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The (Mal) Adaptive Value of Mid-Adolescent Dating Relationship Labels

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore adolescent dating relationships through the prism of high school girls’ narratives. We probed the contexts and meanings associated with different forms of dating to better understand the developmental significance of romantic relationships during adolescence. Cross-sectional, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 high school females. The analytic approach was phenomenological and grounded in the narratives rather than based on an a priori theoretical framework. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim by research staff and entered into ATLAS.ti 6, a qualitative data-management software package, prior to analysis. Teen relationships were found to vary along a Dis-Continuum from casual hookups to “official” boyfriend/girlfriend. There was a lack of consensus, and much ambiguity, as to the substantive meaning of different relationships. Labeling dating relationships seem to facilitate acquisition of important developmental needs such as identity, affiliation, and status, while attempting to manage cognitive dissonance and emotional disappointments. Findings underscore the confusion and complexity surrounding contemporary adolescent dating. Adolescent girls are using language and social media to assist them in meeting developmental goals. Sometimes their dating labels are adaptive, other times they are a cause of stress, or concealment of unmet needs and thwarted desires. Programs focused on positive youth development need to resonate with the realities of teens’ lives and more fully acknowledge the complicated dynamics of teen dating relationships and how they are formalized, publicized and negotiated.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this research was provided by a Seed Grant from the University of Maryland College Park, School of Public Health. Appreciation is expressed to the young women who shared their insights with us and the community and school personnel who made this study possible. We would also like to extend gratitude to the editors and anonymous reviewers whose suggestions greatly enhanced this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, 2387 Public Health Building (255), College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    Donna E. Howard

  2. Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Katrina J. Debnam

  3. CTS Global Inc, El Segundo, CA, USA

    H. J. Cham

  4. School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Anna Czinn

  5. Counseling Helpline and Aid Network for Abused Women (CHANA), Baltimore, MD, USA

    Nancy Aiken

  6. Health Outcomes Group, United BioSource Corporation, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Jessica Jordan

  7. Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA

    Rachel Goldman

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  1. Donna E. Howard
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  2. Katrina J. Debnam
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  3. H. J. Cham
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  4. Anna Czinn
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Correspondence to Donna E. Howard.

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Howard, D.E., Debnam, K.J., Cham, H.J. et al. The (Mal) Adaptive Value of Mid-Adolescent Dating Relationship Labels. J Primary Prevent 36, 187–203 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-015-0387-2

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