Romantic relationships among young adults are rich with ambiguity and without a clear, universal progression emphasizing the need for active decision making. Lack of active decision making in romantic relationships can lead to increases in constraints (e.g. pregnancy, shared living space or finances) that promote the continuation of relationships that would have otherwise ended, leading to increased risk of relationship distress. Because there is no available assessment of thoughtfulness regarding relationship decisions, the authors of the present studies report data on the development of one such scale, the Relationship Deciding Scale (RDS). Study 1 (N = 995) reveals the factor structure of the RDS and provides reliability data for the emergent subscales. In Study 2 (N = 963), the obtained three-factor structure (Relationship Confidence, Knowledge of Warning Signs, and Deciding) is tested via confirmatory factor analysis, demonstrates convergent and discriminant validity, and is shown to predict relationship characteristics 14 weeks later. Study 3 (N = 805) shows the sensitivity of the three factors to change through examination of the influence of a semester-long intervention targeted at increasing decision making in relationships. Use of this scale for identifying and intervening with couples or individuals who lack active decision making in relationships may decrease their risk for future relationship distress.

Using a sample of 564 newlywed couples and the enduring dynamics model of marriage, the study examined the impact of premarital cycling (breaking up and renewing) on the entrance into marriage and relationship dynamics over the first 5 years. Consistent with the enduring dynamics model, results demonstrated cyclical couples (compared to noncyclical couples) exhibited worse adjustment on a variety of relationship indicators at the entrance to marriage and were more likely to experience a trial separation over the first 5 years. Dyadic parallel process growth curve analysis further revealed that premarital cycling predicted lower initial relationship satisfaction that was sustained over the first 5 years of marriage. Implications for theory, research, and intervention with premarital couples are discussed. These results provide evidence that courtships characterized by breakups and renewals represent a relational vulnerability with negative implications extending years into the future.

This study investigates the association between dedication commitment and sliding (moving through relationship transitions without considering the consequences) over 14 weeks for emerging adults in cyclical (partners who have broken up and renewed) and non-cyclical relationships. An autoregressive cross-lagged panel and bivariate latent growth curve analysis were conducted using three waves of data from 220 emerging adults in exclusive dating relationships. Results indicated that dedication and sliding may be relatively stable constructs with a negative bidirectional association although their rates of change may not be related. Further, number of cycles experienced in the current relationship was negatively related to dedication, positively related to sliding, and negatively related to the rate of change in dedication, such that the rate of change in dedication over the course of the semester became increasingly negative the more relationship cycles a participant had experienced. The implications for relationship education are outlined. About 30% to 50% of emerging adults (roughly ages 18-29; Arnett, 2000) have experienced School of Family Studies and Human Services, Kansas State University, 212 Campus Creek Complex, Manhattan, KS 66506-1403 (avennum@ksu.edu).

Given previous research on the risks associated with cycling in young adult dating relationships, the present study examines the frequency with which cyclical dating relationships (relationships that end and renew) persist into cohabitation and marriage, the characteristics of these relationships, and the constraints associated with cycling during these stages using a nationally representative sample of cohabiting (n = 323) and married (n = 752) couples. Using retrospective accounts, results suggest that over one-third of cohabiters and one-fifth of spouses have experienced a breakup and renewal in their current relationship. Additionally, partners who have experienced cycling are at greater risk for further cycling and experiencing greater constraints to permanently ending the relationship, greater uncertainty in their relationship’s future, and lower satisfaction.

Pornography is widely accepted and used as an appropriate sexual practice. Previous literature has suggested that pornography users may be best viewed through a heterogenetic lens that indicates specific classes of pornography users. Furthering this previous research, a latent profile analysis was conducted using a sample of 635 college students (mean age men 20.22 (standard deviation [SD] = 3.10); women 19.16 [SD = 2.12]) over two time points to not only identify unique classifications of pornography users, but also examine specific sexual attitudes 3 months later of each classification. When deriving types, the Pornography Consumption Inventory, frequency of pornography use, gradation of pornography acceptance, the Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale, and religiosity were used. For men, two classes of users were statistically derived based on the above variables: permissive porn explorers (n = 102) and sexual communion and dabbling porn users (n = 55). For women, two classes emerged: nonpermissive porn abstainers (n = 421) and instrumental, integrated porn users (n = 57). These results develop greater detail of different types of pornography users by exploring various sexual attitudes associated with their pornography use patterns.