Emerging Adults' Use of Relational Maintenance Behaviors with Their Parents

Abstract

This study represents a preliminary investigation into emerging adults' (i.e., ages 18–25 years) use of relational maintenance behaviors with their parents and whether these behaviors are related to perceived commitment, trust, and control mutuality. Participants were 273 undergraduate students who completed a series of instruments in reference to their general interactions with one parent. Results indicated that emerging adults use the networks, assurances, positivity, tasks, conflict management, and advice relational maintenance behaviors with their parents, and their use of relational maintenance behaviors is related directly to perceived commitment, trust, and control mutuality.

Keywords:

• Commitment
• Control Mutuality
• Emerging Adults
• Relational Maintenance Behaviors
• Trust

The authors thank Cara Spencer for her help with data collection and the reviewers for their constructive comments

Notes

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A version of this paper was presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the Eastern Communication Association, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Scott A. Myers

Scott A. Myers (Ph.D., Kent State University, 1995) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Natica P. Glover

Natica P. Glover (M.A., West Virginia University, 2006) is a recent graduate from West Virginia University.