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Does a Marriage Ideal Exist? Using Q-Sort Methodology to Compare Young Adults’ and Professional Educators’ Views on Healthy Marriages

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Abstract

This study sought to understand whether young adults and family educators share beliefs about the components of a successful relationship. Young adults viewed successful relationships as having partners who agree on most issues. Educators characterized successful partners as exhibiting positive communication patterns and using relationship maintenance strategies. A third prototype included young adults and educators who described successful relationships in terms of agreement and problem solving behaviors. Implications for researchers and practitioners conclude the article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Georgia, Family Science Center II, House D, Athens, GA, 30602-3622, USA

    David W. Wright & Kelly Campbell

  2. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

    Leigh Ann Simmons

  3. Department of Family Studies, College of Agriculture Department of Health Services Management, College of Public Health, 320 Funkhouser Building, Lexington, KY, 40506-0054, USA

    Leigh Ann Simmons

Authors
  1. David W. Wright
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  2. Leigh Ann Simmons
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  3. Kelly Campbell
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Correspondence to David W. Wright.

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Wright, D.W., Simmons, L.A. & Campbell, K. Does a Marriage Ideal Exist? Using Q-Sort Methodology to Compare Young Adults’ and Professional Educators’ Views on Healthy Marriages. Contemp Fam Ther 29, 223–236 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-007-9044-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-007-9044-0

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