Dating Anxiety in Emerging Adults

Abstract

The period of emerging adulthood serves as a critical period for the formation of intimate romantic relationships, but there is often some amount of apprehension associated with the initiation of these enduring relationships. The present study investigated the level of dating anxiety in the emerging adult population of India. The study was conducted on a sample of 200 heterosexual individuals (males = 100; females = 100), (with previous experience in dating = 100; without previous experience in dating = 100) aged 18-25 years. Data was collected using the Dating Anxiety Survey which has three factors- passive contact, active intentions for dating, and dating interactions. Student’s unpaired t-test was used to find out whether there was a significant difference in the levels of dating anxiety according to gender, and previous experience in dating. Males reported experiencing higher levels of anxiety compared to females when it comes to passive contact, as well as active intentions for dating. Individuals without any prior experience in dating reported having more anxiety about dating interactions.