The long arm of rejection sensitivity and young adults' romantic relationships: An extension and a replication.

Introduction: In an earlier study, we followed adolescents from age 16 to 23, examining the effect of rejection sensitivity (RS) on the quality of future romantic relationships. Findings showed that RS decreased over time, and the decrease associated with a higher quality of future romantic relationships. In contrast, the effect of the earlier level of RS on the quality of future romantic relationships was minor.

The Role of Personality Risk and Protective Factors in Living with Covid-19: A Longitudinal Study.

Earlier research has shown the significant role of personality in serving as risk or protective factors in psychological wellbeing. However, it is less clear the extent to which personality plays in coping with the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of a personality risk factors such as self-criticism, and personality strengths such as efficacy and intrinsic motivation representing resilience in predicting psychological outcomes in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Smoking behavior and symptoms of depression and anxiety among young adult backpackers: Results from a short longitudinal study.

Levels of smoking and smoking initiation have been found to increase during the transition to adulthood. Symptoms of depression and anxiety may both precede or follow smoking behavior, yet there is equivocal evidence regarding the direction of this relationship. The aim of the current study was to examine the direction of this relationship in a group of young adult backpackers who traveled to social environments which are permissive of smoking.

[Is sexual activity during adolescence good for future romantic relationships?].

The study examines the effects of different forms of sexual activity at the age of 16 on sexuality and the quality of romantic relationships at the age of 23. In a multimodal longitudinal study (diaries, questionnaires), 144 16-year-old adolescents (59.7 % female) reported on their sexual activities and their relationship status.

Patterns of Romantic Pathways among 23 Year Olds and their Adolescent Antecedents.

Observation of the romantic lives of the majority of young people shows that they might move between transitory and inconsistent states, being in and out of a relationship. The present study aims to better understand the meaning of these fluctuations. For this purpose, and employing a multi-method design, 144 Israeli adolescents (59.

Adolescents' Sexual Encounters With Either Romantic or Casual Partners and the Quality of Their Romantic Relationships Four Years Later.

Adolescent sexual behavior was examined within a health perspective. Assuming a developmental perspective, the current study investigated the associations between sexual behavior in either stable relationships or in casual encounters, and the quality of romantic relationships and affect 4 years later. Data were collected from 144 Israeli adolescents aged 16-18 years (mean age 16.

The role of change in self-criticism across young adulthood in explaining developmental outcomes and psychological wellbeing.

Objective: Past research has confirmed the role of self-criticism in numerous forms of psychopathology and negative interpersonal outcomes. However, the majority of these studies were cross-sectional and have not addressed the role of possible changes in self-criticism across time for future outcomes. The current study investigated the degree to which changes in self-criticism during young adulthood precede better psychological outcomes beyond the contribution of their baseline levels.

Romantic outcomes in young adulthood: The role of dependency, parental support, and reflective functioning.

In recent years, an increasing number of young adults have difficulties making a smooth transition to adulthood in becoming romantically committed and balancing romantic commitments and other aspects of life. The present study was conducted on a sample of 100 Israeli emerging adults (54 males) who were followed from age 23 to 34 years. The study examined the role of personality attributes (dependency, self-criticism), parental support, and reflectivity concerning own family of origin in making a smoother transition to mature romantic engagement.

Adolescent psychopathology in Times of Change: The need for integrating a developmental psychopathology perspective.

In addition to the major physical, sexual and cognitive changes, as well as changes in relationships with parents and peers, in recent years adolescents also have to cope with many technological changes and increasing societal instabilities. Most of the existing research has examined the extent to which increasing uncertainties might impact expression of psychopathology and its magnitude. Emerging from a developmental psychopathology perspective, we are looking first for a better understanding of the meaning that adolescents give to these changes, which in turn is likely to affect their behavior.

Predicting post-breakup distress and growth in emerging adulthood: The roles of relationship satisfaction and emotion regulation.

With a sample of emerging adults (N = 110; 72% female) this brief report utilized self-report measures to examine the role of relationship satisfaction and emotion regulation strategies assessed at age 20 in predicting breakup distress and posttraumatic growth three years later. Results showed that higher relationship satisfaction is associated with less future breakup distress. Emotion regulation explained the ways individuals cope with distress; cognitive appraisal (in contrast to emotional suppression) predicted higher growth after experiencing a breakup.

Changes in rejection sensitivity across adolescence and emerging adulthood: Associations with relationship involvement, quality, and coping.

Using a sample of 110 Israeli youth (72% female), the present study investigates associations between initial levels of rejection sensitivity as well as changes in rejection sensitivity from age 16 to age 23 and relationship involvement, quality, and (growth following) coping with relationship stress. Results showed that rejection sensitivity generally decreased over time into the transition to adulthood. Furthermore, levels of rejection sensitivity at age 16 predicted whether young people were romantically involved by age 23, as well as the quality of their relationships.

Is Sexual Activity During Adolescence Good for Future Romantic Relationships?

Past research has consistently shown that romantic experiences during adolescence affect the nature and quality of romantic relationships during emerging adulthood. However, less is known about the role of adolescent sexual experiences in future sexual and romantic relationships. The current study examined the impact of different forms of sexual activity at age 16 (within a romantic relationship or casual encounters) on the nature and quality of sexual experiences in romantic relationships at age 23.

The role of romantic attraction and conflict resolution in predicting shorter and longer relationship maintenance among adolescents.

This study examined the role of romantic attraction and conflict resolution patterns in shorter and longer relationship maintenance among adolescent couples. Data were used from 55 couples aged 15-18 years. Partners completed the Romantic Attraction scale and were observed negotiating a disagreement.

Typologies and precursors of career adaptability patterns among emerging adults: a seven-year longitudinal study.

The present study examined career adaptability in 100 Israeli emerging adults who were followed from ages 22 to 29. Participants were given an in depth interview and were asked to talk about their current work, difficulties they might have had in the past and how they coped with them. In addition they were asked to elaborate on the extent to which their job fits their interests and is meaningful to them.

Adolescent daughters' romantic competence: the role of divorce, quality of parenting, and maternal romantic history.

This study examined the links between parental divorce, quality of maternal parenting, spousal relationships and middle adolescent romantic competence in 80 mother-adolescent daughter pairs (40 divorced). Mothers were asked to describe their attitudes and behaviors with regard to their daughters' romantic behavior. In addition, mothers were interviewed about their own romantic experiences when they were at the age of their daughters.

Dynamics of goal pursuit and personality make-up among emerging adults: typology, change over time, and adaptation.

In recent years young people's lives have been characterized by postponement of developmental timetables, inconsistencies of transitions, and loss of direction in life. Data from a longitudinal study of Israeli young adults show that the capacity for setting realistic work and love goals reflects inner strengths and is associated with adaptive outcomes. Less-articulated love and work goals are associated with underlying personality difficulties and are predictive of less stable and less adaptive outcomes.

Understanding emerging adulthood from a goal-setting perspective.

The chapter first introduces the concept of emerging adulthood as a period of life that is characterized by instabilities and fluctuations. Then, the role of goal setting and aspirations in individual development during this stage of life is discussed. Following this, seven chapters of the present special issue are introduced, and the ways in which goal processes affect individual trajectories and outcomes are discussed.

Assessing romantic competence among older adolescents.

Davila and colleagues (Davila et al., 2009) developed the Romantic Competence Interview to capture the potential for romantic competence during early adolescence. Considering that at later stages of adolescence the majority are likely to be involved in some kind of romantic relationship, the current paper adapts, extends, and examines the concept of romantic competence among older adolescents.

Directly observed interaction within adolescent romantic relationships: What have we learned?

Review and conceptual analysis of the papers in this special issue calls attention to several important methodological and conceptual issues surrounding the direct observation of adolescent romantic couples. It also provides an important new foundation of knowledge about the nature of adolescents' romantic relationships. Connections with previous family relationships, new understandings of the distinctive nature of adolescent romantic relationships, and gender issues are clarified by this body of papers.

Romantic attraction and conflict negotiation among late adolescent and early adult romantic couples.

In a sample of 35 couples (college students, aged 18-24) who were dating for no longer than six months, each partner was given a semi-structured interview to assess the nature and intensity of romantic preoccupation with his or her lover. In addition, partners were jointly given a revealed differences task in which they were asked to discuss the issue of their highest disagreement and to arrive at an agreement. Findings suggested that higher levels of romantic preoccupation are related to partners' inclination to downplay their disagreement and to negotiate their differences less successfully.

Conflict resolution patterns and longevity of adolescent romantic couples: a 2-year follow-up study.

This study examined the predictors of longevity among 40 late adolescent romantic couples (mean age males=17.71 years; mean age females=17.18 years).

Adolescent Perceptions of Conflict in Interdependent and Disengaged Friendships.

Interdependent and disengaged friendships in a middle-class sample of suburban Israeli adolescents were examined for differences in reports of conflict behavior. A total of 194 (100 females, and 94 males) close, reciprocal friends participated in a joint problem-solving task used to categorize friendships. Interdependent friends balanced closeness and individuality by cooperating on the task, whereas disengaged friends emphasized individuality by working independently on the task.

Adolescent Intimacy Revisited.

Two studies examined intimacy in adolescent friendships. In the first, 7th-, 9th-, and 11th-grade students completed a questionnaire assessing perceived friendship intimacy. Age and sex differences were identified in emotional closeness, self-disclosure, emphasis on individuality, control, and conformity.