Can close romantic relationships last? The commitment of partners in married and cohabitant couples

Abstract

background Western studies indicate the significance of commitment in close emotional relationships. Interpersonal commitment is regarded as a process which is indispensable for building and strengthening close relationships, and is associated with the continuation of relationships between happy or unhappy partners. With this in mind, interpersonal commitment is an important topic for analysis. A theory by Stanley and Markman served as the inspiration for conducting studies on the commitment of partners in permanent relationships in Poland.