The delayed entry into marriage that characterizes modern society raises questions about young adults' romantic relationship trajectories and whether patterns found to characterize adolescent romantic relationships persist into young adulthood. The current study traced developmental transitions into and out of romantic relationships from age 18 through age 25 in a sample of 511 young adults. The developmental antecedents of these different romantic relationship experiences in both distal and proximal family and peer domains were also examined. Analyses included both person-oriented and variable-oriented approaches. Findings show 5 distinct clusters varying in timing, duration, and frequency of participation in romantic relationships that range from those who had only recently entered into a romantic relationship to those who had been in the same relationship from age 18 to age 25. These relationship outcome trajectory clusters were predicted by variations in competence in early relationships with family and peers. Interpersonal experiences in family and peer contexts in early childhood through adolescence thus may form a scaffold on which later competence in romantic relationships develops. Findings shed light on both normative and nonnormative developmental transitions of romantic relationships in young adulthood.

Risks associated with less satisfying intimate relationships often co-occur within individuals, raising questions about approaches that consider only their independent impact. Utilizing the cumulative risk model, which acknowledges the natural covariation of risk factors, this study examined individuals in intimate relationships using the Florida Family Formation Survey (n = 2,876) and a replication sample (n = 1,048). Analyses confirmed that not only was relationship satisfaction lower among those with more risks, but the cumulative risk score was predictive above and beyond the individual risk factors. Furthermore, experiencing multiple risks exacerbated the negative associations between individual risks and relationship satisfaction, suggesting that the operation of a risk factor in a relationship is moderated by the presence or absence of other risks. Keywordsmarriage and close relationships; relationship processes; satisfaction; social context Individuals who are satisfied with their intimate relationships live longer (House, Landis, & Umberson, 1988), are physically healthier (Kiecolt-Glaser & Newton, 2001), and are better parents (Grych & Fincham, 1990) than people who are less satisfied with their relationships. Accordingly, it is not surprising that satisfaction in a relationship is one of the best predictors of general life satisfaction that has been measured, better than financial security, job satisfaction, or physical health (Glenn & Weaver, 1981). The promise of satisfying relationships has long been known to researchers, but in the last decade the benefits of satisfying intimate relationships have also been recognized by policymakers. In 2006, for example, the federal government allocated $750 million over 5 years toward the Healthy Marriage Initiative, explicitly aimed at promoting marriages that are not only enduring but fulfilling as well (Roberts, 2005).If policy efforts to promote satisfying relationships are to succeed, they must target the individuals most likely to benefit from extra support. To this end, researchers have sought to identify risk factors for experiencing distress in relationships, where risk factors are defined as individual or environmental hazards that increase individuals' vulnerability to experiencing negative outcomes (e.g., Werner & Smith, 1982). This research has been largely successful, (Karney & Bradbury, 1995). NIH Public AccessAlthough such research has offered important insights into the antecedents and correlates of relationship distress, to date most research has examined variables associated with risk independently from one another. Even studies that assess multiple risk factors at once generally examine the independent associations between each variable and relationship satisfaction, for example, through multiple regression. Yet most people do not experience risk factors independently. Multiple risk factors tend to covary within individuals (e.g., Kraemer, Stice, Kazdin, Offord, & Kupfer, 2001), and so may interact, such that the effects of any sing...

Data from a survey of 200 young adults assessed whether the early nonshared environment, specifically parental differential treatment, was associated with romantic relationship distress through its effects on sibling jealousy, attachment styles, and self-esteem. Individuals who received equal affection from their parents in comparison to their sibling reported equal jealousy between themselves and their sibling, had higher self-esteem, more secure attachment styles, and less romantic relationship distress. Receiving differential parental affection, regardless of whether the participant or their sibling was favored, was associated with more negative models of self and others, which in turn were associated with greater romantic relationship distress. Results indicate that early withinfamily experiences may be particularly relevant for later healthy romantic relationship functioning.The achievement of intimacy in close relationships is considered a central developmental task in the early years of adulthood (W. A. Collins & Sroufe, 1999;Conger, Cui, Bryant, & Elder, 2000;Erikson, 1968). The failure to establish and maintain such high-quality relationships is associated with poorer well-being. In particular, individuals in unhappy relationships are more likely to suffer poor physical and mental health, even if their romantic relationships are stable (Beach, Katz, Kim, & Brody, 2003;Kiecolt-Glaser & Newton, 2001). Given the importance of romantic relationship quality for well-being, researchers have sought to understand the developmental roots of the ability to both initiate and maintain high-quality romantic relationships (Conger et al., 2000). Research has demonstrated that experiences in the early familial environment contribute to romantic relationship functioning, such that individuals who grow up in families characterized by nurturing parenting have higher quality romantic relationships as adults than do individuals who grow up with parents characterized as distant or cold (Black & Schutte, 2006;Donnellan, Larsen-Rife, & Conger, 2005).Although research has recognized the importance of early childhood experiences for the development of competence in intimate relationships, only recently have researchers begun to examine the sibling relationship as being a significant aspect of the early family environment (L. R. Brody, Copeland, Sutton, Richardson, & Guyer, 1998). The roots of this emerging interest in sibling influences can be traced to the investigation of the developmental impact of the nonshared environment, defined as any environmental experience that differs for children growing up in the same family (i.e., being treated differently by parents and one's own siblings; Baker & Daniels, 1990;Daniels & Plomin, 1985). These differences can be quite pronounced as the differential experiences of children within the same family are often greater than the experiences of children from different families (Plomin & Daniels, 1987). These differences, whether perceived or actual, have important implications for i...

Religion is important to most U.S. families, but is often overlooked in research on children’s development. This study examined parental religious beliefs about the sanctification of parenting, parental disciplinary strategies, and the development of young children’s conscience in a sample of 58 two-parent families with a preschool child. Fathers were more punitive and used less induction when disciplining their children than did mothers. Maternal and paternal reports of the sanctification of parenting were positively related to positive socialization/praise and the use of induction. When mothers and fathers in the family were both using induction, children had higher scores on moral conduct. Parents’ use of positive socialization combined with a belief in the sanctification of parenting predicted children’s conscience development.