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Cited by 69Attachment and Relationship DynamicsChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentSuicide and Self-Harm Studies

Young love: Romantic concerns and associated mental health issues among adolescent help-seekers

Open access
Price, Megan, Hides, Leanne, Cockshaw, Wendell, Staneva, Aleksandra, Stoyanov, Stoyan·2016·Behavioral Sciences
DOI 10.3390/bs6020009PMC PMC4931381
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Abstract

Over 50% of young people have dated by age 15. While romantic relationship concerns are a major reason for adolescent help-seeking from counselling services, we have a limited understanding of what types of relationship issues are most strongly related to mental health issues and suicide risk. This paper used records of 4019 counselling sessions with adolescents (10-18 years) seeking help from a national youth counselling service for a romantic relationship concern to: (i) explore what types and stage (pre, during, post) of romantic concerns adolescents seek help for; (ii) how they are associated with mental health problems, self-harm and suicide risk; and (iii) whether these associations differ by age and gender. In line with developmental-contextual theory, results suggest that concerns about the initiation of relationships are common in early adolescence, while concerns about maintaining and repairing relationships increase with age. Relationship breakups were the most common concern for both male and female adolescents and for all age groups (early, mid, late adolescence). Data relating to a range of mental health issues were available for approximately half of the sample. Post-relationship concerns (including breakups) were also more likely than pre- or during-relationship concerns to be associated with concurrent mental health issues (36.8%), self-harm (22.6%) and suicide (9.9%). Results draw on a staged developmental theory of adolescent romantic relationships to provide a comprehensive assessment of relationship stressors, highlighting post-relationship as a particularly vulnerable time for all stages of adolescence. These findings contribute to the development of targeted intervention and support programs.

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  • Some features of romantic and sexual relationships (e.g., poor quality relationships, breakups) are strongly associated with adolescent mental health outcomes, ranging from depressive symptoms, particularly in girls, to self-harm and suicide risk.

    “Some features of romantic and sexual relationships (e.g., poor quality relationships, breakups) are strongly associated with adolescent mental health outcomes.(113) This ranges from depressive symptoms, particularly in girls,(109,114) to self-harm and suicide risk.(115–117)”

    From Puberty Initiates Cascading Relationships Between Neurodevelopmental, Social, and Internalizing Processes Across Adolescence (2021) · cites this paper as [114]

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2 of the 42 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [8]Collins W.A. Sroufe L.A. Capacity for Intimate Relationships The Development of Romantic Relationships in Adolescence Cambridge University Press Cambridge, UK 1999 125 147
  2. [11]Susman E.J. Dorn L.D. Puberty Handbook of Adolescent Psychology John Wiley and Sons Hoboken, NJ, USA 2004
  3. [18]Brown B.B. Feiring C. Furman W. Missing the Love Boat: Why Researchers Have Shied Away The Development of Romantic Relationships in Adolescence Cambridge University Press Cambridge, UK 1999 1 18

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Related

Authors
Price, M., Hides, L., Cockshaw, W., Staneva, A., & Stoyanov, S.
Affiliations
Queensland University of Technology (AU)
Corresponding author
Price, Megan
ORCID
Venue
Behavioral Sciences
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2016-05-06
Volume
6
Issue
2
Pages
9
ISSN
2076-328X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/bs6020009
PMC
PMC4931381
OpenAlex
W2346689039
Cited by
69
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2012: 1
FWCI
6.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Behavioral Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RMIT Research Repository (RMIT University Library) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Australian Government
  • Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
Keywords
adolescent romantic relationships, adolescent help-seeking, youth counseling, suicide risk, self-harm, mental illness, breakup, relationship initiation, age and gender differences

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