Emerging Adults’ Attitudes Toward Romantic Relationships: The Effects of Parental Bonding and Personal Value Preferences

This study investigates how parenting and value preferences are connected to emerging adults’ attitudes toward romantic relationships. The study was conducted in Israel among young Jews and Arabs looking for a romantic partner ( n = 1121, 40% male, age 18–30). Higher preferences for conservation versus openness to change and self-enhancement versus self-transcendence values and higher levels of parental care were associated with positive romantic attitudes. In addition, parental care was associated with higher preferences for self-transcendence versus self-enhancement and conservation versus openness to change values, and autonomy-providing was associated with higher preferences for openness to change versus conservation and self-transcendence versus self-enhancement values. Personal value preferences partially mediated the connection between parental bonding and romantic attitudes. More specifically, high levels of parental care and overcontrol lead to a higher preference for conservation values, which, in turn, lead to more positive romantic attitudes. The obtained results advance our understanding of the connections between parenting, general motivational goals, and romantic relationships among emerging adults.