Anxiety and instability in intimate relationships during emerging adulthood
Anxiety and instability in intimate relationships during emerging adulthood

Summary/Abstract: Emerging adulthood (18–30 years) represents a distinct developmental stage characterized by identity exploration, instability, and intensive relational restructuring. During this period, anxiety and instability in intimate relationships frequently co-occur, generating significant psychological and functional consequences. The present study aims to develop and theoretically substantiate an integrative framework explaining the dynamic interaction between anxiety and relational instability in emerging adulthood. The research is based on a structured integrative review of interdisciplinary literature, including developmental psychology, attachment theory, neurobiology, and sociocultural research. The analysis identifies consistent patterns showing that anxiety and relational instability are dynamically interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Emerging adulthood functions as a developmental amplifier of vulnerability through the convergence of identity instability, transitional stressors, neurobiological immaturity, and digitally mediated relational environments.The main contribution consists in proposing a developmentally grounded biopsychosocial model that integrates previously fragmented theoretical perspectives and provides a foundation for future empirical research and developmentally sensitive interventions.

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