The present study aimed to examine the underlying mechanisms of why partners of detainees remain in their relationships and whether this mechanism is associated with the number of monthly visits made to the imprisoned partner. The Investment Model Scale was used to assess: commitment, relationship satisfaction, relationship alternatives, and relationship investments in a sample of one hundred female partners of detainees (M = 35.9 years). As expected, satisfaction was positively and alternatives negatively associated with commitment and commitment was positively related to the number of visits. These results may inform prison initiatives aimed at supporting relationship maintenance.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ApelR.BloklandA. A.NieuwbeertaP., & van SchellenM. (2010). The impact of imprisonment on marriage and divorce: A risk set matching approach. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 26(2), 269–300. 10.1007/s10940-009-9087-5
2.
ArdittiJ. A. (2003). Locked doors and glass walls: Family visiting at a local jail. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 8(2), 115–138. 10.1080/15325020305864
3.
ArdittiJ. A.Lambert‐ShuteJ., & JoestK. (2003). Saturday morning at the jail: Implications of incarceration for families and children. Family Relations, 52(3), 195–204. 10.1111/j.1741-3729.2003.00195.x
4.
BaronR. M., & KennyD. A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173–1182. 10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173
5.
BrooksJ. E.OgolskyB. G., & MonkJ. K. (2018). Commitment in interracial relationships: Dyadic and longitudinal tests of the investment model. Journal of Family Issues, 39(9), 2685–2708. 10.1177/0192513X18758343
6.
ChristianJ.MellowJ., & ThomasS. (2006). Social and economic implications of family connections to prisoners. Journal of Criminal Justice, 34(4), 443–452. 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2006.05.010
7.
ChuiW. H. (2010). Pains of imprisonment’: Narratives of the women partners and children of the incarcerated. Child & Family Social Work, 15(2), 196–205. 10.1111/j.1365-2206.2009.00659.x
8.
DareB.GuadagnoR., & Nicole MuscanellM. A. (2013). Commitment: The key to women staying in abusive relationships. Journal of Interpersonal Relations, Intergroup Relations and Identity, 6, 58–64.
9.
De ClaireK., & DixonL. (2017). The effects of prison visits from family members on prisoners' well-being, prison rule breaking, and recidivism: A review of research since 1991. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 18(2), 185–199. 10.1177/1524838015603209
10.
DowneyR. G., & KingC. V. (1998). Missing data in Likert ratings: A comparison of replacement methods. The Journal of General Psychology, 125(2), 175–191. 10.1080/00221309809595542
11.
DrigotasS. M.SafstromC. A., & GentiliaT. (1999). An investment model prediction of dating infidelity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(3), 509–524. 10.1037//0022-3514.77.3.509
12.
DuffyS. M., & RusbultC. E. (1986). Satisfaction and commitment in homosexual and heterosexual relationships. Journal of Homosexuality, 12(2), 1–23. 10.1300/j082v12n02_01
13.
DuweG., & ClarkV. (2013). Blessed be the social tie that binds: The effects of prison visitation on offender recidivism. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 24(3), 271–296. 10.1177/0887403411429724
14.
EdwardsK. M.GidyczC. A., & MurphyM. J. (2011). College women's stay/leave decisions in abusive dating relationships: A prospective analysis of an expanded investment model . Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(7), 1446–1462. 10.1177/0886260510369131
15.
EdwardsK. M.GidyczC. A., & MurphyM. J. (2015). Leaving an abusive dating relationship: A prospective analysis of the investment model and theory of planned behavior. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30(16), 2908–2927. 10.1177/0886260514554285
16.
FerraroK. J.JohsonJ. M.JorgensenS. R., & BoltonF. G.Jr. (1983). Problems of prisoners’ families: The hidden costs of imprisonment. Journal of Family Issues, 4(4), 575–591. 10.1177/019251383004004004
17.
FinkelE. J.RusbultC. E.KumashiroM., & HannonP. A. (2002). Dealing with betrayal in close relationships: Does commitment promote forgiveness?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(6), 956–974. 10.1037//0022-3514.82.6.956
18.
FishmanL. T. (1988). Stigmatization and prisoners’ wives’ feelings of shame. Deviant Behavior, 9(2), 169–192. 10.1080/01639625.1988.9967777
19.
GardnerW.MulveyE. P., & ShawE. C. (1995). Regression analyses of counts and rates: Poisson, overdispersed Poisson, and negative binomial models. Psychological Bulletin, 118(3), 392–404. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.118.3.392.
20.
Goode, W. J. (1961). Family disorganization. In R. K. Merton & R. A. Nisbet (Eds.), Contemporary social problems (pp. 479–552). New York: Harcourt, Brace & World.
21.
GrinsteadO.FaigelesB.BancroftC., & ZackB. (2001). The financial cost of maintaining relationships with incarcerated African American men: A survey of women prison visitors. Journal of African American Men, 6(1), 59–69. 10.1007/s12111-001-1014-2
22.
GuerreroL. K., & BachmanG. F. (2008). Communication following relational transgressions in dating relationships: An investment-model explanation. Southern Communication Journal, 73(1), 4–23. 10.1080/10417940701815592
23.
HarmanJ. J.SmithV. E., & EganL. C. (2007). The impact of incarceration on intimate relationships. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34(6), 794–815. 10.1177/0093854807299543
24.
ImpettE. A.BealsK. P., & PeplauL. A. (2001). Testing the investment model of relationship commitment and stability in a longitudinal study of married couples. Current Psychology, 20(4), 312–326. 10.1007/s12144-001-1014-3
25.
JohnsonD. J., & RusbultC. E. (1989). Resisting temptation: Devaluation of alternative partners as a means of maintaining commitment in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 967–980. 10.1037//0022-3514.57.6.967
26.
KatzJ.KuffelS. W., & BrownF. A. (2006). Leaving a sexually coercive dating partner: A prospective application of the investment model. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 30(3), 267–275. 10.1111/j.1471-6402.2006.00295.x
27.
KellyH. H., & ThibautJ. E. (1978). Interpersonal relations: A theory of Interdependence. Wiley.
28.
KendlerK. S.LönnS. L.SundquistJ., & SundquistK. (2017). The role of marriage in criminal recidivism: A longitudinal and co-relative analysis. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 26(6), 655–663. 10.1017/s2045796016000640
29.
KurdekL. A. (2008). A general model of relationship commitment: Evidence from same‐sex partners. Personal Relationships, 15(3), 391–405. 10.1111/j.1475-6811.2008.00205.x
30.
LeB., & AgnewC. R. (2003). Commitment and its theorized determinants: A meta–analysis of the Investment Model. Personal Relationships, 10(1), 37–57. 10.1111/1475-6811.00035
31.
LopooL. M., & WesternB. (2005). Incarceration and the formation and stability of marital unions. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67(3), 721–734. 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2005.00165.x
32.
LydonJ. E.FitzsimonsG. M., & NaidooL. (2003). Devaluation versus enhancement of attractive alternatives: A critical test using the calibration paradigm. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(3), 349–359. 10.1177/0146167202250202
33.
MillerS. A., & FelmleeD., H. (2011). Women’s relationships with incarcerated men. In CupachW. R. & SpitzbergB. H. (Eds.), The dark side of close relationships II (pp. 269–295). Routledge.
34.
MitchellM. M.SpoonerK.JiaD., & ZhangY. (2016). The effect of prison visitation on reentry success: A meta-analysis. Journal of Criminal Justice, 47, 74–83. 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2016.07.006
35.
PistoleM. C.RobertsA., & MoskoJ. E. (2010). Commitment predictors: Long‐distance versus geographically close relationships. Journal of Counseling & Development, 88(2), 146–153. 10.1002/j.1556-6678.2010.tb00003.x
36.
RhatiganD. L., & AxsomD. K. (2006). Using the investment model to understand battered women’s commitment to abusive relationships. Journal of Family Violence, 21(2), 153–162. 10.1007/s10896-005-9013-z
37.
RhatiganD. L., & StreetA. E. (2005). The impact of intimate partner violence on decisions to leave dating relationships: A test of the investment model. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(12), 1580–1597. 10.1177/0886260505280344
38.
RusbultC. E. (1980). Commitment and satisfaction in romantic associations: A test of the investment model. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 16(2), 172–186. 10.1016/0022-1031(80)90007-4
39.
RusbultC. E. (1983). A longitudinal test of the investment model: The development (and deterioration) of satisfaction and commitment in heterosexual involvements. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45(1), 101–117. 10.1037//0022-3514.45.1.101
40.
RusbultC. E., & BuunkB. P. (1993). Commitment processes in close relationships: An interdependence analysis. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 10(2), 175–204. 10.1177/026540759301000202
41.
RusbultC. E., & MartzJ. M. (1995). Remaining in an abusive relationship: An investment model analysis of nonvoluntary dependence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21(6), 558–571. 10.1177/0146167295216002
42.
RusbultC. E.MartzJ. M., & AgnewC. R. (1998). The investment model scale: Measuring commitment level, satisfaction level, quality of alternatives, and investment size. Personal Relationships, 5(4), 357–387. 10.1111/j.1475-6811.1998.tb00177.x
43.
RusbultC. E.JohnsonD. J., & MorrowG. D. (1986). Predicting satisfaction and commitment in adult romantic involvements: An assessment of the generalizability of the investment model. Social Psychology Quarterly, 49(1), 81–89. 10.2307/2786859
44.
ThibautJ. W., & KellyH. H. (1959). The social psychology of groups. Wiley.
45.
Van HaegendorenM.LenaersS., & ValgaerenE. (2001). The society behind bars: Research on detainees’ needs of community assistance and services. Ministry of the Flemish Community, Department of General welfare.
46.
VannierS. A., & O’SullivanL. F. (2018). Great expectations: Examining unmet romantic expectations and dating relationship outcomes using an investment model framework. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 35(8), 1045–1066. 10.1177/0265407517703492
47.
Van LangeP. A.RusbultC. E.DrigotasS. M.ArriagaX. B.WitcherB. S., & CoxC. L. (1997). Willingness to sacrifice in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72(6), 1373–1395. 10.1037/0022-3514.72.6.1373
48.
VerhaegheM., & BrackeP. (2011). Stigma and trust among mental health service users. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 25(4), 294–302. 10.1016/j.apnu.2011.02.001
49.
WildemanC.SchnittkerJ., & TurneyK. (2012). Despair by association? The mental health of mothers with children by recently incarcerated fathers. American Sociological Review, 77(2), 216–243. 10.1177/0003122411436234
