The investigation concerns the relations among social representations of the current, future and ideal family, collective representations, and their imaginary and normative dimensions among young adults – still living with their families of origin – economically dependent or already economically independent, resident in two European countries (Italy and Romania).
Consistently with the modelling approach, the multi-method research design includes graphical and projective techniques (hand-drawings of the current, future and ideal family; Family Relation Test - FRT Adult Version: Bene and Anthony; innovative instruments for FRT: de Rosa, 2012) and verbal instruments (associative network: de Rosa, 2002; Time Perspective Scale: Zimbardo and Boyd, 1999; a self-reported questionnaire).
Collective representations of the family are investigated through iconographic sources (history of art) and normative–legal institutional sources (laws reflecting transformation of the family structure, gender roles, and new forms of family).