Negative Love Experience: The Effects in Adolescence

Many adults still remember their first boyfriend or girlfriend. For some of them, the first love experience is good, but for others, it is traumatic. In this essay the topic is analysed through the lens of long-lasted effect of negative love experience on future relationships and marriage.

For young people, romantic relationships are one of the most important social and psychological developments. They feel that their entire life revolves around their love life, and they often lose interest in other activities that do not involve their boyfriend or girlfriend. As these children grow up, what they experience throughout their adolescence will most of the time determine how they will behave in future relationships. It is worth mentioning that adults generally associate with romantic relationships in a similar way to how they interact with their parents. If a child grows up in an environment that views interpersonal relationships as an important lifelong developmental issue, then when he grows up, he is likely to continue with the same thoughts. He considers interpersonal relationships as an essential part of his life and considers marriage and family as his highest priority.

Consequences of Negative Firts Love Experience in the Relationship

On the other hand, if a child grows up in an environment where romantic relationships are dysfunctional and is part of a bad relationship during adolescence, it will bring these feelings into adulthood and create problems in the new relationship. When a person begins an adult relationship, the success of the relationship depends on how they apply their experience to the new relationship. In most cases, a person who was involved in a bad relationship in childhood will be unpleasant when interacting with other people; not only in romantic relationships, but also in relationships with friends, colleagues, and ordinary people. Many disputes are related to this topic.

Those who have experienced bad romantic experiences in adolescence can have serious social and health problems in adulthood. Studies have shown that compared to young people who are not currently in a relationship, the rates of drug abuse, petty crime, psychological or behavioral difficulties, and academic performance of young people who have been in a relationship in their early years are lower. Other studies have shown that adolescents may also suffer from self-esteem problems, more severe depression, mood swings, personal conflicts, and antisocial behaviors. When they grow up and enter a more serious relationship without first seeking help with emotional problems, they face a huge risk of causing other serious problems, such as domestic violence and abusive psychological behaviors. This subject is not easy to study. Our adolescents may be the reason why it is difficult for researchers to study the impact of their romantic relationships because they usually do not like discussing their romantic interests or relationships with adults. To study or understand these behaviors, social scientists must rely on their own experience and memory. Another reason may be that researchers pay more attention to other topics, such as adolescent sexuality or pregnancy, and tend to ignore romantic relationships and the impact of this topic on our teenagers. Bottom line: People involved in bad relationships during adolescence tend to fall into bad relationships as adults, or in some cases, may cause them to avoid dating altogether.

Conclusion

Our society cannot continue to ignore this problem. By working together to teach our young people to recognize the importance of interpersonal relationships, and to provide them with the tools to cultivate good communication and the interpersonal skills needed to build healthy relationships, we can help them build and maintain good and fulfilling relationships during their teenage years. In any case, this will prepare them to face their adult relationships with a more confident, optimistic and positive attitude.

References

1. Arnett, J. J., & Tanner, J. L. (2006). Emerging adults in America: Coming of age in the 21st century. American Psychological Association.

2. Berndt, T. J. (1982). The features and effects of friendship in early adolescence. Child Development, 53(6), 1447-1460.

3. Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss: Retrospect and prospect. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 52(4), 664-678.

4. Collins, W. A., & Laursen, B. (2004). Parent-adolescent relationships and influences. Handbook of Adolescent Psychology, 2, 331-361.

5. Connolly, J., Craig, W., Goldberg, A., & Pepler, D. (2004). Mixed-gender groups, dating, and romantic relationships in early adolescence. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 14(2), 185-207.

6. Davila, J., Steinberg, S. J., Kachadourian, L., Cobb, R., & Fincham, F. (2004). Romantic involvement and depressive symptoms in early and late adolescence: The role of a preoccupied relational style. Personal Relationships, 11(2), 161-178.

7. Davis, D., Shaver, P. R., & Vernon, M. L. (2003). Physical, emotional, and behavioral reactions to breaking up: The roles of gender, age, emotional involvement, and attachment style. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(7), 871-884.

   Keep in mind:
   This is only a sample.

   Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.

   Get custom essay

8. Furman, W., & Simon, V. A. (2006). Actor and partner effects of adolescents' romantic working models and styles on interactions with romantic partners. Child Development, 77(2), 588-604.