Throughout the past two years at The University of Tennessee, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work with academic mentors who were both professors and other students. I received helpful guidance, company, and support from these individuals, all of which contributed to my growth both academically and emotionally.
Dr. Priscilla Blanton, the chair of my committee, who previously described herself as a “all-purpose” major professor, will always have my gratitude for assisting me in completing my goal. For their commitment to this initiative and their time, Drs. Lane Morris and Julia Malia, who are on my committee, deserve special recognition. My Fellowship Church small group’s care and support for me during this process has been greatly appreciated. my parents are the last.
The goals of this study were to: (a) investigate the beliefs of single undergraduate university students who have never been married regarding romantic relationships and marriage myths; (b) determine whether there were any gender differences, age differences, or differences between students from divorced and intact families of origin regarding beliefs regarding dysfunctional relationships; and (c) explore the potential for influence by sociodemographic variables.
The sample for this study consisted of 164 college students who were considered undergraduates and had never been married. Sociodemographic data revealed that 33% of the sample’s participants were male and 67% were female students between the ages of 17 and 20. The majority of the sample’s members (88%) identified as White Americans, while the remaining 31% were young adults (aged 21–24).
The biological parents of 65% of undergraduates were still living together, compared to 35% who had parents who were either divorced or separated.
