THE ROLE OF EFFICACY AND OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS IN THE DECISION TO WITHHOLD RELATIONAL COMPLAINTS

A growing body of research demonstrates that intimates do not always c onfront their partners with grievances. Although useful, the extant re search has not Looked to the fundamental, goal-oriented nature of conf rontation for factors that explain why intimates are unwilling to conf ront their partners. This study examines the extent to which art indiv idual's outcome expectations (i.e., confidence that a given behavior w ill yield a particular outcome) and efficacy expectations (i.e., confi dence that he or she can enact the relevant behavior) predict the like lihood that a confrontation will take place.