Relational Maintenance: Interdependence theory & dialectics theory, as they apply to relational maintenance

Running Head : Relational Maintenance

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Introduction

How can partners be able to sustain their relationship ? This is a question that bothers a lot of couples in strong relationships considering the number of break ups that are apparent in the world today . The good news is that it is possible for couples to maintain their relationship by understating relational maintenance and the theories that relate to relational maintenance . Relational maintenance focuses on the daily processes that play part in maintaining a lasting relationship

. For a long time , scholars interested in understanding interpersonal relationships have studied the area of relational maintenance . The term relational maintenance is defined differently by different scholars . Dindia and Canary (1993 ) came up with four basic definitions of the term . The term is at the most basic level used to refer to various behaviors common in partners in their efforts to maintain their relationship . Basically , scholars examine relational endurance or stability . At another level , the term is used to stand for the engagement in acts that assist in sustaining the quality of an association . This means that it is not enough to be together in a stable relationship (Baxter , 1988 . The quality of the relationship must also be put into consideration . This is the reason why relational maintenance scholars look at other aspects of a relationship like love , contentment and trust . There is yet another definition of the term where it is used to refer to maintaining the status quo of the relationship . This...