INVESTIGATION OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY IMAGE AND INITIATING ROMANTIC INTIMACY IN EMERGING ADULTHOOD

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the predictions of the determinants of initiating romantic intimacy of body image in emerging adulthood. The study group consist of 211 undergraduate students studying in different departments of the Faculty of Education of a public university in Eskişehir during in 2016-2017 Spring Semester. The average age of the participants in the study group was determined to be 20.10 (ss = 1.49). Data were collected using the Initiating Romantic Intimacy Scale and the Body Perception Scale. In the analysis of the findings obtained in the study, the path analysis technique was used. It has been determined that the findings body image significantly predicts self-perception, behavioral closeness, emotional and cognitive closeness, self-knowledge, and romantic verbalism, respectively, from the determinants of romantic intimacy. Based on the findings, it can be said that the body image is an important variable explaining initiating romantic intimacy of emerging adulthood.