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Parents’ Management of Adolescents’ Romantic Relationships Through Dating Rules: Gender Variations and Correlates of Relationship Qualities

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Abstract

This study examined parents’ rules concerning their late adolescents’ dating activities. Participants were mostly European-American, including 165 mothers or fathers and 103 of their children (ages 17–19; 28 sons and 75 daughters). Parents provided information regarding their use of dating rules; rules were coded by type (i.e., supervision, restriction, or prescription) and by the degree of control the rule set provided. Most parents (64%) reported using dating rules, and rules varied by the adolescents and parents’ gender. Rule types were related differentially to qualities of parents and adolescents’ relationships, such that supervision rules reflected a healthy parent–child dynamic and prescription rules related negatively to qualities of parents’ romantic/marital relationships. This study contributes to a growing body of research on parents’ management of adolescents’ peer relationships by expanding the focus from friendships to romantic partnerships.

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  1. Psychology Department, McDaniel College, Westminster, MD, USA

    Stephanie D. Madsen

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  1. Stephanie D. Madsen
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Correspondence to Stephanie D. Madsen.

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Madsen, S.D. Parents’ Management of Adolescents’ Romantic Relationships Through Dating Rules: Gender Variations and Correlates of Relationship Qualities. J Youth Adolescence 37, 1044–1058 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-008-9313-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-008-9313-8

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