Partner relationships in young adults: escape from intimacy?

Abstract

Background: Young adults often come into treatment with partner problems. The distinction between attachment disorders or narcissistic personality disorders and normal developmental phenomena is often difficult. Aim: This article gives an overview of research results on partner relationships of 20–30-year-olds, the emerging adults, who are in a specific newly discovered phase of development with a lot of exploration and little commitment. Results: International research and also studies in German-speaking countries uniformly demonstrate a form of “non-relationships,” in which sexuality is lived but no partner relationship is desired. The relationship qualities and the form of non-relationships are the same for all genders. Longitudinal studies show that the development of couple bonding that began in adolescence is interrupted and that long-term bonded relationships in most young people are only detectable years later. Discussion: It is discussed to what extent too close, intrusive and too supportive parenting relationships contribute to the “escape from intimacy” and what influence new media and dating portals but also the increasing mania for optimization and narcissistic developments in society have. There is empirical evidence for some of these influencing factors.