledgements

The authors extend their immense gratitude to Texas Tech University (TTU) Libraries, TTU eLearning & Academic Partnerships, and the Office of the Provost for funding our pursuit of this project through a generous grant. We’d also like to thank TTU’s OER Librarian, Sabrina Davis, and Digital Services Librarian, Heidi Winkler, for their time and efforts in helping us get this book off the ground and cheering us on every step of the way.

We are deeply appreciative of the reviewers who offered their time and expertise to match sure that this book would serve as a quality resource for instructors and students near and far. Thank you to our esteemed reviewers who believe in the importance of well-crafted OERs:

• Andrew Cole, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee)
• Anna Marie Campbell, Ph.D. (Campbell Grants & Consulting)
• Armeda Reitzel, Ph.D. (Cal Poly Humboldt)
• Benjamin Brojakowski, Ph.D. (Angelo State University)
• Chelsea E. Moss (University of Florida)
• Chris Armstrong (Northampton Community College)
• Claudia Chiang-Lopez (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)
• Emily Abellon, Ph.D. (University of Portland)
• Fang Wang, Ph.D. (University of Findlay)
• Megan Jacobs Farnworth (Illinois University, Urbana-Champaign)
• Nancy Rosen (SUNY Rockland Community College)
• Tabitha H. Kinneer (University of Kentucky)
• Tim Michaels, Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State University)
• Valerie Kretz, Ph.D. (St. Norbert College)
• Wendy B. Riemann, Ph.D. (The George Washington University)
• Zehui Dai, Ph.D. (Radford University)

Sydney’s Acknowledgements

Many thanks, as always, to my family for encouraging me to pursue my love of learning and investing in my curiosity at every step of the way. You championed me as an early and avid reader, so it only seems fitting that I now write so that others have something new to read. 🤓📚Thank you, of course, to those readers!

I am also especially grateful to Dr. Jenna LaFreniere, who taught the undergraduate course on close relationships that launched my special interest in the topic. Similarly, thank you to my students who offered their ideas, careful attention, and perspectives when it was my turn to teach the same course a few years down the line. 🍎

Last but certainly not least, thank you to my advisor and friend Dr. Narissra Punyanunt-Carter for her wise counsel and endless kindness as we pursued the grant that funded this project, the book itself, and all our other wild ideas! I’m grateful for the efforts she and Ryan Martinez contributed to this text and am so excited that it will be available—openly and freely—to all who are willing to learn. Working with this team was a blast. 👁️✨

Ryan’s Acknowledgements

I sincerely thank my family and friends for their relentless support, love, and encouragement. Their belief in my abilities and constant support has pushed me to surpass my own expectations and achieve my academic goals. I owe everything to them.

Dr. Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, your mentorship has been invaluable to my development as a scholar. Your profound wisdom, expertise, and commitment to academic excellence have inspired and pushed me to strive for greatness. In addition, your tireless support and encouragement have instilled in me the confidence to pursue my academic dreams. My successes are a testament to your influence, and I am sincerely grateful for your impact on my academic journey.

I also sincerely thank Dr. Sydney Brammer for her invaluable contributions to this project. Dr. Brammer’s involvement has been instrumental in various aspects, from the initial stages of securing the grant to the thorough work of conceptualizing the theme of the textbook and shaping its final formation. Her dedication and expertise are the cornerstone of our team’s endeavors.

Narissra’s Acknowledgments

Words cannot express my gratitude to Dr. Sydney Brammer for her invaluable artistic talents, organizational skills, planning, composing, and execution of this textbook. I also could not have undertaken this journey without her! I appreciate all her hard work in making this textbook and all our other research projects a reality! I can’t thank you enough for all that you have done!

I also would like to express my gratitude to Ryan Martinez. Thank you for co-authoring this textbook!  Your suggestions, ideas, and all your insights have helped make this book so fun, innovative, and exceptional! I can’t imagine writing this textbook without Sydney or Ryan.

Thank you to all my students who helped make me more aware of how relationships are evolving and changing! You not only impact me, but also inspire and motivate me to be a better educator and researcher.

Lastly, I would be remiss in not mentioning my family 👪, especially my parents, Issra & Niponth, and my sons, Ezra 🧒 & Zavin 🧒. Their endless support and love means the world to me. I would also like to thank my cat,🐈Cookie, for all the entertainment and emotional support. And of course, I have to thank my dear friends, especially, Dr. Katie Langford🌸 , for always listening to my ideas, rants, and opinions.

I’m so lucky to have you all in my life! 🙂 Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!❤️