Relationship development in dating couples: Implications for relational satisfaction and loneliness

Jeanne Flora, Chris Segrin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

66 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examined the associations among relationship development, relational satisfaction, and loneliness. One hundred participants in a current romantic relationship and 100 participants in a recently broken-off romantic relationship completed measures of relationship development, including a newly developed self-report measure to assess relationship trajectories and a series of open-ended questions that assessed cognitive appraisals of relationship development. Participants also completed measures of relationship satisfaction and loneliness. Results indicated that reports of faster and broader relationship development trajectories and cognitive appraisals of the relationship development that indicated 'weness' over separateness, glorifying the struggle with past stressors, and minimal relational disappointment were positively associated with relational satisfaction. These relationship development assessments, along with relational satisfaction, were also negatively related to loneliness.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)811-825
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Social and Personal Relationships
Volume17
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2000

Keywords

  • Loneliness
  • Relationship development
  • Relationship satisfaction
  • Relationship trajectory

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Communication
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Sociology and Political Science

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