As late teens and early twenties, young adults are still forming their own identities and growing psychologically. The ages from 18-26 are particularly challenging, because people feel ready for a more permanent adult relationship but due to the way American society is set up, people don't achieve financial and emotional independence until later. This creates a conflict between the need for a relationship and the ready ability for the relationship and many marry prematurely in order to find that emotional connection.

Many experts suggest that the prime age for marrying is 27 to ensure that they know who they are inside. This reduces the chance of feeling that they have grown apart from their partner. Looking back to high school years, many of us realize that the person or people we dated in high school are not prime mates for us as we have grown more mature and moved into different circles.

Pressure from outside family can become a real obstacle for married couples if the couple is not financially dependant. Young couples still in college may find it challenging to have parents still able to influence and control adult children because they continue to support their child financially. Being financially independent before marriage is important in order to protect the integrity of the relationship and to show that each person knows how to handle money.

Emotional dependence on parents can be a big problem in young marriages. Couples need to be able to prioritize on their own and use their own judgment when managing conflicts. A person who relies heavily on their parents for approval and support will have a difficult time adjusting to put their spouse ahead of the demands of family members.
Although the culture in which a person is raised does have an influence on expectations and behavior, most young adults are influenced by their immediate social circle as their norm when it comes to marriage and relationships. If a young adult sees several of her friends quitting school and marrying, she is more likely to find that scenario acceptable, even though her individual goals may differ from the likes of her friends.

Movies and books have influenced young adults towards meeting "the one" after they have been on their own for a short time. Many young adults have begun using their workplace as a stepping stone to relationships because they already spend a significant amount of time with their co-workers and they share similar goals because of their job. People who expect to relationships to happen naturally may start to feel discouraged because their expectations do not meet what media portrays as normal. However, it is important to realize that Hollywood and real life do not have common goals for personal relationships and young marriages can suffer from "Cinderella syndrome" or the belief that everything will fall into place on its own.

Relationships of all types take an incredible amount of commitment and time. Marriage at a young age is increasingly difficult as couples have children, enter the job market and build a life together. Couples need to continue to work on their relationship on a daily basis, taking time to focus on their own needs and wants as a couple even while their family and business circles grow.