This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Guerrero, L. K. Articles by Wabnik, A. I. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Linking Maintenance Strategies to Relationship Development and Disengagement: A Reconceptualization

University of Arizona

Sylvie V. Eloy

University of Arizona

Alisa I. Wabnik

University of Arizona

Maintenance strategies are conceptualized as vehicles by which romantic partners can change, as well as preserve, their relationships. A longitudinal approach is used to investigate the idea that daters' perceptions of proactive/constructive maintenance will affect four possible relational outcomes - escalation, stability, de-escalation and termination. Results indicate that perceived frequent use of proactive/constructive maintenance strategies is associated with stability or escalation, while perceived infrequent use of these strategies is related to de-escalation or termination. Results also demonstrate that perceptions of openness and assurances increase over time in escalating relationships, while perceptions of positivity, assurances and the sharing of tasks decrease in de-escalating relationships. These findings support the contention that proactive/constructive maintenance strategies operate not only to stabilize relationships, but also to change them.

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Vol. 10, No. 2, 273-283 (1993)
DOI: 10.1177/026540759301000207


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. K. Alberts, C. G. Yoshimura, M. Rabby, and R. Loschiavo Mapping the topography of couples' daily conversation Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, June 1, 2005; 22(3): 299 - 322. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Dainton Maintenance Behaviors, Expectations for Maintenance, and Satisfaction: Linking Comparison Levels to Relational Maintenance Strategies Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, December 1, 2000; 17(6): 827 - 842. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. J. Messman, D. J. Canary, and K. S. Hause Motives to Remain Platonic, Equity, and the Use of Maintenance Strategies in Opposite-Sex Friendships Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, February 1, 2000; 17(1): 67 - 94. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. J. Weigel and D. S. Ballard-Reisch Using Paired Data to Test Models of Relational Maintenance and Marital Quality Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, April 1, 1999; 16(2): 175 - 191. [Abstract] [PDF]

				W. A. Afifi and S. Metts Characteristics and Consequences of Expectation Violations in Close Relationships Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, June 1, 1998; 15(3): 365 - 392. [Abstract]