The differential effects of parental divorce and marital conflict on young adult romantic relationships

The differential effects of parental divorce and marital conflict on young adult children's romantic relationships were examined in this short-term longitudinal study. Using a sample of 285 young adults, structural equation modeling supported the hypothesis that parental divorce and marital conflict were independently associated with young adult children's romantic relationships through different mechanisms: Parental divorce was associated with young adults' low level of relationship quality through a negative attitude toward marriage (positive attitude toward divorce) and lack of commitment to their own current relationships. However, marital conflict was associated with young adults' low level of relationship quality through their conflict behavior with their partner. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for future research.