Affective relationships from youth and adults’ perspectives.

This study aims to compare youth and adults’perspectives about affective relationships, essential for maturity construction and subjective well-being. Quantitative and descriptive study, developed through a questionnaire applied to 233 individuals (82,5% female/ 17,5% male, 51,7% single), aged between 16–76 years, from north and central of Portugal, divided in two classes: 31% young (16–25 years) and 68,7% adults (≥25 years). In their affective life, 208 individuals, representing 89,3% (32,2% young; 67,8% adults), contrary to 10,7% (24% young; 76% adults), consider «to have stable relationships». A total of 167–71,7% individuals (35,9% young; 64,1% adults), contrary to 66-28,3% (19,7% young; 80,3% adults),recognize «relationships because falls in love». Nonetheless, 22–9,4% (54,5% young; 45,5% adults) assume «short and successive relationships». Also 17-7,3% ( 41,2% young; 58,8% adults) recognize «dating, not relationships», and 102-43,8% agree that «relationships start from physical attraction» (27,5% young; 72,5% adults). Some individuals (69-29,6%) agree that «the most important in relationships is sexual component» (21,7% young; 78,3% adults) and 51-21,9% that «love is not the most important in affective relationships» (15,7% young-84,3% adults). The findings suggest that adults are, for better or worse, an expressive model to youth. Emotional education is essential to develop youth responsibility and awareness.

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