Emerging Adults' Use of Relational Maintenance Behaviors with Their Parents

This study represents a preliminary investigation into emerging adults' (i.e., ages 18-25 years) use of relational maintenance behaviors with their parents and whether these behaviors are related to perceived commitment, trust, and control mutuality. Participants were 273 undergraduate students who completed a series of instruments in reference to their general interactions with one parent. Results indicated that emerging adults use the networks, assurances, positivity, tasks, conflict management, and advice relational maintenance behaviors with their parents, and their use of relational maintenance behaviors is related directly to perceived commitment, trust, and control mutuality.