Romantic Relationships are a Hallmark of adolescence and it is a fundamental milestone of development which is viewed as a central developmental task for young adults. This is because young people at this stage, as they grow and develop spend a large amount of time fantasizing, talking and debating about being in a romantic relationship with their peer and these close relationships become increasingly significant as they move from childhood to adolescence and early adulthood promoting social and emotional development and contributing to overall well-being.
Romantic relationships refer to mutually acknowledged ongoing voluntary interactions commonly marked by expressions of affections and anticipated sexual behavior. Romantic relationship is a symbol of adolescence which indicates mutual spontaneous interactions characterized by affection and anticipated or ongoing sexual behavior.
This kind of relationship provides a significant context for development and psychosocial adaptation to take place within. It encompasses one of the most significant aspects of life, and is a source of immeasurable fulfillment which offers comfort and security, and contributes to happiness and life satisfaction. There are various indicators of romantic relationship quality. These can be observed in the way the relationship contributes to generally beneficial experiences.
The nature and quality of romantic relationship also appear to shift with age, in that they become more stable, exclusive and committed in early adulthood. When the relationship is strong between two partners, it is often characterised by satisfaction and trust which can be further developed into loyalty. Romantic relationships that are viewed as high quality often exhibit affection, intimacy, and nourishment. On the other hand, romantic relationships that are seen as low quality will be characterized by conflict, annoyance, and controlling behavior.
While forming intimate relationships is fundamental to human living, its development, establishment, and maintenance require complex skill sets that may be developmental or even unfolding in nature with time. Unfortunately, not all romantic relationships are properly equipped to deal with the demands of the new social status which leads to romantic relationships challenges such as conflict, emotional instability, and consideration to break up. Inevitably,
romantic relationships are sometimes rocked by the storm of challenges and circumstances that may either threaten the relationship or even out rightly result in the demise of the relationship. It has also been observed that, “premarital activities of today’s youth have given liberty to close intimacy of reckless explorations between romantic partners”.
The period of emerging adulthood (18-25 years), is associated with young people showing more autonomous functioning and less dependence on parents. During this period, young people pursue more individual directions in their life related to careers, romantic partners and living independently. The progression from late adolescence to early adulthood involves increased independence from family, although relationships with parents are maintained, and new relationships are formed, including romantic relationships.
Establishment of romantic relationships usually begins in adolescence and progress over time. These relationships involve factors such as physical intimacy, sexual attraction, thoughts of love and the potential of marriage. Within these romantic relationships, particularly during emerging adulthood, there is the quest to build a relationship that is stable, satisfying and where closeness between the partners is achieved.
The relational capabilities and romantic skills gained during emerging adulthood provide the foundation for later adult relationships, sustained intimacy, and marriage. During emerging adulthood, individuals start to develop a more egalitarian and mutual relationship with their parents. Hence, it is fair to conclude that during emerging adulthood, support from both friends and parents are highly interactive with the relationship quality between an individual and his or her romantic partner. Another important factor to consider in romantic relationship is trust.
