Intimate Relationship Types as Quality-of-Life Predictors in Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

This study investigates how distinct configurations of intimacy, passion, and commitment within romantic relationships predict quality of life (QoL) among emerging adults. Drawing on Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love (1986) and employing a person-centred approach through Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), the research identifies four relational profiles ( Sex , Love , Love and Sex , and Complex Relationship ) in a representative sample of Slovak emerging adults (n = 676). Regression analyses reveal that integrated emotional and sexual experiences ( Love and Sex , corresponding to Romantic Love) are associated with significantly higher QoL than single-component profiles. However, the expected superiority of Consummate Love ( Complex Relationship ) was observed only among participants with conservative value orientations. For liberal respondents, relationship quality was primarily linked to intimacy and passion without the need for long-term commitment. These findings support a value-congruence model of intimacy, demonstrating that the psychological benefits of specific relationship structures depend on their alignment with individuals’ ideological worldviews. The study contributes to both psychological theory and sociological understandings of intimacy by illustrating how personal values shape the links between love, commitment, and well-being during emerging adulthood.