Psihološko osamosvajanje in partnerski odnosi mladih na prehodu v odraslost
Psychological individuation and romantic relationships among emerging adults

slovenian

2025

emerging adulthood   individuation   love   romantic relationships

Društvo psihologov Slovenije
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between psychological individuation from parents and dimensions of love, as well as conflict and satisfaction in romantic relationships among emerging adults. The study included 199 participants between the ages of 18 and 29 who were in romantic relationships. Participants completed the short version of the Individuation Test for Emerging Adults (ITEA-S) and the Short version of Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale (TLS-15) and rated conflict and satisfaction in their romantic relationships as well as parental conflict. The results showed low but significant correlations between the individuation dimensions and the love dimensions. Connectedness with the mother was positively associated with intimacy, passion and commitment in the relationship with the partner, while perceived parental intrusiveness was negatively associated with the love dimensions. Intimacy emerged as a strong predictor of lower conflict in romantic relationships, while parental divorce and parental conflict predicted higher conflict in emerging adults‘ romantic relationships. Intimacy and commitment were significant positive predictors of satisfaction in romantic relationships, whereas perceived intrusiveness by the father had a negative effect on satisfaction in romantic relationships. We can conclude that respect for personal boundaries and support for individuation are important factors for successful and fulfilling romantic relationships in emerging adults. However, the most important predictor of conflict and satisfaction in these relationships is the quality of the romantic bond, especially in terms of intimacy and commitment.

23.01.2026