Marriage as a training ground: Examining change in self-control and forgiveness over the first 4 years of marriage

Tila M Pronk, Asuman Buyukcan-Tetik, Marina M A H Iliás, Catrin Finkenauer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Do partners' levels of self-control and forgiveness change over the course of marriage? Based on the idea that marriage may function as a training ground for these vital relationship abilities, we hypothesized that people increase their levels of self-control and forgiveness over time and that these developments take place simultaneously. We tested these predictions among 199 newlywed couples in the first 4 years of marriage, using a dyadic latent growth curves analysis. Confirming our hypotheses, results showed significant increases in self-control and forgiveness as well as a positive concurrent correlation between these variables. However, the developments of self-control and forgiveness were unrelated. So, while people become more self-controlled and forgiving over the course of a marriage, these developments do not coincide.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)109-130
Number of pages22
JournalJournal of Social and Personal Relationships
Volume36
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2019

Keywords

  • Forgiveness
  • marriage
  • romantic relationships
  • self-control

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