Year: 2009
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: ABSTRACT. Elements of marital horizon theory (the importance of marriage, desire for marriage now, and beliefs about the ideal age of marriage) were examined in relation to dating violence perpetration using a sample of 611 college students from a large Midwestern university. We examined whether marital horizon variables significantly predicted dating violence perpetration above and beyond other known predictors of dating violence. Results indicate desire to marry was the only element of marital horizon theory to emerge as a significant predictor of dating violence. However, it was only salient for women’s perpetration of psychological aggression. Implications of the findings are discussed, including the possibility that marital horizon theory may be a proxy for conventionality. Future directions for research are discussed. Research has generally shown that emerging adulthood is a time of exploration and self-development. This developmental period is also associated with greater participation in risk-taking behaviors such as alcohol abuse and illicit drug use (Arnett, 2000) and higher rates of dating violence (Murray & Kardatzke, 2007). Recently, a marital horizon theory has been proposed that suggests the closer marriage is perceived to be (shorter marital horizon), the less likely emerging adults are to engage in various unhealthy individual and relational behaviors and
Author: Matthew D. Johnson
Institution: Kansas State University
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1519518189