Relational Turbulence in College Dating Relationships: Measurement, Construct Validity, and Comparison to Marriage

摘要

Dating relationships contribute to the development and well-being of college students,in part because they encompass both rewards and challenges. Relational turbulencetheory (RTT) explains variation in the experience of positive and negative episodes inromantic relationships. This study evaluates measures and hypotheses derived fromRTT within a college dating sample and compares results to those obtained frommarried individuals. Results show that relational uncertainty, interdependence, andrelational turbulence are both related to and distinct from other qualities of relationships,and they also correlate with self-report measures of cognitions, emotions, andcommunication. Conclusions highlight differences between dating versus marriedrelationships.