Adolescent Romantic Relationships

Adolescence is more than just a period of strife and strive. It also serves as a period of change, physical and emotional transformation- the first brush with romance. Romantic Relationships are a remarkable mystery to Indian teenagers. With Westernization of urban Indian societies, young people now tend to spend a greater deal of time being in romantic relationships, dating and thinking or talking about that perfect partner. But most parents and adults in general might dismiss as superficial. And while most adolescent relationships may last just for a few weeks or months and may not have the complexity of a committed relationship, they are certainly significant for young people and even crucial for their development. Healthy or unhealthy relationships have pertinent social and emotional effects. In this article, we summarize the theoretical framework on adolescent romantic relationships, their implications on health, adjustment, development of identity, close-relationships with peers, achievement and career and development of sexuality. It also discusses teenage pregnancy and HIV-AIDS among adolescent population.