Non-Normative Romantic Relationship Trajectories and Wellbeing at Midlife: Comparing LGB and Heterosexual Americans Using Add Health

• In Event: Family Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 14: Sexual and Gender Minority Families

Abstract

Romantic relationships have important consequences for individual wellbeing. However, present research linking normative family formation and wellbeing has not paid attention to the timing and ordering of romantic relationship behaviors . Over the life course, intimate relationships from adolescence to midlife are expected to become more serious over time, remain monogamous, and lead to marriage by midlife, when US adults are expected to have completed their family formation trajectory. This study examines whether adherence to this heteronormative relationship script is related to wellbeing at midlife. Furthermore, I examine whether adherence to heteronormativity scripts has different relationships for LGB individuals given that sexual minorities' relationship beliefs and formation patterns differ substantively. I leveraged four waves of Add Health data to examine how trajectories of romantic relationships affect relationship, sexual, and overall life satisfaction for individuals at midlife. Results show that individuals who follow an age-normative romantic relationship trajectory report higher relationship, sexual, and life satisfaction. These relationships, however, are weaker for LGB individuals. Thus, I argue that failure to conform closely to heteronormative relationship scripts over the life course is negatively related to individuals’ feelings about their relationships and lives, but less so for LGB individuals.

Author

• Cameron James Keating, Indiana University-Bloomington