Background: Loneliness in close relationships impacts the well-being of partners. The present chapter presents data on loneliness in romantic relationships among emerging adults. Conceptualizations of loneliness are outlined followed by the relationships among loneliness, attachment, relationship satisfaction and communication between partners. As few studies have examined how these concepts are related and, to date, no research has studied how loneliness mediated between relationship variables and physical and psychological symptoms, in young adults, involved in romantic relationships, a study focused on those relationships is also presented and its implications for practice, discussed. Methods: 210 college undergraduate students involved in a romantic relationship participated in the study. Students were participating in a program to promote couple relationship education. Data was collected before starting a program (T1) and 7 weeks after it began (T2). Instruments used were: Short-form UCLA Loneliness scale (ULS-8),(Hays & DiMatteo, 1987); Relationship Satisfaction Scale (Funk & Rogge, 2007); Experiences in Close Relationship Scale (ECR)-short form (Wei, Russell, Mallinckrodt, & Vogel, 2007), Communication Patterns Questionnaire (Christensen, 1988), Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (De Haes, et al., 2012).

Results: There were significant differences on communication (p≤. 001) and anxiety attachment (p=. 008) between T2 and T1. Considering the predictor variables at T1,