Intimacy dating goals and relationship satisfaction during adolescence and emerging adulthood: Identity formation, age and sex as moderators

Intimacy and identity are life tasks of the adolescent and emerging adult years. Erikson's (1969) classic theory signifies that young people should show progress in identity formation before intimate relationships are formed. Drawing from a motivational life-task perspective, others (Sanderson & Cantor, 1995) have proposed that there are individual differences in intimacy dating goals, while individuals make progress in identity formation. In the current study, associations among romantic relationship satisfaction, intimacy dating goals, vocational identity, and sex role identity were examined. Participants (N = 242, age 17 to 21) who had relatively more formed sex role identities were higher in intimacy dating goals than others. Participants with relatively higher intimacy dating goals were more satisfied with their relationships. The association between intimacy dating goals and relationship satisfaction was stronger among (a) older participants, (b) those with more formed vocational identities, and (c) those with less formed sex role identities. Few main or moderating effects of participant sex were found.