ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the personal relationships influence one another and how changes in one relationship are linked to the participants' other relationships is the goal. Scientific research over the past 40 years, and especially over the last 20, has indeed enriched participants appreciation of the role played by close relationships. The belief that personal relationships are vital extends across all age groups. Young people, for instance, often believe that divorce, loss of friends, and other disruptions in their personal relationships will have long-lasting negative effects on their lives. Academic performance and adjustment suffer when children experience disordered family relationships. Compared with children from intact families, for example, children whose parents are divorced experience greater test anxiety, give up sooner on tasks, and are more likely to miss school. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.