Relational Commitment toward a Partner in Prison: An Investment Model Analysis

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the underlying mechanisms of why partners of detainees remain in their relationships and whether this mechanism is associated with the number of monthly visits made to the imprisoned partner. The Investment Model Scale was used to assess: commitment, relationship satisfaction, relationship alternatives, and relationship investments in a sample of one hundred female partners of detainees (M = 35.9 years). As expected, satisfaction was positively and alternatives negatively associated with commitment and commitment was positively related to the number of visits. These results may inform prison initiatives aimed at supporting relationship maintenance.

Keywords:

• Imprisonment
• partners of detainees
• commitment
• investment model

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all prisons for giving us permission to conduct research within their facilities, the Centra Algemeen Welzijnswerk (i.e., a Belgian support organization active in prisons) for distributing the call for participation, the undergraduate students for collecting the data and the partners of detainees for taking the time to participate in this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.