Young adults'construction of love relationships

MSoc Sc (Clinical Psychology), North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 1999Given the widespread problem of sustaining healthy love relationships among many people, especially young people and the resultant failures in married life, preventive intervention in the form of education to young people about courtship has become necessary. This study explored the experiences of young people in love relationships with regard to their dating patterns; how they deal with conflict situations in their love relationships, as well as issues about which they would like to be counseled. Participants in the study were eight female students whose age ranged from twenty to twenty-six and had an average dating experience of six and half years. Relevant data was collected through the individual, semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Generally participants began dating at an early age and experienced problems in sustaining one long-lasting pleasurable love relationship. On average participants' love relationships lasted for one and half years. The majority of participants received very little or no form of education and guidance before they began dating. The findings of the study further indicated that for most participants conflict in a love relationship is bad and therefore should be avoided at all costs. Consequently when dealing with conflict situations in their love relationships participants tended to prefer avoidance strategies, for example "keeping quiet for the sake of peace". Regarding premarital relationship preparation programs participants expressed lack of knowledge about such programs. However upon learning about the programs all participants expressed a huge interest to make use of such programs if and when they are made available and accessible to them. Conflict resolution and communication skills were mentioned to be the major issues about which participants would like to receive education and guidance. Detailed findings of the study and their implications are presented in the following chapters.Master