Distinctiveness of Adolescent and Emerging Adult Romantic Relationship Features in Predicting Externalizing Behavior Problems

Romantic relationship involvement has repeatedly been associated with the incidence of externalizing behavior problems, but little is known about the nature and developmental significance of this relation. The current study extends previous research by investigating whether and through what processes romantic relationships distinctively predict externalizing behavior problems during adolescence compared to emerging adulthood. Data came from the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. As predicted, higher levels of romantic relationship security at 16 years were associated with lower levels of externalizing behavior problems during both adolescence and emerging adulthood, but this inverse relation was stronger for emerging adults than for adolescents. This relation was not attributable either to earlier quality of family and peer relationships or emerging adulthood competence. Thus, security of romantic relationships may become increasingly predictive of individual differences in externalizing behavior problems as individuals move from adolescence to emerging adulthood.

Manfred H. M. van DulmenEmail:

---

Manfred H. M. van Dulmen   Kent State University, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. His major research interests include the interpersonal antecedents and consequences of adolescent antisocial behavior as well as developmental methodology. Elizabeth A. Goncy   is a graduate student in Clinical Psychology at Kent State University. Her major research interests include parent-child relationships and aggressive and antisocial behavior in adolescence. Katherine C. Haydon    is a graduate student at the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota. Her major research interests include romantic attachment processes and developmental precursors of romantic relationship functioning. W. Andrew Collins   University of Minnesota, is the Morse-Alumni Distinguished Professor of Child Development. His major research interests include trajectories and processes of change in close relationships.