The seeking of a lifetime partner/spouse, establishing and maintaining close relationships are central developmental tasks in young adulthood. In successful achievement of these tasks relational competences may play a crucial role, thus making it reasonable to study their conditions. This article provides a theoretical and empirical analysis of the relationship between relational competences and attachment style, relationship status, and gender. It presents a study of a normal sample of 423 young adults, aged 20-35, who completed The Questionnaire of Relational Competences in Intimate Relationships, Revised Adult Attachment Scale, and Demographic Questionnaire. The analysis of the data revealed that in the description of various relational competences all three factors play an important role. It has also turned out that the association between relational competences and attachment style is influenced by the circumstances pertaining to relationship status.
The review of literature and studies let us suppose that a definite level of relational competences create greater or less possibilities to find a lifetime partner, and to maintain a relationship with him or her. In the article the findings of the research with 457 young single and partnered adults are presented. Their aim was to verify whether are there any differences between young single and partnered adults in the extent of level of relational competences, which indices were five six bonding behaviours (behaviours of psychic and physical closeness, impressive behaviours, behaviours on the behalf of a partner and a relationship, conciliatory behaviours, and sexual behaviours). Additionaly an association between level of relational competences and gender was analysed. It was assumed that lower level of competences will be characteristic of single adults. Moreover, it was hypothesized that females will possess a higher level of competences in comparison to males. Statistical analysis showed that the observed difference between single and partnered groups in the area of relational competences is statistically significant. Single individuals reveal a lower level of relational competences in the realm of the above-mentioned bonding behaviours. At the same time, gender showed to be a differentiating factor only in the area of competences concerned behaviours of psychic and physical closeness, and sexual behaviours.
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