Do I Really Need Someone in Order to Become an Adult? Romantic Relationships During Emerging Adulthood in Italy

Italian emerging adults stay at home with their parents until they marry. Being involved in a romantic relationship may be considered one precursor of the success of the transition to adulthood. In this study, 92 dating and 84 nondating emerging adults were compared on when they left the parental home and their future plans. They were also compared on individual outcomes (depression, sense of coherence, and self-esteem) and their perception of parental emotional support. Finally, the influence of parental and romantic relationships on individual outcomes was investigated. Results show that dating emerging adults do not differ from nondating emerging adults about perception of emotional support from parents and about most of the outcomes. However, there are differences in time leaving the parental home, future plans, and the influence of relationships on outcomes. In conclusion, different paths characterize emerging adulthood, confirming the heterogeneity of this period also in the Italian context.