Exploring Variables Associated With Interracial and Intraracial Couples' Relationship Satisfaction

108 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2002.This study looked at interracial and intraracial dating couples' relationship satisfaction. The goals of this study included: (a) identifying the similarities and differences between groups and couples dating interracially and intraracially; (b) investigating whether specific love styles, conflict tactics, relationship length, family, friendship, and general public influence/approval, and ethnic identity significantly predicted relationship satisfaction; and (c) examining whether couple status (i.e., interracial or intraracial) moderated the relationship between family, friendship, and general public influence/approval and relationship satisfaction. Participants included 35 interracial and 58 intraracial heterosexual dating couples. The majority of the intraracially dating couples were White and the majority of the interracially dating couples were Asian/White pairings. Analyses included a repeated measures MANOVA, several paired post-hoc t-tests and a series of multiple regressions. The results of the present analyses indicated that there were no significant differences between couples dating interracially and intraracially on relationship satisfaction, love styles, conflict tactics, relationship length, ethnic identity, family, friendship, or general public influence/approval. Results also indicated that there were significant sex differences within each dyad. Furthermore, relationship satisfaction for the overall sample was predicted by greater family influence/approval, less friendship influence/approval, less psychological aggression towards one's partner, more passion and less game-playing love. Relationship satisfaction for the men in the sample was predicted by less friendship influence/approval, less game-playing and more passionate love styles. Relationship satisfaction for women in the sample was predicted by more passion and less psychological aggression towards their partner. None of the moderating relationships were supported. This study provides new information within the realm of interracial and intraracial dating and also expands the knowledge base in the area of dating relationships by exploring important dyadic differences which take into account sex and couple status.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD