This study examined the link between parental divorce and marital conflict and young adult romantic relationships, and it tested whether offspring efficacy beliefs and conflict mediate this association. Young adults (N = 358) provided data at three time points each separated by 7-week intervals. Results from structural equation modeling demonstrated that (a) parents' marital conflict, rather than parental divorce, was associated with offspring conflict behavior; (b) relationship efficacy mediated this association; and (c) conflict behavior, in turn, mediated the association between efficacy beliefs and the quality of offspring romantic relationships. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding the impact of parents' marital problems on romantic relationships in young adulthood. Their implications for preventive interventions and future research are also outlined.

The present study examined whether physical and verbal aggression in the family of origin were associated with similar patterns of aggression in young adult couples. Hypotheses were tested using a sample of 213 focal individuals who were followed from adolescence to adulthood. Results suggested that aggression in the family when focal participants were adolescents predicted aggression with romantic partners when participants were adults. The association between interparental aggression and later aggression in adult romantic unions was partially mediated through parents' aggression to focal participants when they were adolescents. Both physical and verbal aggression revealed the same pattern of findings. All together, these findings are consistent with a developmental-interactional perspective (Capaldi & Gorman-Smith, 2003) concerning the developmental origins of aggression in intimate relationships.

Researchers have investigated the phenomenon of overparenting of emerging adult children and its association with emerging adult development. With the increasing body of research in recent years on this topic, a timely systematic review is needed to gain a better understanding of the literature. This systematic review targets quantitative studies of overparenting and several domains of development (psychological, behavioral, social and relational, learning/academic and career) of emerging adult children (with a sample mean age between 18 to 29) that are published in English in peer-reviewed journals in the past 20 years (2002–2021). A search of four databases (PsycINFO, Web of Science, ERIC, and ASSIA) identified 74 eligible studies between 2002 to 2021. The majority of the studies are theory-driven ( n = 65), with self-determination theory being the most used. Study samples ranged from 89 to 2,253, most are of college students ( n = 65), from the U.S. ( n = 58), and with more female than male participants ( n = 65). Almost all studies used a cross-sectional design ( n = 70) and at least one of the several established overparenting measures. Various analytical strategies were used, ranging from structural equation modeling to latent class/profile analysis. Findings overwhelmingly suggested negative associations between overparenting and emerging adults’ development in the psychological, behavioral, social and relational, learning/academic and career domains. Some mixed findings were also reported, especially in the learning/academic and career domain. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.