Abstract

This study examined possible factors that may influence parental approval for their adult child's engaged relationship. A total of 4,175 individuals completed the RELATE inventory. Among the items in the questionnaire were measures of parental approval, parents' marital quality, autonomy from family-of-origin, and relationship quality. Individuals also reported age, education, length of relationship, parents' marital status, and parents' socioeconomic status. Results from the linear regression analysis indicate that age, parental marital quality, autonomy from family-of-origin, and couple relationship quality all influence parental approval. What is interesting about these findings is the difference in the predictive power of males versus females. The female models accounted for much more variance than the males models, suggesting that approval may be more important to females among other possibilities which are discussed in depth. Length of the relationship and parental marital status did not influence parental approval. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Family Life; Marriage and Family Therapy

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/