Abstract:

The Italian phenomenon of “long-family” (“famiglia lunga”, Scabini & Donati, 1988) is characterized by an unusually long (often indefinite) permanence of Italian young adults within their parent’s home. This situation often implies a difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood (Buzzi, 2007). There are several existing explanations for this peculiar trend, such as the paucity of state subsidies and assistance for families and young people (Sabbadini, 1999; Barbagli, 2000). The research that I have conducted at the University of Padua, using 1570 undergraduate students, has revealed a strong association between parental cohabitation during the student’s tenure at University and an insecure, anxious attachment style (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007). It is possible to hypothesize that the educational practices of Italian parents augments the slowness of the transition to adult life. These practices are the result of a recent educational shift that occurred in Italy after the Second World War. During this period adults began to reject traditional, strict educational practices because of a perceived connection between them and recent, destructive developments such as the Fascism, the Holocaust and the detonation of the atomic bomb. Consequently, parents have tended to be more emotionally involved and permissive while raising their children (Pietropolli Charmet, 1990), while also protecting them from important adult responsibilities, such as living autonomously and the construction of their own family, apart from their parents (Modell, Furstenberg, & Hershberg, 1976).

Keywords:

Long-family, education, attachment style.