Long-Distance Dating Relationships, Relationship Dissolution, and College Adjustment

Keywords

long-distance relationships, romantic relationships, relationship dissolution, college adjustment, breakups

Abstract

Long-distance dating relationships (LDDRs) and the dissolution of these relationships may have implications for day-to-day affect and behaviors. The current study examined the associations of relationship status, long-distance relationship dissolution, and daily location with daily positive affect, loneliness, university activity engagement, and alcohol use. College students (n = 718, 51.5% female, 43.9% White/European American, 29.7% Asian/Asian American/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 25.5% Hispanic/Latino American, and 21.7% Black/African American; M = 18.4 [0.4] years old) completed up to 14 consecutive daily diary surveys twice during their first year. Students in LDDRs had less positive affect and were lonelier when they were on campus than off campus and tended to engage in university activities on fewer days than other students. Daily affect and behavior did not differ depending on whether students dissolved or maintained their LDDR.

Original Publication Citation

Waterman, E. A., Wesche, R., Leavitt, C. E., Jones, D. E., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2017). Long-distance dating relationships, relationship dissolution, and college adjustment. Emerging Adulthood, 5, 268-279.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2017-04-25

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/5809

Publisher

Emerging Adulthood

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

University Standing at Time of Publication

Assistant Professor

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