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The changing importance of romantic relationship involvement to competence from late childhood to late adolescence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2009

Jennifer Neemann ,
Jon Hubbard  and
Ann S. Masten
Jennifer Neemann*
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Jon Hubbard
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota
Ann S. Masten
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota
*
Jennifer Neemann, Department of Psychology, 5401 Wilkens Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21228–5398 or e-mail at [email protected].
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Abstract

Although developmental theorists such as Sullivan (1953) and Havighurst (1972) have suggested that the formation of romantic relationships in adolescence is an important developmental task, researchers of the adolescent “problem behavior syndrome” have documented that early sexual intercourse is related to problems with conduct, academics, and chemical use. In this study multiple measures of competence and romantic relationship involvement were obtained from a normative community sample of children and adolescents. These were used in path analyses to document the concurrent and longitudinal predictions of romantic involvement and competence to examine the concurrent and longitudinal linkages of romantic interest and involvement to four other domains of adaptive behavior. Results suggest that although success in romantic relationships has roots in general peer competence, there may be both deviant and prosocial pathways of initial romantic involvement. Early romantic involvement in late childhood and early to middle adolescence may have negative consequences for academic, job, and conduct domains of competence. Later in adolescence, romantic relationship involvement loses its negative significance, perhaps as it becomes a normative developmental task. Results highlight the need for developmental research on the origins and meaning of romantic relationships, one of the most neglected aspects of peer relationships.

Type
Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 7 , Issue 4: Developmental Processes in Peer Relations and Psychopathology , Fall 1995 , pp. 727 - 750
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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