I nterpersonal communication is central to romantic relationships. The way two people interact when they first meet can either ignite or extinguish hopes of future romance (Davis, 1973). Couples' communication is associated with what partners think about each other (Sillars, Roberts, Leonard, & Dun, 2000), how they generally behave toward each other (Fitzpatrick, 1988), and how they feel about ...

This study examined romantic partner selection and socialization of substance use (cigarettes, alcohol) and behavior problems among a sample of 78 young adolescents (6th-8th graders) over eleven months. Adolescent and romantic partner behaviors were assessed before and after relationships were initiated via school records and self-report. Most selection and socialization effects were apparent f...

This study examined the association between romantic relationships and delinquency in adolescence and young adulthood. Using a large, longitudinal, and nationally representative sample, results from negative binomial regressions showed a positive association between romantic involvement and delinquency in adolescence. Further, the cumulative number of romantic relationships from adolescence to ...

This study investigated longitudinal associations between adolescents' technology-based communication and the development of interpersonal competencies within romantic relationships. A school-based sample of 487 adolescents (58% girls; Mage  = 14.1) participated at two time points, one year apart. Participants reported (1) proportions of daily communication with romantic partners via traditiona...

The collective influence of identity styles and romantic attachment insecurity on psychological dating aggression was examined for 1,975 adolescents living in a southern state of the United States. Informational identity style related negatively to psychological dating aggression, but anxious romantic attachment related positively to this behavior. Diffuse-avoidant identity style and using psyc...

An attachment perspective is proposed as a framework for conceptualizing the impact of sexual victimization on close relationships. Two studies were conducted to empirically examine the links between sexual victimization and perceptions of romantic, parental, and peer relationships. Study One included 154 undergraduate women, and Study Two included 48 high school seniors. In both studies, appro...