Study reveals why so many 20-somethings struggle to stay faithful

Dating in your twenties is a dangerous game. Whether you're looking for a passionate fling, or something a little more serious, chances are you're going to get hurt pretty bad at some point.

Well, a new study has revealed why twenty-somethings struggle when it comes to staying faithful to their partners, and the answer is so cliché it almost hurts – we're just trying to find ourselves.

Yep. Turns out we're as predictable as the plot twist in a Hugh Grant film, and we hate being tied down at that pivotal point in our lives.

The study, published this week in the Journal of Sex Research, surveyed 104 adults with an average age of 22, who all admitted to cheating in the last six months.

To make them feel a little better about themselves and encourage total honesty throughout the survey, participants were given a paragraph to read about how common cheating is.

They were then questioned about their current and past relationships, had their attachment to their current partners analysed and were asked to explain the ins and outs of how they cheated.

Interestingly, most participants did not try to make excuses for being unfaithful, but rather explained that they did it for reasons related to independence and interdependence.

Most felt as though their relationship was holding them back from new experiences and stopped them from reaching their full potential as an adult.

When it came to issues related to interdependence, many participants said their current partner was not fulfilling their need for intimacy, they felt lonely, or they didn't have enough in common.

The study's authors said: "Because emerging adulthood is thought to be a time of exploration and experimentation, it is possible that engaging in infidelity is a path through which individuals seek to meet their developmental needs for independence and interdependence and promote their individual development." 

Basically twenty-somethings cheat because they have no idea who they are or what they want, apparently.

Others reasons cited by participants included boredom and excitement as well as being under the influence of alcohol – *eye-roll*

So, go out and find yourself, but just try not to hurt anyone during the process.