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Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This PDF document was made available from www.rand.org as a public service of the RAND Corporation. 6 Jump down to document THE ARTS CHILD POLICY CIVIL JUSTICE EDUCATION ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS NATIONAL SECURITY POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SUBSTANCE ABUSE TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research organization providing objective analysis and effective solutions that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors around the world. Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore RAND Labor and Population View document details For More Information Purchase this document Browse Books & Publications Make a charitable contribution Support RAND This product is part of the RAND Corporation technical report series. Reports may include research findings on a specific topic that is limited in scope; present discus- sions of the methodology employed in research; provide literature reviews, survey instruments, modeling exercises, guidelines for practitioners and research profes- sionals, and supporting documentation; or deliver preliminary findings. All RAND reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure that they meet high standards for re- search quality and objectivity. Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages A Review of Theory, Research, and Programs Benjamin R. Karney, Megan K. Beckett, Rebecca L. Collins, Rebecca Shaw Prepared for the Department of Health and Human Services The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research organization providing objective analysis and effective solutions that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors around the world. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. R ® is a registered trademark. © Copyright 2007 RAND Corporation All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from RAND. Published 2007 by the RAND Corporation 1776 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202-5050 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2665 RAND URL: http://www.rand.org To order RAND documents or to obtain additional information, contact Distribution Services: Telephone: (310) 451-7002; Fax: (310) 451-6915; Email: order@rand.org Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Adolescent romantic relationships as precursors of healthy adult marriages : a review of theory, research, and programs / Benjamin R. Karney [et al.]. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-8330-4178-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Interpersonal relations in adolescence—United States. 2. Interpersonal relations in adolesence—Research. 3. Teenagers—United States—Attitudes. 4. Teenagers with social disabilities—United States—Attitudes. 5. Marriage—United States. 6. Interpersonal relations—Study and teaching—United States. 7. Family life education—United States. 8. Developmental psychology. I. Karney, Benjamin R. BF724.3.I58A36 2007 155.5'18—dc22 2007021574 The research described in this report was conducted by RAND Labor and Population. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Department of Health and Human Services. iii Preface Policymakers are interested in promoting healthy marriages in adulthood by providing ser- vices to strengthen the adolescent precursors of healthy marriage, especially within low-income populations. e broad goal of this report is to inform these efforts by evaluating the current landscape of theory, research, and interventions addressing the role of adolescent romantic rela- tionships in the development of healthy adult marriages. To this end, the analyses presented here draw upon a thorough review of the existing theoretical and empirical literature in this area, as well as interviews with practitioners directly involved with developing or administering relationship education to adolescents. By bringing together relevant research and theory from a wide range of disciplines that have examined these issues, the analyses presented here may be of use to several different audiences, including program developers and those working directly with adolescents, policymakers charged with developing polices to support healthy marriages, and researchers seeking to build upon the existing research and theory in this area. is work was supported by a contract with the Administration for Children and Families within the Department of Health and Human Services, and conducted within the RAND Corporation Labor and Population program. RAND Labor and Population has built an international reputation for conducting objective, high-quality, empirical research to sup- port and improve policies and organizations around the world. Its work focuses on labor mar- kets, social welfare policy, demographic behavior, immigration, international development, and issues related to aging and retirement with a common aim of understanding how policy and social and economic forces affect individual decisionmaking and the well-being of chil- dren, adults, and families. e views expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the Administration for Children and Families or the Department of Health and Human Services. For more information on RAND Labor and Population, contact Arie Kapteyn, Direc- tor, RAND Labor and Population, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, (310) 393-0411 x7973, email: Arie_Kapteyn@rand.org. v Contents Preface iii Figures ix Tables xi Executive Summary xiii Acknowledgments xxvii Abbreviations xxix CHAPTER ONE Introduction 1 Trends in Marriage, Cohabitation, and Child-Bearing 1 Supporting Healthy Marriages: Where to Intervene? 2 Are the Seeds of Healthy Marriages Sown in Adolescence? 3 Adolescent Romantic Relationships: e State of the Field 5 Objectives and Scope of is Report 5 Organization of the Report 6 Defining Terms 7 CHAPTER TWO Describing Adolescents’ Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors with Respect to Romantic Relationships 9 Data Sources 9 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) 10 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) 10 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) 11 National Survey of Adolescent Males (NSAM) 11 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) 11 Limitations of the Available Data 12 Adolescents’ Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Dating and Romance 13 Adolescents’ Expectations and Attitudes About Marriage, Cohabitation, and Divorce 15 Correlates of Adolescents’ Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Romantic Relationships 17 Sexual Experience 17 Parents and Peers 18 Media 18 Adolescents’ Behaviors in Romantic Relationships 19 Duration of Adolescent Romantic Relationships 20 Degree of Involvement Between Partners 21 Number of Romantic and Sexual Relationships in Adolescence 22 Characteristics of Romantic Partners in Adolescence 24 Intimate Partner Violence in Adolescence 25 Summary and Conclusions 26 CHAPTER THREE eoretical Perspectives on Adolescent Relationships and Adult Development 29 Attachment eory 30 Summary of the eory 30 Evaluating the eory 31 Implications for Intervention 32 e Lifespan Development Perspective 33 Summary of the eory 33 Evaluating the eory 34 Implications for Intervention 34 e Development of Early Adult Romantic Relationships (DEARR) Model 35 Summary of the eory 35 Evaluating the eory 36 Implications for Intervention 37 Integration: Assembling a Model of the Precursors of Adult Romantic Relationships 38 Antecedent Conditions 40 Adolescence 40 Adulthood 41 Evaluating the Model 42 Implications for Intervention 43 Summary 44 CHAPTER FOUR Review of Research on the Causes, Correlates, and Consequences of Romantic Relationships in Adolescence 47 e Scope and Procedures of is Review 47 Comments on Methodological Issues 49 Lack of Agreement on Definitions of Key Terms 49 Lack of Data from Representative Samples 50 Lack of Longitudinal Data 50 Failure to Acknowledge Age Differences Within Adolescence 50 Reliance on Data from Individuals Rather an Couples 51 Reliance on Self-Report Data 51 Inadequate Controls for Exogenous Variables 52 Conclusions 52 vi Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages Antecedents of Adolescent Romantic Relationships 53 Family of Origin 53 Individual Characteristics 56 Correlates of Adolescent Romantic Relationships 58 Peer Groups 59 Qualities of the Relationship 61 Partner Characteristics 62 Beliefs and Attitudes 63 Immediate Consequences of Adolescent Romantic Relationships for Adolescents 64 Psychological Well-Being 64 Sexual Behavior and Contraception 65 Intimate Partner Violence 67 Substance Abuse and Academic Achievement 68 Consequences of Adolescent Romantic Relationships for Outcomes in Adulthood 69 Summary and Conclusions 70 CHAPTER FIVE Review of Relationship Education Programs for Adolescents 73 e Goals of Relationship Education for Adolescents and Youth 74 e Formats of Relationship Education 75 Relationship and Marital Education (RME) Curricula 76 Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) Textbooks 76 Character Education (CE) Curricula 78 Abstinence Education (AE) Curricula 79 National Organization Initiatives 79 Are Relationship Education Curricula Effective? 80 Are Major Relationship Education Curricula Aligned with the Research Base? 82 Immediate Context 82 Individual Differences 84 Attitudes and Beliefs 84 Relationship Behavior 84 Practical Concerns in Delivering Relationship Education Curricula to Low-Income Youth 85 e Need for More Culturally Appropriate Curricula 85 Problem with Curricula Overlooking Young Parents 86 Insufficient Implementation Tools 86 Questions About the Age-Appropriateness of Some Curricula Components 87 Need for Training in the Logistics of Serving At-Risk Youth 88 Marketing Relationship Education to Adult Decisionmakers 88 Summary and Conclusions 89 CHAPTER SIX Future Directions for Research and Intervention 93 Immediate Priorities for Research on Adolescent Romantic Relationships 94 Contents vii viii Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages Strategies for Programs and Curricula Aimed at Adolescent Relationships 97 Strategies Addressing Antecedent Conditions 99 Strategies Addressing Relationships in Adolescence 100 Strategies Addressing the Consequences of Relationships for Adult Outcomes 102 Future Directions for Interventions Targeting Adolescent Relationships 103 Discuss Goals and Objectives of ese Programs Explicitly 103 Evaluate the Effectiveness of Existing Programs 104 Coordinate with Other Services Offered to Adolescents 104 Conclusion 104 References 105 [...]... in place In particular, a number of researchers and theorists have suggested that the building blocks of healthy adult marriages are formed during adolescence Among the many elements of adolescents’ lives that may provide a foundation for healthy marriages as adults (e.g., the quality xiii xiv Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages of the education they receive, their... schools as one of eight activities eligible for support Goals of the Report To inform current efforts to strengthen the adolescent precursors of healthy marriage, the overarching goal of this report is to synthesize and evaluate the existing basic and applied literature on adolescent romantic relationships, with particular emphasis on experiences in these relationships as precursors of adult marriages. .. research that describes what adolescents believe and value about romantic relationships and marriage in general and how adolescents behave in their own romantic relationships 2 Review explanations of the role adolescent romantic relationships may play in adult development To accomplish this task, the report integrates existing theories of adolescent romantic relationships and adult development and evaluates... highlight The State of the Data xvi Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages the important differences between adolescents’ attitudes toward marriage and relationships in the abstract, and their potentially quite different expectations for their own lives How Adolescents Conduct Their Own Romantic Relationships Through the course of adolescence, adolescents generally... Collins and Van Dulmen, 2006; Furman and Shaffer, 4 Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages 2003; Furman and Simon, 1999; Giordano, Manning, and Longmore, 2006; Tallman, Burke, and Gecas, 1998) Among the many elements of adolescents’ lives that may provide a foundation for healthy marriages as adults (e.g., the quality of the education they receive, the available career... that views adolescent romantic relationships as a key period during which the foundations of healthy adult marriages may be strengthened To the extent that further research confirms this emerging picture of adolescent relationships as a link in a causal chain leading from the early environment to adult marriages, then it would be warranted to intervene during adolescence, especially as a means of preventing... research on the effects of age differences between partners As might be expected, several studies indicate that adolescents who are in relationships with partners more than two years older than themselves are vastly more likely to be sexually active, compared with adolescents whose partners are close to themselves in age xx Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages Beliefs... adolescents into adulthood, assessing the nature of their romantic relationships at each stage of development As many scholars in this area have noted, no research of this type has been published to date The research that has attempted to link adolescent relationships to adult marital outcomes has so far been extremely limited in scope For example, research focused specifically on the consequences of teen pregnancy... empirical base of current programs and substantially advance efforts to promote healthy adult marriages Strategies for Programs and Curricula General Organization The accumulated and evolving research on adolescent romantic relationships offers ways to strengthen existing programs targeting those relationships as precursors of adult outcomes The integrative framework described here, by mapping the range of possible... consequences of these relationships are xxii Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages the very ones that would be expected to influence adult marital outcomes Moreover, studies that have followed individuals from early childhood through young adulthood do point to adolescence as a critical period during which significant antecedents of young adult outcomes take shape Thus, the . 52 Conclusions 52 vi Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages Antecedents of Adolescent Romantic Relationships 53 Family of Origin . for Research on Adolescent Romantic Relationships 94 Contents vii viii Adolescent Romantic Relationships as Precursors of Healthy Adult Marriages Strategies