Dissatisfaction within Human Relationships - Essay Example

? Psychology Inserts Insert Grade Insert 25th April, Relationships between human beings remain fundamental to development of humans as social being. Within the relationship context, however, certain unwarranted issues normally arise resulting in development of problems. Relationship problems could escalate to different levels of dissatisfaction, or depression. Dissatisfaction within relationships results from numerous continuous elements and cannot occur instantaneously. According to a research done by Harden, individuals who experienced first sexual intercourse at advanced ages showed less element of relationship dissatisfaction. This could be attributed to various developmental issues arising from human growth, attached to age. Human understanding of relationships and capacity to manage relationships could be affected by individual’s age. Though other factors might occur, causing relationship dissatisfaction a relationship between individuals’ ages of first sexual experience, and relationship dissatisfaction remains possible. This article aims at presenting researched evidence linking these variables together, and showing how they affect each other. Discussion The occurrence of relationship problems within individuals remains common within healthy relationships. These problems cannot be associated with the instance of first sexual intercourse. The stage at which individuals experience first sexual intercourse could be important in establishing the person’s perception to sexual activity (Mendle et al., 2013). The occurrence of relationship problems continues to be linked with the age at which individuals first experienced sexual intercourse. Early sexual intercourse experiences were associated to individuals experiencing numerous problems in relationships at later stages in life, leading to dissatisfaction within relationships (Harden, 2012). This finding by harden has been contradicted and effectively supported by various other research conducted by different researchers, and providing properly analysed information. Dissatisfaction in relationships could be caused by numerous environmental factors, which could be related to the first sexual experience age. Family factors have been linked with experiences of dissatisfaction within romantic relationships (Mendle, et al., 2013). The family remains a fundamental component from which individuals develop their moral values. The values held by individuals significantly reflect on the beliefs held by the person regarding numerous issues like relationships. The family values held by different individuals could become significant determinant of when the individuals engage in sexual activities. While the family values could determine peoples’ perception of relationships, the values might significantly influence the age at which individuals begin engaging in sexual activities. The role played by family values and factors, therefore, determines the age when individuals experience first sexual encounters, and also impact their perceptions of relationship related issues. Some family values discourage youngsters from engaging in sexual activities until maturity age. During this age these individuals can properly manage difficult relationship issues, which arise; hence limiting the possibility of experiencing relationship dissatisfaction. Mental maturity significantly dictates the capacity for individuals to accept and understand individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Early sexual encounters could expose immature persons to elements they cannot comprehend. Understanding individuals from different cultural backgrounds requires extensive consideration of the reasons making the people become whom they are. The age of first sexual experience might present significant relevance in dissatisfaction within relationships at later stages. Early sexual experiences could occur at an immature age where individuals possess limited understanding of the core relationships values. The fundamental age factor for dissatisfaction remains the current age of the individuals. The ages of individuals within a relationship could enhance the thoughts people have regarding the relationships. The age difference between individuals involved in a romantic relationship could determine the perception of one individual regarding the other (Kaestle et al., 2002). Engaging in sexual intercourses at early ages could mean individuals have little understanding of the underlying issues causing satisfaction within relationships. This limited understanding could lead to development of dissatisfaction feeling during later stages in life. Other elements of human life should be considered when linking these variables and seeking to establish the existing relationships between them. The presence of communication between individuals involved in a romantic relationship could affect how the variables under investigation affect each other. The existing level of communication between the individuals remains fundamental to ensuring involved individuals remains completely satisfied with romantic relationship. Failure to communicate ones feeling and concerns might mean partners never change. Dissatisfied partners can continue to have similar experience and result in depression, and other adverse effects. The essence of communication under any circumstance, remains ensuring that individuals remain informed about the prevailing issues within a situation (Higgins et al., 2010). Likewise, effective communication should always be maintained in romantic relationships as it could adversely affect the satisfaction levels experienced from relationships. Individuals whose ages remain below 19 years have communication problems regarding romantic relationships, as they communicate less (Higgins et al., 2010). The underlying reasons behind individuals’ involvement in romantic relationships, could also affect the relationships between the variables of age and dissatisfaction, within a relationship. While individuals remain engaged in a single relationship, their reasons for remaining in the relationship always vary. The lack of satisfactory reason for involvement in a romantic relationship could significantly affect the satisfaction levels experienced by an individual. The finding of Harden’s research could have been supported by the fact that older individuals might engage romantic relationships with better reasons. While younger people commonly engage in these relationships following peer pressure, older people undertake serious considerations of the expected results of the relationship. Older people remain more likely to have valid reasons for being in relationships; hence could achieve better satisfaction from the romantic relationships. External factors could contribute towards satisfaction within romantic relations as they create a comfortable environment under which relationships occur. The circumstances resulting into development of the relationships could also enhance satisfaction. Students might engage in a romantic relationship resulting from class activities undertaken together. The continuity of such activities would mean that both parties remain highly satisfied with the relationship. When the elements which contributed to development of the relationship cease to exist dissatisfaction might begin. The events occurring before development of romantic relationships might have significant influence on the conduct of the involved individuals while the relationship continues. Older ages imply people as having limited capacity to be affected by events occurring before the development of relationships (Mendle et al., 2013). These events might change while the relationship continues, leading to a desire to change; hence dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction within relationships might be linked to the age when involved individuals first engaged in sexual relationships. These variables however, remain highly susceptible to external factors altering the interrelationship between the variables. Consideration of all elements which might affect the relationship between these variables ought to be performed before seeking to establish the prevailing relationship between the variable. Having first sexual experience at advanced age could mean a better understanding of involved issues. Older people are both better informed, and posses better understanding of relationship issues. The existence of a possible relationship between age and dissatisfaction within relationships therefore, contains high possibility. In establishing the relationship between these variables, however, should result from an analysis and elimination of all external factors which might affect the result. This would ensure accuracy of the results as well as establishing informed conclusions and non-biased recommendations. References Harden, K. (2012). True love waits? A sibling-comparison study of age at first sexual intercourse and romantic relationships in young adulthood. Psychological Science, 23(11), 1324-36. Higgins, J., Trussell, J., Moore, N., & Davidson, J. (2010). The Language of Love?-Verbal versus Implied Consent at First Heterosexual Intercourse: Implications for Contraceptive Use. American Journal of Health Education, 41(4), 218-230. Kaestle, C., Morisky, D., & Wiley, D. (2002). Sexual intercourse and the age difference between adolescent females and their romantic partners. Perspectives on Sexual Reproductive Health, 304-9. Mendle, J., Ferrero, J., Moore, S., & Harden, K. (2013). Depression and adolescent sexual activity in romantic and nonromantic relational contexts: a genetically-informative sibling comparison. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 51-63. Read More