Journal of Women Interdisciplinary Researches

Identifying the Components of Intimacy in Intimate Relationships: Emphasizing the Experiences of Young Single Women

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Marzieh Dashtaki pour 1
Mahnaz Jokar kamal abadi 2
Razieh Khoram abadi 3

1 Master’s Degree, Department of Psychology, Apadana University of Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran.

10.22034/jwir.2026.2087675.1075
Abstract
Intimacy is one of the fundamental components of interpersonal relationships, encompassing a range of emotional, psychological, physical, communicative, and social dimensions that play an important role in the formation and maintenance of close relationships. The present study aimed to identify the components of intimacy in the intimate relationships of young single individuals, with an emphasis on the experiences of young single women. This qualitative study employed a grounded theory approach. The participants consisted of 20 young single men and women from Shiraz who had experienced intimate relationships and were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the interview process continued until theoretical saturation was reached. During the data analysis process, 360 open codes, 61 initial concepts, 21 focused concepts, 11 subthemes, and four main themes—including physical, communicative, sexual, and financial intimacy—were identified. Ultimately, the analysis resulted in the identification of 15 components constituting intimacy in the intimate relationships of young single individuals: emotional intimacy, psychological intimacy, sexual intimacy, intellectual intimacy, physical intimacy, spiritual intimacy, aesthetic intimacy, social and recreational intimacy, temporal intimacy, commonalities, fostering enthusiasm and giving meaning to life, the role of interpersonal skills in intimacy, personal characteristics and experiences, commitment and willingness to establish a long-term relationship with the goal of marriage, and respect for boundaries. The findings indicate that intimacy in the intimate relationships of young single individuals is a multidimensional construct and is not limited solely to emotional or physical dimensions. These findings contribute to enriching the existing research literature on intimacy in the intimate relationships of young single individuals and can provide a basis for designing educational programs and interventions aimed at enhancing relationship skills and improving the quality of young people's intimate relationships.

Keywords

Intimacy
intimate relationships
young single individuals
young women
intimate experiences
grounded theory
Subjects
1-    Amiri, R. (2005). The relationship between adherence to religious beliefs and the level of intimacy among female students in Tehran with their husbands [Master’s thesis, Alzahra University]. [Persian]
2-    Bagarozzi, D. A. (2013). Enhancing intimacy in marriage. Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315787053
3-    Beckmeyer, J. J., & Jamison, T. B. (2024). Contextualizing singlehood among young adults: Exploring the meanings and perceived reasons for being single. Family Relations, 73(3), 1607–1624. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12975
4-    Bergeron, S., Vaillancourt-Morel, M. P., Péloquin, K., & Rosen, N. O. (2024). Intimacy promotes couples’ sexual well-being on a daily basis and over one year: The role of positive sexual cues. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 53(7), 2737–2749. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-02912-7
5-    Brehm, S. S. (1992). Intimate relationships. McGraw-Hill.
6-    Chopik, W. J., Moors, A. C., & Edelstein, R. S. (2014). Maternal nurturance predicts decreases in attachment avoidance in emerging adulthood. Journal of Research in Personality, 53, 47–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2014.08.004
7-    Czyżowska, D., Gurba, E., Czyżowska, N., Kalus, A., Sitnik-Warchulska, K., & Izydorczyk, B. (2019). Selected predictors of the sense of intimacy in relationships of young adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(22), 4447. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224447
8-    Dahms, A. (2000). Intimacy environment: Sex, intimacy, and gender in families. Guilford Press.
9-    Eisazadegan, A., Sepehrian Azar, F., & Matlabi, M. (2016). Comparison of attachment styles and fear of intimacy in individuals with and without cancer. Journal of Disability Studies, 6, 205–210. [Persian]
10-    Ercan, H., Korkmaz, O., & Bakioğlu, F. (2025). The relationships between love styles and satisfaction in romantic relationships: The mediating role of intimacy. Journal of Education and Future, (28), 15–30. https://doi.org/10.30786/jef.1480912
11-    Feng, J., & Schantz, K. (2025). Adolescent romantic relationships. ACT for Youth. https://actforyouth.org/resources/rf/romantic-2025.pdf
12-    Hatfield, E., & Rapson, R. L. (1993). Love, sex, and intimacy: Their psychology, biology, and history. HarperCollins College Publishers.
13-    Hatfield, E., & Traupmann, J. (1981). Intimate relationships: A perspective from equity theory. In S. Duck & R. Gilmour (Eds.), Personal relationships: Vol. 1. Studying personal relationships (pp. 165–178). Academic Press.
14-    Hook, M. K., Gerstein, L. H., Detterich, L., & Gridley, B. (2003). How close are we? Measuring intimacy and examining gender differences. Journal of Counseling & Development, 81(4), 462–472. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2003.tb00273.x
15-    Khamse, A., & Hosseinian, S. (2008). Investigation of gender differences in various dimensions of intimacy among married students. Women’s Studies Quarterly, 6, 35–52. https://doi.org/10.22051/jwsps.2008.1287 [Persian]
16-    Klesse, C., & van Hooff, J. (2024). Secrecy in intimate relationships: Rethinking transparency and deceit in monogamies and non-monogamies. The Sociological Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/00380261241293898
17-    Muniruzzaman, M. D. (2017). Transformation of intimacy and its impact in developing countries. Life Sciences, Society and Policy, 13(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40504-017-0056-8
18-    Namvaran Garmi, K., Moradi, A., Farzad, V., & Zahrakar, K. (2018). Determining the dimensions of marital intimacy among Iranian couples: A qualitative study. Women and Family Cultural-Educational Quarterly, 12(42), 61–78. [Persian]
19-    Nazari, M. A. (2007). Investigating the effect of a communication improvement program on marital satisfaction among dual-career couples. Journal of Counseling Research and Studies, 4(13), 35–59. [Persian]
20-    Omranipour, A., & Moradi, M. (2011). An analysis of environmental characteristics in Erikson’s personality theory. Armanshahr Journal, 7, 41–57. [Persian]
21-    Patrick, S., Sells, N. J., Giordano, G. F., & Tollerud, T. (2007). Intimacy, differentiation, and personality variables as predictors of marital satisfaction. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 15(4), 359–367. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480707303754
22-    Prager, K. J., & Roberts, L. (2008). Deep intimate connection: Self and intimacy in couple relationships. In D. Mashek & A. Aron (Eds.), Handbook of closeness and intimacy (pp. 43–60). Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410610010
23-    Reis, H. T., & Shaver, P. (1988). Intimacy as an interpersonal process. In S. Duck, D. F. Hay, S. E. Hobfoll, W. Ickes, & B. M. Montgomery (Eds.), Handbook of personal relationships: Theory, research and interventions (pp. 367–389). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203732496-5
24-    Robins, N. (2017). Of love and loathing: Marital life, strife, and intimacy in the Colonial Andes, 1750–1825. The American Historical Review, 122(1), 221–222. https://doi.org/10.1525/phr.2017.86.3.591
25-    Ruiz, D., Kriofske Mainella, A., & Rosenthal, D. A. (2023). The pursuit of intimacy: Intimate relationship development for women with physical disabilities. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 4, 1070501. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2023.1070501
26-    Schaefer, M. T., & Olson, D. H. (1981). Assessing intimacy: The PAIR Inventory. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 7(1), 47–60. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.1981.tb01351.x
27-    Stern, J. A., Fraley, R. C., Jones, J. D., Gross, J. T., Shaver, P. R., & Cassidy, J. (2018). Developmental processes across the first two years of parenthood: Stability and change in adult attachment style. Developmental Psychology, 54(5), 975–986. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000481
28-    Sternberg, R. J. (1986). A triangular theory of love. Psychological Review, 93(2), 119–135. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.93.2.11
29-    Timmerman, G. M. (1991). A concept analysis of intimacy. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 12(1), 19–30. https://doi.org/10.3109/01612849109058207
30-    van Lankveld, J., Jacobs, N., Thewissen, V., Dewitte, M., & Verboon, P. (2018). The associations of intimacy and sexuality in daily life: Temporal dynamics and gender effects within romantic relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 35(4), 557–576. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407517743076
Journal of Women Interdisciplinary Researches

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 02 September 2026

Home

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Reviewers

Contact Us