Title page for ETD etd-04132009-215935

Type of Document

Dissertation

Author

Jeter, Nari Susan

Author's Email Address

nsb04d@fsu.edu

URN

etd-04132009-215935

Title

The Long-term Influence Of Family Contexts And Processes In Biological Families And Stepfather Families On Young Adult Children's Intimate Relationships

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Family and Child Sciences, Department of

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name	Title
Thomas A. Cornille	Committee Chair
Ann K. Mullis	Committee Member
Robert E. Lee, III	Committee Member
Neil Abell	Outside Committee Member

Keywords

Stepfamilies
Parent-Child Relationships
Relationship Happiness
Relationship Stability
Young Adult Intimate Relationships

Date of Defense

2009-03-31

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

The main purpose of the present study was to examine the influences of parental relationship instability, parental relationship happiness, and parent-child relationships on young adult intimate relationship outcomes. The effects of parental relationship instability were explored by using two different family groups: biological families and stepfather families. Data from the all three waves of the National Survey of Families and Households was used for this study. Structural Equation Modeling was used as the analysis method to examine the relationships between the variables of interest. Based on Ecological Systems Theory, it was hypothesized that low parental relationship instability, high parental marital happiness, and frequent involvement and high quality in parent-child relationships would determine positive outcomes in young adult intimate relationships. It was also hypothesized that there would be mediating relationships between the family variables and young adults’ intimate relationship outcomes. The findings partially supported Ecological Systems Theory in that the various family context and processes variables were significantly related to children’s young adult intimate relationship happiness and stability. However, there was no support for the mediating hypotheses. Parents’ marital happiness emerged the largest, significant predicator of young adult intimate relationship outcomes in both family groups. Additionally for the two family groups, different causal pathways of the family variables were illustrated through Structural Equation Modeling. Important contributions of the current study include a better understanding of the long-term influences of parental relationship instability, parental relationship happiness, and parent-child relationships on emerging adults’ intimate relationship outcomes. Implications for researchers, clinicians, and educators are presented.

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