Adolescents in Love: Mutuality of commitment in adolescent couples

Background: Research suggests that boys are less likely than girls to report being in love. However, no studies have interviewed adolescent couples to determine whether being in love is mutual, or if boys sexualize their relationships.

Design/Methods: Data were collected for a longitudinal study of 139 sexually active adolescent heterosexual couples. We recruited ‘index' participants aged 14-17 from outpatient medical practices in the Bronx, NY and then recruited their current sexual partner who was older than 14 and no more than four years older than the index partner. Both partners completed computer-assisted self-administered surveys at up to five time points over the course of a 1 1/2-year period. 84% of eligible couples agreed to participate.

Results: At baseline, 74% of boys and 78% of girls reported being in a serious committed relationship with 68% of couples agreeing. Being ‘in love' was reported by 89% of girls and 85% of boys (80% of couples agreed). The relationship was reported as “very” or “extremely important” to 91% of girls and 87% of boys (83% of couples agreed). Sexual monogamy was reported by 73% of both boys and girls. Condoms were used consistently in less than 31% of couples agreeing they were in love.

Conclusions: Boys and girls demonstrated high concordance on being in a loving, serious, and monogamous relationship. However, among youth in committed relationships, love is a barrier to condom use and is likely to prove resistant to HIV/STI risk reduction interventions.