Identifying a Typology of Emerging Adult Romantic Relationships: Implications for Relationship Education

• Published date: 01 February 2021
• Author: Jonathon J. Beckmeyer,Tyler B. Jamison
• Date: 01 February 2021
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12464

J J. BIndiana University School of Public Health– Bloomington

T B. JUniversity of New Hampshire

Identifying a Typology of Emerging Adult Romantic

Relationships: Implications for

Relationship Education

Objective: Our objective was to use multiple

romantic relationship dimensions to identify a

typology of emerging adult romantic relation-

ships.

Background: Emerging adult romantic rela-

tionships vary in terms of their relational

dynamics, emotional and physical intimacy, and

commitment. Understanding the diversity in

emerging adult romantic relationshipsis crucial

for developing effective relationship education

for emerging adults as they make decisions

about their romantic partnerships.

Method: Using data from 396 romantically

involved but unmarried emerging adults, we

used cluster analysis to identify a typology

of romantic relationships based on relational

dynamics (i.e., warmth and support and negative

interactions), relationship duration, consolida-

tion (i.e., number of nights and percentage of

free time spent together), and commitment (i.e.,

likelihood of marrying partner).

Results: The results indicated ve types of rela-

tionships: (a) happily consolidated (30.8%), (b)

happily independent (18.9%), (c) exploratory

(17.9%), (d) stuck (23.0%), and (e) high

Department of Applied Health Science, Indiana University

School of Public Health-Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th Street,

Suite 116, Bloomington, IN 47405. beckmeyerj@gmail.com

Key Words: emerging adulthood, relationship typology,

romantic development, romanticrelationships.

intensity (9.3%). Demographic characteristics,

depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, current

cohabitation, and cycling within the current

relationship varied between the relationship

types.

Conclusions: There appear to be meaningful

and important variations among the types of

romantic relationshipsthat emerging adults pur-

sue. The associations between relationship type

and well-being depends on the interplay between

relational dynamics, consolidation, and commit-

ment.

Implications: Individuals in different types of

relationships may require targeted interven-

tions to help them move out of problematic

relationships or to help them build skills for

developing and maintaining relationship qual-

ity. Suggestions for each type of relationshipare

provided.

Emerging adulthood marks a normative shift

in romantic involvement from shorter, less inti-

mate relationships to more stable, committed,

and intimate romantic partnerships (Giordano

et al., 2012;Shulman&Connolly, 2013).Yet

emerging adult romantic relationships can vary

widely in terms of their interpersonal dynamics,

commitment, and emotional and sexual intimacy

(Claxton & van Dulmen,2013; Collibee &

Furman, 2015;Roberson et al., 2017).Roman-

tic relationships also may convey different

Family Relations 70 (February 2021): 305–318305

DOI:10.1111/fare.12464