jared.negley
Fri, 05/29/2026 - 18:52
Edited Text
Familial Relationships effects on Endorsement of Traditional Romantic Relationship Events
Erica Anderson¹, Kendall Rinewalt², Dr. Cynthia Hall, Ph.D.
Slippery Rock University
Introduction
A romantic relationship is a broad term which encompasses a
mutual connection between two people that goes beyond the
bounds of friendship. Often, our mindset and outlook on romantic
relationships can be influenced at an early age by familial
experiences, both “functional” and “dysfunctional”.
Results
Discussion
A series of preliminary analyses concluded a significant difference
between sex and endorsement of traditional romantic relationship
events, F (1, 6501) =3.977, p=.046. Participants whose sex was
male report higher endorsement of traditional romantic relationship
events. The analyses on age were not significant. Analyses
regarding race were statistically significant.
The hypothesis was supported by a Pearson correlation analysis
that there would be an increase in one’s endorsement of traditional
romantic relationships given functional relationships with one’s
parents and that it would decrease given the opposite. This finding
is also consistent with previous research suggesting that there is a
correlation between non-functional parenting and non-functional
couple interaction within a romantic adult relationship, going
against traditional romantic relationship events (White et al., 2024).
If a child is presented with parental warmth from both the mother
and father figures in their life, there is a positive correlation with
romantic satisfaction in young adulthood (Ni Jian, 2022).
However, the opposite also holds true, as dysfunctional family
relationships can negatively affect someone’s romantic
relationships later in life, and their views on love as a whole (Ni
Jian, 2022; Zagefka et al., 2021).
Strengths and Weaknesses
Though this study does suggest that those with increased familial
dysfunction endorse traditional romantic relationship events less,
causal links cannot be established.
People that experienced dysfunctional familial relationships in
their childhood need to be aware of the factors that may affect
their relationship ideals in order to better understand themselves
and their endorsements of love. A well-rounded grasp of factors
from our childhood that shape us can work to uphold and foster
healthier, sustainable relationships in adulthood.
Method
Sample
6504 adolescents in 7th – 12th grade, ages ranging from 12-21
years, who participated in the first wave of The National
Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health)
were included in the public access sample.
An uncontrolled third variable may be confounding these results.
For example, divorce in families was not taken into account.
Main Analysis
A Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant strong
correlation between the functionality of one’s family life and their
endorsement of traditional romantic relationship events, r (6502) =
.213, p < .001. The significant positive correlation shows that as the
health of one’s family life increased, their endorsement of traditional
romantic relationship events increased.
o
www.PosterPresentations.com
References
Measures
o
TEMPLATE DESIGN © 2008
Future research could expand upon how divorce and gender
dynamics play roles on influencing one’s endorsement of
traditional romantic relationship events. Also, a trauma-focused
questionnaire would be able to differentiate the levels of
dysfunction one may have experienced, having participants rate
childhood traumas on a scale from 1-10, to see what they may
have experienced growing up with their family (1= I didn’t
experience that trauma, 10= I experienced that trauma daily).
Measures
Demographics of Sample
With 48% of participants being male and 52% being female, below
are the ranges of different races and grades involved:
Further, it may be that more gender specific factors (someone
experiencing more or less dysfunction in their relationships with
their parents due to their gender) may be influencing these
processes studied here, especially considering that men were
more likely to endorse traditional romantic relationship events
opposed to women.
Endorsement of traditional romantic relationship events was
measured assessing the degree of participant’s attitudes regarding
traditional romantic relationship events. Participants “kept” or
“rejected” five items based on if traditional romantic relationship
events would or would not happen in their ideal romantic
relationship.
Familial relationship health was measured with five separate
statements on a five-point numerical rating scale as to the
functionality of the respondent’s relationships with their parents
and the basis of which they can navigate their own lived
experience as a result (1 = strongly agree, 5= strongly disagree).
•
Jian, N. (2023). Longitudinal associations between family relationships
during adolescence and romantic relationships
in young adulthood. In
Dissertation Abstracts International Section A:Humanities
and Social
Sciences (Vol. 84, Issue 2–A).
•
White, A. C., Diggs, O. N., & Neppl, T. K. (2024). Father and mother harsh
parenting and adult romantic relationships over time: Individual behavior
during adolescence. Journal of Family Psychology, 38(5), 775–785.
https://doi.org.proxysru.klnpa.org/10.1037/fam0001245
•
Zagefka, H., Clarke, Z., Kabeli, G., Lundy, C., Plumtree, A., & Smith, G.
(2021). Lay beliefs about romantic relationships: A mediator of the effect of
family dysfunction on romantic relationship satisfaction. Journal of Adult
Development, 28(4), 299–308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-021-09374-4
Erica Anderson¹, Kendall Rinewalt², Dr. Cynthia Hall, Ph.D.
Slippery Rock University
Introduction
A romantic relationship is a broad term which encompasses a
mutual connection between two people that goes beyond the
bounds of friendship. Often, our mindset and outlook on romantic
relationships can be influenced at an early age by familial
experiences, both “functional” and “dysfunctional”.
Results
Discussion
A series of preliminary analyses concluded a significant difference
between sex and endorsement of traditional romantic relationship
events, F (1, 6501) =3.977, p=.046. Participants whose sex was
male report higher endorsement of traditional romantic relationship
events. The analyses on age were not significant. Analyses
regarding race were statistically significant.
The hypothesis was supported by a Pearson correlation analysis
that there would be an increase in one’s endorsement of traditional
romantic relationships given functional relationships with one’s
parents and that it would decrease given the opposite. This finding
is also consistent with previous research suggesting that there is a
correlation between non-functional parenting and non-functional
couple interaction within a romantic adult relationship, going
against traditional romantic relationship events (White et al., 2024).
If a child is presented with parental warmth from both the mother
and father figures in their life, there is a positive correlation with
romantic satisfaction in young adulthood (Ni Jian, 2022).
However, the opposite also holds true, as dysfunctional family
relationships can negatively affect someone’s romantic
relationships later in life, and their views on love as a whole (Ni
Jian, 2022; Zagefka et al., 2021).
Strengths and Weaknesses
Though this study does suggest that those with increased familial
dysfunction endorse traditional romantic relationship events less,
causal links cannot be established.
People that experienced dysfunctional familial relationships in
their childhood need to be aware of the factors that may affect
their relationship ideals in order to better understand themselves
and their endorsements of love. A well-rounded grasp of factors
from our childhood that shape us can work to uphold and foster
healthier, sustainable relationships in adulthood.
Method
Sample
6504 adolescents in 7th – 12th grade, ages ranging from 12-21
years, who participated in the first wave of The National
Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health)
were included in the public access sample.
An uncontrolled third variable may be confounding these results.
For example, divorce in families was not taken into account.
Main Analysis
A Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant strong
correlation between the functionality of one’s family life and their
endorsement of traditional romantic relationship events, r (6502) =
.213, p < .001. The significant positive correlation shows that as the
health of one’s family life increased, their endorsement of traditional
romantic relationship events increased.
o
www.PosterPresentations.com
References
Measures
o
TEMPLATE DESIGN © 2008
Future research could expand upon how divorce and gender
dynamics play roles on influencing one’s endorsement of
traditional romantic relationship events. Also, a trauma-focused
questionnaire would be able to differentiate the levels of
dysfunction one may have experienced, having participants rate
childhood traumas on a scale from 1-10, to see what they may
have experienced growing up with their family (1= I didn’t
experience that trauma, 10= I experienced that trauma daily).
Measures
Demographics of Sample
With 48% of participants being male and 52% being female, below
are the ranges of different races and grades involved:
Further, it may be that more gender specific factors (someone
experiencing more or less dysfunction in their relationships with
their parents due to their gender) may be influencing these
processes studied here, especially considering that men were
more likely to endorse traditional romantic relationship events
opposed to women.
Endorsement of traditional romantic relationship events was
measured assessing the degree of participant’s attitudes regarding
traditional romantic relationship events. Participants “kept” or
“rejected” five items based on if traditional romantic relationship
events would or would not happen in their ideal romantic
relationship.
Familial relationship health was measured with five separate
statements on a five-point numerical rating scale as to the
functionality of the respondent’s relationships with their parents
and the basis of which they can navigate their own lived
experience as a result (1 = strongly agree, 5= strongly disagree).
•
Jian, N. (2023). Longitudinal associations between family relationships
during adolescence and romantic relationships
in young adulthood. In
Dissertation Abstracts International Section A:Humanities
and Social
Sciences (Vol. 84, Issue 2–A).
•
White, A. C., Diggs, O. N., & Neppl, T. K. (2024). Father and mother harsh
parenting and adult romantic relationships over time: Individual behavior
during adolescence. Journal of Family Psychology, 38(5), 775–785.
https://doi.org.proxysru.klnpa.org/10.1037/fam0001245
•
Zagefka, H., Clarke, Z., Kabeli, G., Lundy, C., Plumtree, A., & Smith, G.
(2021). Lay beliefs about romantic relationships: A mediator of the effect of
family dysfunction on romantic relationship satisfaction. Journal of Adult
Development, 28(4), 299–308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-021-09374-4