Relationship Characteristics and Conflict Reported in an Online Weekly Survey: Preliminary Results

The current paper examines the role of young women’s relationship characteristics on experiences of conflict within relationships. We use new longitudinal data from a weekly mixedmode (online or phone) journal-based survey spanning two and half years. We investigate the effects of time-varying relationship characteristics that capture the intensity, instability, and asymmetry within and across relationships on conflict among a sample of almost 1000 18-21 year old women. The results are preliminary but suggest that the characteristics of young women’s relationships influence the likelihood of experiencing conflict net of important individual-level correlates and that the effects of relationship characteristics differ depending on the type of conflict examined (fought or argued only versus experienced verbal and/or physical conflict). Intensity of relationships increases the risk of both types of conflict while instability and asymmetry within relationships increases the risk of experiencing verbal or physical conflict only. In the final paper to be presented at the ASA conference, analyses will be expanded to include additional measures of asymmetry and cumulative measures of young women’s relationship experiences as well as measures of change within relationships. We will also explore data from semi-structured interviews to better understand the findings from the quantitative component of the study. Relationship Characteristics and Conflict 3 BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE Violence between intimate partners is a significant health problem and an important social issue, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Approximately one-third of young people report some type of dating violence victimization, although estimates vary widely due to differences in operational definitions of dating violence and sample selection (Foshee, 1996; Halpern et al., 2001; Henton et al., 1983; Malik, Sorenson, & Aneshensel, 1997; O’Keeffe, Brockopp, & Chew, 1986; Spriggs, Halpern, Herring, & Schoenbach, 2009). A growing body of literature demonstrates both short and long term consequences of intimate partner violence among young people. These include higher rates of psychological distress as well as higher rates of adverse reproductive health outcomes such as unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (DiClemente et al., 2001; Gallaty & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2008; Kreiter et al., 1999; Roberts, Klein, & Fisher, 2003; Silverman, Raj, Mucci, & Hathaway, 2001; Slashinski, Coker, & Davis, 2003; Spriggs et al., 2009; Wingood et al., 2001). A number of sociodemographic factors have been associated with dating violence victimization. Gender is one important factor yet results are often inconsistent. Some researchers have found that females report higher levels of dating violence (Champion et al., 2008; Halpern, Spriggs, Martin, & Kupper, 2009), while others have found equal rates of dating violence among males and females (Henton et al., 1983; O’Keeffe et al., 1986). Still others have found that males report physical victimization levels similar to or higher than females (Foshee, 1996; Malik et al., 1997) and that females report sexual victimization levels higher than those reported by males (Kreiter et al., 1999; Malik et al., 1997). Research has also found that the correlates of dating violence differ by gender (Kreiter et al., 1999; Malik et al., 1997). While we recognize the importance of studying dating violence among both women and men, our sample includes women only. We believe that a closer examination of women’s relationship experiences is a necessary step towards better understanding conflict within relationships. Other important sociodemographic factors include age, race/ethnicity, and family background. Although the mechanisms through which these individual-level factors operate are not well understood, differentials have been found. Dating violence frequently begins during adolescence (Henton et al., 1983). Among high school samples, the prevalence of partner violence has been found to increase with age, which may be a function of the accumulation of dating experiences that occurs with age (Jezl et al., 1996; Kreiter et al., 1999; Silverman et al., 2001). Relationship Characteristics and Conflict 4 While findings regarding racial/ethnic differences in risk of dating violence have varied, a few studies have found differential prevalence rates by race/ethnicity (Brown & Bulanda, 2008; Frias & Angel, 2005; Halpern et al., 2001; Malik et al., 1997). Family background has also been posited as a potential risk factor. Researchers have found that parental divorce and the presence of a stepparent is positively associated with dating violence (Malik et al., 1997) as is living with a single parent (Foshee et al., 2008). Parental education has also been shown to be negatively associated with dating violence (Foshee et al., 2008). In addition to investigating these important individual-level correlates of dating violence, we expand on past research by also examining how relationships themselves are related to dating violence, particularly the intensity, instability, and asymmetry within relationships. The formation of romantic relationships provides a critical interpersonal context for development and is a central feature of social development during adolescence and young adulthood (Furman, Brown, & Feiring 1999; Giordano et al., 2001; Graber, Brooks-Gunn, & Petersen 1996). Because adolescence and young adulthood are key developmental periods, relationship experiences early in the life course can shape subsequent experiences occurring in adulthood. Findings that suggest a high frequency of coercive and aggressive behaviors beginning at adolescence and young adulthood, such as dating violence, highlight the importance of viewing young people’s relationships as a significant period in which risk factors for experiencing violence may translate into patterns of violence in adult relationships. To advance our understanding of the processes leading to conflict within relationships during the transition to adulthood, we investigate the role of young women’s relationship characteristics. A unique feature of our study is the ability to capture dynamic relationship experiences over time. We posit that individuals’ own characteristics as well as the characteristics of their relationships influence the occurrence of conflict with partners. We investigate the effects of time-varying relationship characteristics that capture the intensity, instability, and asymmetry within and across relationships as well as the contributions of individuals’ sociodemographic characteristics, family background, and prior sexual, contraceptive, and pregnancy experiences. We hypothesize that having fought or argued with a partner is more common within more intense relationships but that specific acts of verbal and/or physical conflict are more likely during periods of instability and within asymmetric relationships. We further posit that these effects will be reduced upon controlling for individual characteristics due to selection into different types of relationships but will have independent effects. Relationship Characteristics and Conflict 5