Unique roles of adolescents' friends and fathers in predicting verbal aggression in future adult romantic relationships.

ABSTRACT: This 20-year prospective study examined verbal aggression and intense conflict within the family of origin and between adolescents and their close friends as predictors of future verbal aggression in adult romantic relationships. A diverse community sample of 154 individuals was assessed repeatedly from age 13 to 34 years using self-, parent, peer, and romantic partner reports. As hypothesized, verbal aggression in adult romantic relationships was best predicted by both paternal verbal aggression toward mothers and by intense conflict within adolescent close friendships, with each factor contributing unique variance to explaining adult romantic verbal aggression. These factors also interacted, such that paternal verbal aggression was predictive of future romantic verbal aggression only in

SUBMITTER: Allen JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11260905 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature