Romantic Relationship Churn in Early Adolescence Predicts Hostility, Abuse, and Avoidance in Relationships Into Early Adulthood

Bibliographic Data

ID11670924
AuthorsEmily L Loeb (0000-0002-3901-6590, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA, corresponding author), Jessica Kansky (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA), Rachel K Narr (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA), Caroline Fowler (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA), Joseph P Allen (0000-0002-2328-059X, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA)
Year2020
Volume40
Issue8
Pages1195-1225
Publication date2020-01-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Early Adolescence (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0272-4316 • E-ISSN: 1552-5449
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0272431619899477
PMID33627921
OpenAlexW3002439716
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited69

This study examined early adolescent romantic "churning," defined here as having a large number of boyfriends/girlfriends by age 13, as a problematic marker likely to predict hostility, abuse, and avoidance during conflict in later relationships. A sample of 184 adolescents was followed through age 24 to assess predictions of hostility, abuse, and avoidance during conflict from early romantic churning. Controlling for gender and family income, romantic churning at age 13 predicted relative decreases in peer preference and relative increases in conflict and betrayal in close friendships from ages 13-16, as well as higher observable hostility and self and partner-reported abuse in romantic relationships by age 18 and greater avoidance during conflict with romantic partners by age 24. Findings remained after accounting for attachment security, social competence, and friendship quality in early adolescence, suggesting that early romantic churning may uniquely predict a problematic developmental pathway

Churning · Developmental psychology · Friendship · Hostility · Romance · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Psychology · Social Psychology

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