Looking into Age Gap Relationships
By saraskentel — Written on Mar 22, 2011
A common judgment of women-younger partners in age gap relationships is that they are looking for a father figure, and have "daddy issues". This opinion, among others outlined in Arnold and Banks (2001) study shows that there is a common bias that age gap relationships are not socially acceptable. It has been shown that these relationships are highly marginalized, and partners in them feel that they do not receive support from family and friends; much less society.
Is there any truth to these judgments? Research is largly finding NO. These couples are just as satisfied, and their relationships last just as long as similar-age relationships. However there is no research currently on the "daddy issue" opinion.
I am an honors student at Saint Mary's University, and I intend to investigate this opinion. I believe that these women-younger partners will not differ significantly from similar-age women on attachment styles, a measure to test parental relationship.
If you are female, above the age of 18, and would like to help me give evidence for or against this claim, please click the link below. Or, if you are interested in the results once the study is complete, email me at saraskentel@hotmail.com
http://athena.smu.ca/survey/index.php?sid=69392&lang=en
Cheers,
Sara