Adolescent and family predictors of physical aggression, communication, and satisfaction in young adult couples: A prospective analysis

This study tested a model wherein the family conflict, depression, and anti social behavior of 254 adolescents (mean age = 17 years; 638 female) are pr ospectively related to functioning within a marital (51%) or dating relatio nship in young adulthood (mean age = 23 years). Family aversive communicati on in adolescence and adolescent antisocial behavior predicted couple physi cal aggression. Family aversive communication predicted dyadic satisfaction and aversive couple communication for married women and dating men. Among those with partners who reported little antisocial behavior, adolescent ant isocial behavior inversely predicted couple satisfaction and facilitative b ehavior. Partner antisocial behavior did not mediate the relation between a dolescent characteristics and couple functioning. Findings emphasize the im portance of the early family environment and psychopathology of the adolesc ent in the development of adaptive couple relationships.