Associations Among School and Friendship Identity in Adolescence and Romantic Relationships and Work in Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

This study examined the interrelations between employment status and romantic relationship status, work and romantic relationship identity in emerging adulthood, and school and friendship identity in adolescence. Dutch participants (N = 1,026) from two age cohorts (16-year-old cohort comprised 735 participants and 20-year-olds comprised 291, at Time 1) reported about school and friendship identity during adolescence, and about status of and identification with work and romantic relationships during emerging adulthood 5 years later. Employment status and romantic relationship status were significantly related to each other. Employment status was also significantly related to relational identity, and relationship status was significantly related to work identity. Moreover, work and romantic relationship identity, but not employment status and romantic relationship status, could be predicted by school and friendship identity in adolescence. These results confirm the interdependence of role transitions in emerging adulthood and suggest that the base of the successful attainment of these transitions is laid in adolescence.