<![CDATA[Emerging adulthood is a crucial period in the development of romantic relationships, characterized by exploration in building more intimate and meaningful connections. However, not all individuals engage in romantic relationships adaptively, as evidenced by the increasing prevalence of toxic relationships. This indicates that romantic involvement does not always reflect the ability to establish healthy relationship. Romantic competence becomes essential as it encompasses the skills to understand, manage, and maintain romantic relationships in an adaptive way. Family functioning serves as a key factor in the development of romantic competence, as it is the first environment where individuals learn interaction patterns and interpersonal relations. This study aims to examine the relationship between family functioning and romantic competence among emerging adults. This study uses a correlational quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design. The participants consisted of 198 emerging adults aged 18–25 years, selected through purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using the Family Assessment Device (FAD) to measure family functioning and the Inventory of Romantic Relationship Competence (IRRC) to measure romantic competence. Data analysis was conducted using Spearman's correlation test with IBM SPSS 27. The results revealed a positive and significant relationship between family functioning and romantic competence (r = 0.417, p < 0.001). This finding interprets that higher levels of family functioning are associated with a greater ability to engage in adaptive romantic relationships. Overall, the findings suggest that the quality of family relationships serves as a “blueprint” for the interaction patterns individuals develop in their romantic relationships during early adulthood.]]>
