The central goal of this study was to examine the construct of perceived mattering, the psychological tendency to perceive the self as significant to specific others, with regard to a romantic partner. In Study 1, data were collected from young adults involved in romantic relationships (N = 173) using open-ended survey response techniques. Findings from a qualitative analysis provided complex and rich information about young adults’ perceptions of mattering to their current romantic partners. Responses were used to develop a scale that was administered in Study 2 to a sample (N = 99) of young adults in romantic relationships. Analyses indicated that the scale is internally consistent and tests of association with measures of the quality of alternatives, relationship satisfaction, and investment size offer support for the validity of the measure.
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