So Many Theories, So Little Time: An Examination of Theories on the Intergenerational Transmission of Relationship Instability

Commentary: (How) does the experience of parental divorce in childhood contextualize adult development? Reflections on Fergusson et al. (2014)

“…A puzzling discrepancy can be seen between the cautious attitudes of children of separation and divorce concerning future relationships and marriage and behavioral trends that indicate the earlier than average initiation of sexual activity and partnership by children of divorce (Tasker & Richards, ). An array of theoretical accounts has been put forward for the intergenerational transmission of marital instability, with perspectives focused on evolutionary, social learning, life‐course adversity, and father‐absence explanations (Wright, ). However, it is only recently that researchers have begun to focus on the role that problematic partner selection may play in repeating parental mistakes and here the article by Fergusson and colleagues has made an insightful contribution to understanding the intergenerational transmission of marital instability.…”