Research article summary (published 29 Jun 2009):

Nonmarital romantic relationship commitment and leave behavior: the mediating role of dissolution consideration.

Full Abstract

Two studies investigated the process by which individuals in nonmarital romantic relationships characterized by low commitment move toward enacting leave behaviors. Predictions based on the behavioral, goal, and implementation intention literatures were tested using a measure of dissolution consideration developed for this research. Dissolution consideration assesses how salient relationship termination is for an individual while one's relationship is intact. Study 1 developed and validated a measure of dissolution consideration and Study 2 was a longitudinal test of the utility of dissolution consideration in predicting the enactment of leave behaviors. Results indicated that dissolution consideration mediates the association between commitment and enacting leave behaviors, is associated with taking more immediate action, and provides unique explanatory power in leave behavior beyond the effect of commitment alone. Collectively, the findings suggest that dissolution consideration is an intermediate step between commitment and stay/leave behavior in close relationships.

Author information

Author/s: Vanderdrift, Laura E (LE); Agnew, Christopher R (CR); Wilson, Juan E (JE);

Affiliation: Purdue University, Psychological Sciences, West Lafayette, IN, USA. laura(-atsign-)psych.purdue.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Personality and social psychology bulletin (Pers Soc Psychol Bull), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Sep; vol 35 (issue 9) : pp 1220-32

Dates: Created 2009/07/31; Completed 2009/09/28;

PMID: 19571274, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/28/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Affect Courtship - psychology Decision Making Family Characteristics Female Goals Humans

Humans Individuality Intention Interpersonal Relations Male Motivation Trust Young Adult

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