Poster #63 - Adolescent Experiences as Predictors of Romantic Jealousy in Adulthood

• In Event: Poster Session 04

Abstract

Introduction. As peer and romantic relationships become more important during adolescence there are increased opportunities for youth to experience feelings of jealousy (Lennarz et al., 2017). Jealousy is a known predictor of negative relationship outcomes such as lower relationship satisfaction, higher levels of depression, and termination of a relationship (Dandurand & Lafontaine, 2014). Although jealousy has also been associated with other factors including anxiety, low self-esteem, and low social expectations of others, little research has identified how these constructs may contribute as developmental predictors of romantic jealousy. This study hypothesized that early reports of these factors may be diatheses of future jealously in romantic relationships, but that these factors would interact with painful experiences in a previous romantic relationship to predict future jealously most strongly.
Method. Data were collected from a sample of 184 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse participants (86 males, 98 females; 58% Caucasian, 29% African American, 13% mixed or other; median income = $40,000-59,999). The current study used five waves of measurement, interviewing participants when they were approximately 13, 15, 18, 21, and 24. Participants were initially assessed at age 13 with self-report questionnaires regarding social expectations of others and self-worth. At 15, participants were assessed with a self-report questionnaire regarding anxiety. These measures were repeated at age 18. At age 18, participants and their romantic partners were also assessed for romantic relationship experiences via self-report questionnaire in which they each reported about their relationship with the other, including experiences of painfulness in their relationship. At ages 21 and 24, participants completed a questionnaire regarding romantic jealousy about their relationship with each other to capture relative increases in jealousy during this period.
Results and Discussion. Analyses investigated the impact of low social expectations, self-worth, and anxiety on romantic jealousy. Anxiety at 13 had significant, positive associations with cognitive jealousy (r = .30, p < .01) and behavioral jealousy (r = .31, p < .01). Social expectations and self-worth did not significantly correlate with any forms of romantic jealousy. A series of regression analyses investigated the impact of interactions between relationship painfulness and self-worth, anxiety, and social expectations on romantic jealousy. Analyses examined the entire sample as well as males and females individually. Adolescents with low self-worth or high anxiety and a significant but painful romantic relationship at 18 also had higher cognitive, behavioral, and total jealousy at 24 (interaction βs ranging from = .26 to .31, ps < .05). Results also revealed several sex differences within interaction effects. For example, females with low self-worth and high relationship painfulness tend reported a relative increase in levels of cognitive jealousy from 21-24 (β = -.28, p < .05; see Figure 1), whereas males with high self-worth and high relationship painfulness tended to have a relative increase in levels of emotional jealousy from 21-24 (β = .34, p < .05; see Figure 2). Results will be discussed in the framework of the diathesis-stress model, and also consider possible within- and between-sex differences in the impact of romantic experience on jealousy.

Authors

• Jaclyn H. Snyder, James Madison University
  Presenting Author

• David E. Szwedo, James Madison University

• Joseph P Allen, University of Virginia - Charlottesville