Romantic Relationships in Adolescence

Although there is a sizeable literature on romantic relationships in the college years and adulthood, limited research exists on romantic relationships in adolescence. The extant work consists primarily of demographic studies of dating patterns and deals little with aspects such as the characteristics or development of adolescent romantic relationships. Particularly lacking is a theoretical framework to guide research on romantic relationships during this developmental stage. This volume offers both innovative research and compelling discussions on adolescent romantic relationships. This is the 78th issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Child Development.

SHMUEL SHULMAN is associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. W. ANDREW COLLINS is professor at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota.