The impact of early interpersonal experience on adult romantic relationship functioning.

Author(s):  
Jeffry A. Simpson ◽  
W. Andrew Collins ◽  
Jessica E. Salvatore ◽  
Sooyeon Sung
2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 355-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffry A. Simpson ◽  
W. Andrew Collins ◽  
Jessica E. Salvatore

Adopting an organizational view on social development, we have investigated how interpersonal experiences early in life predict how well individuals will resolve relationship conflicts, recover from conflicts, and have stable, satisfying relationships with their romantic partners in early adulthood. We have also identified specific interpersonal experiences during middle childhood and adolescence that mediate the connection between how individuals regulated their emotions with their parents very early in life and how they do so as young adults in their romantic relationships. We discuss the many advantages of adopting an organizational view on social development.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madelyn H. Labella ◽  
William F. Johnson ◽  
Jodi Martin ◽  
Sarah K. Ruiz ◽  
Jessica L. Shankman ◽  
...  

The present study used data from the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation (MLSRA) to investigate how multiple dimensions of childhood abuse and neglect predict romantic relationship functioning in adulthood. Several dimensions of abuse and neglect (any experience, type, chronicity, co-occurrence, and perpetrator) were rated prospectively from birth through age 17.5 years. Multimethod assessments of relational competence and violence in romantic relationships were conducted repeatedly from ages 20 to 32 years. As expected, experiencing childhood abuse and neglect was associated with lower romantic competence and more relational violence in adulthood. Follow-up analyses indicated that lower romantic competence was specifically associated with physical abuse, maternal perpetration, chronicity, and co-occurrence, whereas more relational violence was uniquely associated with nonparental perpetration. We discuss these novel prospective findings in the context of theory and research on antecedents of romantic relationship functioning.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-30
Author(s):  
Danica J. Kulibert ◽  
Elle A. Moore ◽  
Melinda M. Dertinger ◽  
Ashley E. Thompson

Although romantic kissing is an important part of relationship functioning, little research has focused on motives for romantic kissing and how they may relate to other aspects of romantic relationships. To understand how romantic kissing impacts romantic relationship functioning, the current study assessed the relationship between romantic attachment, romantic kissing motives, and relationship satisfaction. Overall, it was hypothesized that (a) those reporting more sexual/explicit kissing motives and fewer goal attainment/insecurity motives would report higher relationship satisfaction, (b) those reporting a more secure attachment style would report higher relationship satisfaction, and (c) the relationship between romantic kissing motives and relationship satisfaction would vary according to one’s romantic attachment styles. Results from a hierarchical linear regression with 286 adults, all of whom were currently in romantic relationships, revealed that sexual/relational (β = 0.25) and goal attainment/insecurity kissing motives (β = -0.35) predicted relationship satisfaction. However, the impact of kissing motives on relationship satisfaction varied according to one’s romantic attachment. Specifically, the influence of sexual/relational motives was only significant for avoidantly attached individuals, whereas the influence of goal attainment/insecurity motives was significant for avoidantly and anxiously attachment individuals. Overall, this suggests that sexual/explicit romantic kissing motives serve to enhance the relationships of insecurely attached individuals, but not securely attached individuals. Furthermore, goal attainment/insecure motives had a negative effect on the relationship satisfaction of insecurely attached individuals, but not securely attached individuals. This study has important implications for both practitioners working with romantic couples and researchers studying romantic relationships.


2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 900-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy B. Brunell ◽  
Michael H. Kernis ◽  
Brian M. Goldman ◽  
Whitney Heppner ◽  
Patricia Davis ◽  
...  

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