NCJ Number
236003
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 40 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2011 Pages: 800-813
Date Published
July 2011
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the effects of adolescent girls dating older males.
Abstract
Previous research on adolescent girls in relationships with older partners suggests a range of negative outcomes for the adolescent. Using three waves of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health and a life course perspective, the authors explore the connection between involvement in age discordant relationships (girls dating males three or more years older) and the course of depressive symptoms among adolescent girls. The analyses were conducted on the 1,307 girls with data at all three waves who had been in a relationship in the last 18 months. The sample is 55 percent White, 22 percent Black, 7 percent other race and 16 percent Latina. When comparing early adolescent girls (13-15) and late adolescent girls (16-18), the younger girls are no more likely to have depressive symptoms before entry into the age discordant relationship, yet have greater depressive symptoms shortly after the relationship onset and 5 years later. Older adolescent girls in age discordant relationships, however, have similar levels of depressive symptoms at any time point relative to their peers. These data suggest that a girl's developmental stage influences whether or not she experiences emotional distress as a result of being in an age discordant relationship. (Published Abstract)