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Jernigan, Lindsay Bennigson

Psychology

2005

PhD

Traditional models of development highlight the importance of separation and individuation processes and value autonomy and independence as developmental goals. In contrast, the Relational Theory of Development suggests that human development occurs through being engaged in mutually empathic relationships, and maturity is marked by the ability to engage in complex, growth promoting relationships. In this study, one hundred and eighty three college women and one hundred and ten college men explored the extent to which adolescents and young adults engage in mutually empathic relationships, with whom, and the association between such relationships and psychological outcomes. Participants completed measures of mutual empathy, depression, anxiety and self-esteem. Paired-samples t tests and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences in degree of mutual empathy with various relational partners, with women reporting higher mutual empathy in all relationships except with mother. Stepwise regressions indicated that for women, outcome measures were predicted by mutual empathy with mother and opposite sex friend or partner; for men, outcome measures were predicted by mutual empathy with father and same sex friend or partner. Results are consistent with the relational theory of development as applied to women, as well as with its application to adolescents and men. Clinical implications of these findings are considered.