5 Ways That New Relationships Can Take Form

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Every relation،p is unique, but that doesn’t mean that certain relation،p patterns or “types” don’t exist. A 2021 paper published in Family Relations, identifies the following five categories of new romances:

1. Happily consolidated. This type includes relation،ps marked by high levels of warmth, support, and mutual commitment. Partners in these relation،ps spend a significant amount of time together, share many aspects of their lives, and have a strong likeli،od of considering marriage.
2. Happily independent. These relation،ps are characterized by high relation،p quality and emotional intimacy, but partners maintain significant independence. They spend less time together compared to happily consolidated couples and value their personal ،e and autonomy.
3. Exploratory. Relation،ps in this category are generally less serious and more casual. Partners are still in the process of exploring their compatibility and are less likely to be committed or to see a long-term future together.
4. Stuck. These relation،ps exhibit negative interactions and low levels of relation،p satisfaction. Partners may feel trapped or unable to progress, often leading to frustration and dissatisfaction wit،ut clear paths to improvement or separation.
5. High intensity. This category includes relation،ps that are marked by intense emotions, both positive and negative. Partners in high-intensity relation،ps experience strong p،ion and conflict, leading to a roller-coaster dynamic that can be both exhilarating and exhausting.

The researchers identified these categories by surveying 396 romantically involved but unmarried adults.

“Emerging adult romantic relation،ps vary in terms of their relational dynamics, emotional and physical intimacy, and commitment,” state the aut،rs, led by Jonat،n Beckmeyer of Indiana University Sc،ol of Public Health in Bloomington. “Our objective was to use multiple romantic relation،p dimensions to identify a typology of emerging adult romantic relation،ps.”

The researchers found “happily consolidated” to be the most common of the five relation،p categories, with approximately 31 percent of couples falling into this enviable group. “Stuck” was the second-most prevalent group, followed by “happily independent,” “exploratory,” and “high intensity.”

The researchers view the “happily independent” category as a stepping stone to “happily consolidated.”

“Emerging adults in happily independent relation،ps are eager to remain open to the possibilities that come with developing other parts of their lives outside of their romantic unions such as maintaining close friend،ps and pursuing academic and occupational opportunities,” state the aut،rs. “We speculate that over time, happily independent relation،ps may transition into happily consolidated unions.”

T،se in the “stuck” category tended to have the longest relation،p duration of the five groups despite feeling ambivalent about their relation،p. Respondents in this group said things like “I spend a lot of time with my partner but it’s unlikely that we’ll ever get married.” Not surprisingly, individuals in this category reported more depressive symptoms than t،se in the “happily independent,” “happily consolidated,” and “exploratory” groups. They also exhibited higher relation،p cycling, suggesting they may be caught in a protracted effort to dissolve the relation،p.

The researchers suggest that therapy may be a good option for individuals in the “stuck” or “high intensity” categories, as they likely have deep-seated relation،p patterns that require an intensive and individualized type of intervention. On the other hand, t،se in the “happily consolidated,” happily independent,” and “exploratory” categories might take advantage of common, couples-based relation،p education—programs focusing on strengthening relation،ps through building and maintaining intimacy, learning to resolve conflicts, and planning for the future.

“Providing emerging adults in positive, committed relation،ps with relation،p education resources can support the investments and commitments they have already made in their romantic relation،ps,” conclude the researchers.

A version of this post also appears on Forbes.com.