Human Relationships - Adolescent Dating

Human Relationships - Adolescent Dating

INTEGRATIVE PAPER: ADOLESCENT DATING

Summary of Media Resources:

Hsu, C. (2007) Family First: Abuse Is Not Love; Sep 27, 2007. Retrieved October 21, 2008 at http://wcbstv.com/parenttoparent/family.first.abuse.2.292513.html

This resource consists of a transcript of a television news interview conducted on September 27, 2007 by New York City CBS Television news reporter Cindy Hsu with Jane Randel, Vice President of Corporate Communications for Liz Claiborne, Inc. Ms. Randel is involved in ongoing efforts to educate teens and their parents about recognizing and prevent dating violence. Those efforts include sponsoring a national study on violence and abuse in teen dating relationships. Smith, T. (2008) "Horrors" Found in Tween, Teen Dating: Survey Uncovers Significant Levels of Physical, Verbal Abuse; Sex at Young Ages; Many Parents in the Dark; Jul 8, 2008. Retrieved October 21, 2008, at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/08/earlyshow/living/relationships/main4240192.shtml

This resource consists of a video presentation of several interviews conducted in 2008 by CBS Early Show national correspondent Tracy Smith. The segment includes excerpted portions of interviews with Claiborne's Jane Randel, Dr. Elizabeth Miller, who analyzed the Claiborne study, as well as with Patrick Lynch, Rhode Island attorney general.

Adolescent Interviews:

Subject #1 - Male, 17-year-old son of a social acquaintance. Selected because he is currently in a relationship with a 16-year-old female.

Subject #2 - Female, 16-year-old girlfriend of Subject #1. Selected because she attends a different high school where she maintains an independent set of friends and acquaintances from those of Subject #1.

Subject #3 - Female, 13-year-old daughter of a neighbor. Selected because she represents the lower age of the teenage spectrum and different friends and acquaintances from Subjects 1 and 2.

Interview Questions/Rational with Responses:

1. At what age did you have your first intimate relationship?

Rational - This question provides a comparison between the interview subjects and those represented in the Claiborne study. Also, the response to this question corresponds to the relationship between age of first sexual experience and incidence of abuse victimization detailed in the Claiborne study. That study suggested that early onset of sexual experiences is associated with higher rates of victimization.

S1-12

S2-14

S3-12

2. Have you ever experienced verbal or physical abuse in an intimate relationship? Rational - This question provides a comparison between the interview subjects and those represented in the Claiborne study. This question provides information that is obviously directly relevant to the topic of the Claiborne study. Had any of the subjects answered affirmatively, that would have suggested specific follow-up questions to explore the issues raised. S1 - No

S2 - No

S3 - No

3. Do you know anyone in your age group who is currently in an abusive intimate relationship?

Rational - This question provides a comparison between the interview subjects and those represented in the Claiborne study. Also, the response to this question corresponds to the relationship between age of first sexual experience and incidence of abuse victimization detailed in the Claiborne study. That study suggested that early onset of sexual experiences is associated with higher rates of victimization.

S1 - No

S2 - Yes

S3 - Yes

4. Is the topic of abusive relationships something that you have ever discussed with your friends?

S1 - No

S2 - Yes

S3 - No

Rational - This question is designed to determine whether teens who are aware of abuse in teenage relationships ever discuss their concerns or experiences in that area. It also expands the anecdotal data to include three separate peer groups.

5. Have you ever been the victim of stalking-type of behavior? If yes, through what medium (in person, by phone, via Internet, etc.)?

S1 - No

S2 - No

S3 - No

Rational - This question is intended to determine whether other forms of abuse occur within teenage social relationship even more frequently than actual physical abuse or face-to-face verbal abuse. Had any of the subjects answered affirmatively, that would have suggested specific follow-up questions to explore the issues raised.

6. Have any of your friends ever been the victim of stalking-type of behavior? If yes, through what medium (in person, by phone, via Internet, etc.)? Also, how many people do you know personally who have ever been victimized in this way?

S1 - Yes; four

S2 - Yes; two

S3 - Yes; four

Rational - This question provides a comparison to the subjects in the Claiborne study.

It also expands the anecdotal data to include three separate peer groups.

7. Have you ever before (today) discussed the issue of violence or abuse in relationships with your parents or other adults?

S1 - No

S2 - No

S3 - No Rational - This question provides an indication of whether or not subjects who are aware of violence and abuse issues in relationships among their peers seek advice or counseling from adults in that regard. It also corresponds to findings of the Claiborne study as to the perpetual ignorance of parents of this issue.

Synthesis:

The interviews confirmed the several elements of the publicized findings of the Claiborne study. Specifically, all three experienced an intimate relationship by the age of 14, with two of the three having a first experience by the age of 23; two out of the three interview subjects were personally aware of abusive relationships among their acquaintances; only one of the three had ever discussed the issue of relationship abuse with peers; all three were aware of multiple instances of stalker-type behavior experienced within their peer groups; and none of the interview subjects had ever discussed the issues with any adult before.