Analysis of Teenagers' Romantic Relationship Problems

Research Article
Open access

Analysis of Teenagers' Romantic Relationship Problems

Peijia Yang 1*
  • 1 Kunshan High School    
  • *corresponding author Yangpeijia2005@163.com
Published on 14 September 2023 | https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/8/20230089
LNEP Vol.8
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-915371-97-3
ISBN (Online): 978-1-915371-98-0

Abstract

Adolescent love, commonly known as "early love," refers to the act of young people under the age of 18 establishing a romantic relationship or developing a love for another person. The term "early love" is widely used in society and implies a negative conception from society compared to "adolescent love". There are many parents and teachers who do not accept the phenomenon of early love. In fact, can romantic relationships among adolescents really not exist? The paper discusses the pros and cons of teenage romantic relationships as well as discuss discuss the influence be affected by and have an impact on. This paper hopes that people will be able to see teenage romantic relationships from a different perspective. Many people have different views on teenage romantic relationships. The development of adolescent romantic relationships can have an impact on their surroundings and their own personalities as well as being influenced by their surroundings such as family upbringing.

Keywords:

romantic relationships, teenagers, disadvantages, adolescent love

Yang,P. (2023). Analysis of Teenagers' Romantic Relationship Problems. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,8,158-162.
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1. Introduction

Nowadays, the number of teenagers who have romantic experiences is increasing. That seems too popular among the students. The goal of this paper is to investigate some issues related to teenager romantic relationships and discuss the proper treatment of such relationships. To explore romantic relationship issues, this study conducts interviews, consults secondary sources, shares findings, and offer some suggestions, so that teenagers can realize that romantic relationships have negative and positive aspects, and they need to balance that properly. In addition, the article also clearly explains the causes and effects of teenager romantic relationships. At the same time, it also gives teachers and parents the best plan to face the young people's love relationship.

2. Methodology

2.1. Research Design

Here comes a questionnaire. Seventy-five high school students studying at St. Joseph College were surveyed. Approximately 51% of those surveyed were involved in a relationship. [1]. We all know that teenagers entering high school are curious about the opposite sex due to their physiological development and secret a flood of hormones. For further research, the author interviewed some students in Kunshan High School: (1) How many students have romantic relationships and experience? (2) How do you think love experience is necessary for middle school students?(3) What do you think your relationship experience can bring you?

2.2. Findings

A survey of 974 early adolescents from rural and semi-rural communities in Pennsylvania and Iowa was conducted, beginning in sixth grade (mean age = 12.4, 62.1% female) and continuing into young adulthood (mean age = 19.5). According to the findings, adolescents who had experienced a more positive family climate and more competent parenting reported more effective problem-solving skills and less violent behavior in their young adult romantic relationships. [2]. Thus, the family environment and adolescents' interpersonal skills show some interrelationships during adolescence. In addition adolescent interpersonal relationships also influence adolescent personality. One of the students interviewed thinks having a romantic relationship can boost self-confidence [3]. Nowadays, numerous young people are still growing up but often receive some criticism. Consequently, they may become less confident. If a person receives admiration and finds someone who likes them, they may become more satisfied and confident. Thus, teenagers may enjoy support and trust in a relationship. It just so happens that the boy or girl in the relationship will stay together because of the excellent qualities of the other party, affirming from the other side that they are talented and attractive. They will dispense with the negative thoughts of falling into self-doubt and try many opportunities to become better at what they do. Here comes an example from the interview with a Kunshan High School teenage girl who used to be unsure of herself because she was average in her studies. During the discussion, although the girl has a good and cheerful personality, she often doubts herself. However, life changed when she met a boy in the 10th grade. The boy fell in love with her and often encouraged her with words or messages. After a few months, the girl changed from a person who was afraid to challenge difficulties to a person who was willing to take the initiative to try activities such as speech and performance. The reason for the transformation is this relationship allowed her to find confidence and uniqueness in herself.

However, in the interview with another student who is a 10th student said that a relationship also had some disadvantages. It seems that the most important thing teens should consider is educational learning. Most of the reasons why teenagers' academic performance drops so rapidly are romantic relationships. This is because romantic relationships can distract adolescents who are not mentally mature. The attention and energy that should be spent on learning risks were being replaced by romantic behavior, such as dating, the use of study time to think about each other, and romantic communication which often hinders learning. Teenagers face peer pressure to date, according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension site, and your teenager may not be emotionally prepared to handle the demands of a relationship. The adoration that comes with a crush or a new relationship can cause your teen to become distracted from schoolwork and other responsibilities. According to Barbara Greenberg, Ph.D., young teens who begin dating are more likely to drop out of school than teens who begin dating later in life [4]. The statement shows that teenagers having romantic relationships can hurt academic performance. As a result, romantic relationships pose a number of difficulties for adolescents. Genuine or fantasy romantic relationships, according to Zimmer-Gembeck et al., have contributed to teenagers' emotional instability, affecting their development in areas such as academic performance and interpersonal ability [2].

3. Analysis of the Reasons for the Occurrence of Adolescent Romance

3.1. Psychological Reasons

From the psychological point of view, ‘adolescent romantic relationship’ is a sign of physical and psychological maturity of adolescents, a result of the clarity and experience of sexual awareness, and a phenomenon of human growth. At the same time, with the development of society, more and more teenagers have romantic relationships. This has become a trend for them, and in order to integrate into society, those teenagers who are not in a relationship will also look for a partner.

3.2. Physiological Reasons

Adolescent romantic relationships often occur because of adolescent biology. Most romantic relationships happen in one period, it is the middle school stage of life, in this period of adolescents can clearly feel good to the opposite sex. They are willing to get along with the opposite sex and have some special psychological feelings and subtle behavioral changes. This is often referred to as the "opposite sex" stage. This is often called "early love" phenomenon, in fact, we should be more accurately called "adolescent love". In fact, we should call it "adolescent romance" more accurately.

3.3. Surrounding Environment Contributes to This Phenomenon

A "lonely" living environment. Due to the lack of friends of similar age in their families, they are eager for friendship and more opportunities to have contact with their peers and find more fun in life. These people have more time and energy to find friends and partners, which can make their lives richer. The second thing is the boring study life. Under the strong pressure of day and night, students' hobbies are replaced by study, and in the boring life tension, confusion, depression and other bad emotions often plague them, students' emotions are not released, so the interaction between classmates, especially the communication of the opposite sex let them taste the elimination of stress and relieve tension, and in the long run romance is created. Lastly, there is the family environment, which is similar to the lonely living environment. This one phenomenon is due to the less companionship and concern of family members, or even the presence of dysfunctional families. Children in these families are often unloved and need to find a partner and enjoy the relationship and love that comes with that partner.

4. Environmental Impact Factors

Teenage love relationships are expressed in different ways in different environments. For example, in the environment of social education in China, teenagers' life is under great pressure. The standards are different depending on the environment. Individuals establish self-concepts in social and cultural contexts, for example, by complying with the expectations of parents, teachers and partners, and by building behavioral tendencies and interpersonal patterns based on these expectations [5]. Adolescent romance is also limited by social and cultural norms in different cultures. In the past 18 months, Asian teenagers are less likely to be involved in romantic relationships than African, Hispanic and white teenagers. Because they are worried that their families will intervene, most Asian youth will hide from their parents and have romantic relationships [6]. By contrast, in the United States, teenagers' satisfaction with romantic relationships is closely related to parental monitoring. Most parents maintain the concept of support and freedom. Therefore, these teenagers will face this love relationship more easily. If teenagers have a love relationship and hide from their parents, this life of hiding and hiding will produce great psychological pressure and may lead to emotional pain and confusion.

In China, teenagers' love relationship is regarded as an improper behavior and this kind of relationship is opposed by families and schools [7]. Therefore, teenagers in love face a strong conflict between self-concept and social identity expectations. They are afraid of being abused when their relationship is discovered. In the long run, this romance has become a psychological burden. Teenagers have self-doubt and tension in their relationships. In addition, Liu & Li found that environmental pressure enhances the invisibility of teenagers' romantic behavior, but compared with western culture, Chinese teenagers are more affected by environmental pressure [8]. When teenagers face emotional and psychological problems in their interpersonal relationships, they are not willing to seek the help of family and school, but to solve them by themselves. Due to the lack of active guidance and support, the risk of negative impact on youth development will increase. So we need to take action when this dangerous situation happens.

5. Suggestions

Teenage romantic relationships have many effects. There are advantages and disadvantages of a romantic relationship and the fact of the matter is that teen love is an important part of growing up, thus we should not avoid that [9]. How do we avoid the disadvantages and maximize the advantages of falling in love? The following suggestions are put forward.

5.1. Study Direction

Firstly, we can treat each other as partners for common progress, excellent role models who we can learn from, and teachers to supervise our learning. Discuss with teens and young adults various examples of caring, vibrant romantic relationships, showing how thoughtful, self-aware adults deal with common stresses and challenges and exploring the capacities and skills it takes to develop [10]. Secondly, meeting in a public place and being a good study partner can be an adequate option. Efficiently if they use each other as role models and if both of them motivate each other. In addition, we can specify a good work and rest plan. If we plan our study and appointment time well, a work and rest schedule can make studying more efficient.

5.2. The Help from Teachers

If they are found to be in love, teachers must treat them calmly and carefully. Understand their pure feelings, respect their personality, help them analyze the reasons for love, and point out if they are blind in love, educate them to correctly understand the impact of love on learning, progress and even physical and mental health, help them establish correct sexual ethics and lofty ideals, and guide them to put their interests into learning, life and work.

5.3. The Help from Parents

Family education is the most important education in teenagers' life and the starting point of the whole education. Family education is obviously enlightening, long-term, infectious and comprehensive. Therefore, as a parent, we should constantly improve our quality, strengthen learning and set a good example for our children. Thus, parents should learn to accept the needs of children's development with a peaceful and tolerant heart instead of letting children immediately break up with each other. Parents want root. According to the situation of the children, let them believe that their parents and teachers can help them walk through this period easily, instead of blaming and doubting. At this time, trust in children is the best cornerstone of good family relations. Harmonious family relations make students feel fully loved, which will naturally reduce the occurrence of "puppy love". Some parents will take an overly sensitive and rude attitude when their children have problems, which aggravates the rebellious tendency in students' personality and makes students go to extremes. Parents should understand the child's physiological and psychological development characteristics and communicate well with the child. Parents can guide their children well with correct communication.

6. Conclusion

There are many reasons that lead to teenagers' love relationship, and there are many factors that affect teenagers' love relationship. Teenagers have the right to love. Adolescent love is a normal phenomenon that occurs at the stage of adolescent physical development. Love has both advantages and disadvantages. Teenagers should not reject this question completely. But the important thing is how they should correctly handle interpersonal relationships and find appropriate ways to balance them with the learning. This paper found some information and made an interview, and learned that the relationship between teenagers is now a common phenomenon. Through analysis, there are three perspectives of reasons for the occurrence of adolescent romance, namely psychological, physiological reasons and the surrounding environment contributes to this phenomenon, teachers and parents should also find the right measures to help those teenagers who are mentally immature.


References

[1]. Mercurial Essays. Effects of Romantic Relationships on Academic Performance of High School Students - Mercurial Essays, 29 Nov, 2017 [online] Available at: https://bemercurial.com/effects-of-romantic-relationships-on-academic-performa nce-of-high-school-students/.

[2]. Xia, M., Fosco, G.M., Lippold, M.A. and Feinberg, M.E. (2018). A Developmental Perspective on Young Adult Romantic Relationships: Examining Family and Individual Factors in Adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(7), pp.1499–1516. doi:10.1007/s10964-018-0815-8.

[3]. ACT Youth, Romantic Relationships in Adolescence. (n.d.). [online] Available at: https://www.actforyouth.net/sexual_health/romantic.cfm#:~:text=Romantic%20Relationships%20in%20Adolescence%201%20Prevalence%20and%20Sequence.

[4]. Kay Ireland, Teenage Love Problems & Relationships. (2018). 28 November, Available at: https://howtoadult.com/teenage-love-problems-relationships-4216208.html.

[5]. Carver K., Joyner K., Udry J. R. (2003). National estimates of adolescent romantic relationships. In Florsheim P. (Ed.), Adolescent romantic relations and sexual behavior: Theory, research, and practical implications (pp. 23-56). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

[6]. Thoits P. A. (1991). On merging identity theory and stress research. Social Psychology Quarterly, 54(2), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.2307/2786929.

[7]. Huang J. (2003). Reasons and countermeasures of middle school students’ puppy love. Journal of Nanning Teachers College, 20(04), 56-59. https://doi.org/10.19488/j.cnki.45-1378/g4.2003.04.016.

[8]. Honghao, J., Po, Y. and Tianyu, Y. (2021). The influence of adolescents’ romantic relationship on individual development: Evidence from China. International Journal of Chinese Education, 10(3), p.221258682110700. doi:10.1177/22125868211070036.

[9]. ReGain. Facts About Teen Love. www.regain.us. (n.d.), November 3, 2022. Available at: https://www.regain.us/advice/love/facts-about-teen-love/#:~:text=So%20teens%20lack%20inhibitions%20when%20it%20comes%20to [Accessed 28 Nov. 2022].

[10]. Making Caring Common. (n.d.). (2018). 5 Tips for Guiding Teens and Young Adults in Developing Healthy Romantic Relationships, October, Available at: https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-families/5-tips-parents-guiding-teens-healthy-romantic-relationships.


Cite this article

Yang,P. (2023). Analysis of Teenagers' Romantic Relationship Problems. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,8,158-162.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the International Conference on Social Psychology and Humanity Studies

ISBN:978-1-915371-97-3(Print) / 978-1-915371-98-0(Online)
Editor:Muhammad Idrees, Faisalabad Matilde Lafuente-Lechuga
Conference website: https://www.icsphs.org/
Conference date: 24 April 2023
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.8
ISSN:2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. Mercurial Essays. Effects of Romantic Relationships on Academic Performance of High School Students - Mercurial Essays, 29 Nov, 2017 [online] Available at: https://bemercurial.com/effects-of-romantic-relationships-on-academic-performa nce-of-high-school-students/.

[2]. Xia, M., Fosco, G.M., Lippold, M.A. and Feinberg, M.E. (2018). A Developmental Perspective on Young Adult Romantic Relationships: Examining Family and Individual Factors in Adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(7), pp.1499–1516. doi:10.1007/s10964-018-0815-8.

[3]. ACT Youth, Romantic Relationships in Adolescence. (n.d.). [online] Available at: https://www.actforyouth.net/sexual_health/romantic.cfm#:~:text=Romantic%20Relationships%20in%20Adolescence%201%20Prevalence%20and%20Sequence.

[4]. Kay Ireland, Teenage Love Problems & Relationships. (2018). 28 November, Available at: https://howtoadult.com/teenage-love-problems-relationships-4216208.html.

[5]. Carver K., Joyner K., Udry J. R. (2003). National estimates of adolescent romantic relationships. In Florsheim P. (Ed.), Adolescent romantic relations and sexual behavior: Theory, research, and practical implications (pp. 23-56). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

[6]. Thoits P. A. (1991). On merging identity theory and stress research. Social Psychology Quarterly, 54(2), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.2307/2786929.

[7]. Huang J. (2003). Reasons and countermeasures of middle school students’ puppy love. Journal of Nanning Teachers College, 20(04), 56-59. https://doi.org/10.19488/j.cnki.45-1378/g4.2003.04.016.

[8]. Honghao, J., Po, Y. and Tianyu, Y. (2021). The influence of adolescents’ romantic relationship on individual development: Evidence from China. International Journal of Chinese Education, 10(3), p.221258682110700. doi:10.1177/22125868211070036.

[9]. ReGain. Facts About Teen Love. www.regain.us. (n.d.), November 3, 2022. Available at: https://www.regain.us/advice/love/facts-about-teen-love/#:~:text=So%20teens%20lack%20inhibitions%20when%20it%20comes%20to [Accessed 28 Nov. 2022].

[10]. Making Caring Common. (n.d.). (2018). 5 Tips for Guiding Teens and Young Adults in Developing Healthy Romantic Relationships, October, Available at: https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-families/5-tips-parents-guiding-teens-healthy-romantic-relationships.