title: Demographic and developmental differences in the content and sequence of adolescents' ideal romantic relationship behaviors.
abstract: This study utilizes data from 18,392 respondents (aged 12-19) in Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to provide a detailed descriptive analysis of U.S. adolescents' desired behaviors in their ideal romantic relationships. Age, gender, and ethnic group differences in the desire for--and preferred sequence of--a set of activities that could occur in a hypothetical romantic relationship were explored within subsets of heterosexual (n = 17,274) and sexual minority adolescents (n = 1118). Non-sexual behaviors were more commonly desired compared to sexual behaviors. The typical desired behavioral sequence was: holding hands, going out alone, telling others they were a couple, kissing, saying "I love you," sexual touching, and finally having sex. Overall, more similarities than differences emerged across groups, with some notable differences in the percentages who desired sexual behaviors. Results provide a nuanced picture of adolescent relationship scripts, with implications for education and prevention.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Psychology, United States. Electronic address: schoukas@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choukas-Bradley
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, United States; Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
authors.forename: Shoshana K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.affiliation: North Carolina State University, Department of Psychology, United States.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Widman
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, United States; Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
authors.forename: Bianka M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Reese
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, United States; Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
authors.forename: Carolyn T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Halpern
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D003380:Courtship; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescence; Gender differences; Racial and ethnic differences; Romantic relationships; Sexual behavior; Sexual minority youth