A Longitudinal Test of a Developmental Framework for Premarital Dyadic Formation

A longitudinal analysis of 91 dating couples over a period of two years is utilized as an initial test of a developmental framework generated to account for premarital dyadic formation (PDF). The longitudinal test substantially accounts for the dissolution and the continuance of dyads as outcomes of the degree to which the couples had earlier achieved PDF in five of six pair processes, i.e., the achieving of similarity perception, pair rapport, self disclosure, role-taking, and role-fit.