Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2025
07:56
Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
10.0K
Romantic Relationships from Adolescence to Established Adulthood
Stéphanie Boisvert1, François Poulin2, Jacinthe Dion1
1Department of Health Local H5-1330, UQAC-Cégep de Jonquière's Chair on Youth's Lives and Health, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC, Canada.
Emerging Adulthood (Print)
|July 17, 2023
Summary
Early romantic patterns predict adult relationship outcomes. Adolescent romantic experiences show continuity into adulthood, influencing adult relationship satisfaction and characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Relationship Science
Background:
- Understanding the long-term impact of adolescent romantic experiences is crucial for developmental psychology.
- Few studies have longitudinally tracked romantic patterns from adolescence into established adulthood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between adolescent romantic patterns (ages 16-24) and adult romantic outcomes (ages 25-30 and 30).
- To examine how early romantic involvement influences later relationship dispositions and characteristics.
Main Methods:
- A 15-year longitudinal study of 255 individuals tracking romantic partners and relationship durations.
- Participants completed questionnaires on romantic dispositions and current relationship characteristics at age 30.
Main Results:
- Significant continuity was observed in romantic patterns from adolescence to adulthood.
- Adolescent romantic patterns were associated with adult avoidance of intimacy, jealousy, global romantic satisfaction, relationship status, and relationship duration.
Conclusions:
- Romantic development shows considerable continuity from adolescence into established adulthood.
- Early romantic experiences significantly shape adult romantic functioning and relationship quality.
Related Concept Videos
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
43.5K
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
43.5K
02:12Relationship Formation
40.1K
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
40.1K
01:27Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
151
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development outlines a series of stages through which individuals progress across the lifespan. Each stage involves a psychosocial conflict that significantly influences personal growth and well-being. Three key stages — intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair — highlight the developmental challenges faced in adulthood.
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
151
01:23Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Genital
742
The genital stage is the final phase of Sigmund Freud's theory of psychosexual development, beginning at puberty, around age 12. During this stage, sexual energy shifts from self-focused interests to external individuals, marking the development of mature adult sexuality. Freud saw this phase as a time of sexual reawakening, with desires directed toward others outside the family. A healthy transition into this stage, according to Freud, signifies the emergence of two key aspects of adult...
742
01:27Emerging Adulthood
113
Jeffrey Arnett's concept of emerging adulthood offers a framework to understand the unique developmental stage between adolescence and full-fledged adulthood, generally from ages 18 to 25. This period is marked by extensive exploration and shifts in identity, relationships, and career choices, a process known in psychology as role experimentation. Emerging adulthood reflects the evolving cultural expectations surrounding adulthood and the dynamic process of personal transformation during...
113
02:15Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love
39.6K
We typically love the people with whom we form relationships, but the type of love we have for our family, friends, and lovers differs. Robert Sternberg (1986) proposed that there are three components of love: intimacy, passion, and commitment. These three components form a triangle that defines multiple types of love: this is known as Sternberg’s triangular theory of love. Intimacy is the sharing of details and intimate thoughts and emotions. Passion is the physical attraction—the...
39.6K