Stay/leave decision-making processes in abusive dating relationships

A multivariate causal model was tested to determine the extent to which two central questions, "Will I be better off?" and "Can I do it?", contribute to abused daters' stay/leave decision-making processes. Participants completed questionnaires consisting of multiple measures of relationship satisfaction, alternatives, investments, subjective norm, personal resources and barriers, and structural resources and barriers. The first question and its indicators accounted for over 87% of the variance in participants' intention to stay in or leave their relationships. Results highlight three important avenues for future research: identifying both positive and negative aspects of abusive relationships, increased clarification of the commitment construct, and emphasis on further operationalizing the construct "Can I do it?".