Abstract
The problem of the delayed transition to adulthood has arisen in almost all the developed countries but it is of particular importance in Italy. Young people stay longer in the parental home and delay new family formation, compared to what used to happen in previous generations and to what happens in many other European countries nowadays. According to estimates for 2009, 59 per cent of never-married individuals in the age group 18-34 lived with their parents. Even when considering only those who have reached economic independence, the corresponding fi gure remains a remarkable 42 per cent (ISTAT 2010).