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The Unique Influences of Parental Divorce and Parental Conflict on Emerging Adults in Romantic Relationships

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Abstract

Parental divorce and parental conflict influence children across multiple domains, including risk of divorce in their own marriages. However, parental conflict and divorce, both separately and the interaction between the two, have not often been studied in premarital relationships, especially when considering possible mechanisms mediating these effects. In a large sample of emerging adults (N = 353), we show that when the most plausible mediating mechanisms are simultaneously considered, only relational commitment mediates the influence of parental conflict on outcomes. Parental conflict in the absence of divorce was associated with less commitment and, in turn, less relationship satisfaction and stability in emerging adult children’s romantic relationships, whereas parental conflict was unrelated to outcomes for children whose parents divorced. Implications for theory and preventive interventions are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This study was made possible by Grant # 90FE0022/01 from the Department of Health And Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded to Frank Fincham.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, 286 TLRB, Provo, UT, 84602-5543, USA

    Scott R. Braithwaite, Reed A. Doxey & Krista K. Dowdle

  2. Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Frank D. Fincham

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  1. Scott R. Braithwaite
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  2. Reed A. Doxey
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  3. Krista K. Dowdle
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  4. Frank D. Fincham
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Correspondence to Krista K. Dowdle.

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Braithwaite, S.R., Doxey, R.A., Dowdle, K.K. et al. The Unique Influences of Parental Divorce and Parental Conflict on Emerging Adults in Romantic Relationships. J Adult Dev 23, 214–225 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-016-9237-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-016-9237-6

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