Abstract
Relationship maintenance behaviors contribute to the longevity of intimate relationships, yet existing scales are limited. Available measurement tools are primarily constrained to the Relationship Maintenance Strategy Measure (RMSM) and its further revisions. Covering a number of domains, conceptual overlap with other aspects of an intimate relationship (e.g., household division of labor) may exist. Our cross-sectional exploratory study included participants from 60 countries (n=8,162) who completed an online survey. Participants were diverse in their relationship status, age, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity. From their responses, we developed a parsimonious and brief measure of relationship maintenance (8 items) through exploratory and then confirmatory factor analyses. Results indicated that the Relationship Maintenance Scale (RMS) shows initial evidence of reliability and validity. The RMS may have utility in working with couples and families. Future research should seek to re-test its use with varied samples, such as couples seeking relationship support.
Highlights
Relationship maintenance behaviors contribute to the longevity of intimate relationships, yet existing scales are limited
In other words, are all five of these different types of behaviors necessary to maintain a relationship? do they adequately include the minutiae of behaviors that may routinely take place? We argue that these various elements of an intimate relationship go beyond relationship maintenance inand-of-itself
Based on the literature and our theoretical conceptualization of relationship maintenance, we developed items to create the Relationship Maintenance Scale (RMS), which could be subjected to further testing
Summary
Relationship maintenance behaviors contribute to the longevity of intimate relationships, yet existing scales are limited. Participants were diverse in their relationship status, age, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity From their responses, we developed a parsimonious and brief measure of relationship maintenance (8 items) through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Despite the way that intimate relationships have been shaped and redefined over time and the loosening of social pressure to legally marry, most adults spend some or most of their lives in a romantic couple relationship. In the first five years of civil partnerships in the UK (December 2005–2010), over 46,000 same-sex partnerships had been registered (ONS, 2011) Understanding these relationships is important as an enduring relationship can support personal well-being and overall health (KiecoltGlaser & Newton, 2001) and reduce the risk of depression (Walker, Isherwood, Burton, Kitwe-Magambo, & Luszcz, 2013). Chonody et al./UNDERSTANDING EVERYDAY RELATIONSHIP WORK consideration when evaluating the positive effects of being in a long-term relationship
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
