Dating
Updated: December 2014 Dating December 2014 The share of twelfth‐grade students who report dating frequently has declined steadily since 2001, reaching a new low of 17 percent in 2012, while the proportion who report not dating at all increased to 36 percent. Importance
Throughout adolescence, teens become increasingly involved in a wide array of romantic experiences, including romantic and sexual relationships. Being in a dating relationship—where youth spend time with a current or potential romantic partner—is one common pattern, and is considered an important developmental marker for teens.1 Dating is associated with both positive and negative developmental outcomes.2,3,4 Teenagers in some dating relationships report higher levels of self‐esteem and self‐confidence, and are more likely to perceive themselves as popular, and to do well in school.5,6 However, teenagers in other types of dating relationships frequently have lower levels of academic achievement and motivation, higher levels of depression, and higher levels of drug and alcohol use.7 These associations depend in large part on characteristics of the relationship, including its timing and duration, the quality of partner interactions, the cognitive and emotional status of the participants, and whether the relationship includes sexual activity. 8,9,10 In any case, adolescents’ experiences in dating set the stage for dating and relationship experiences in adulthood.11 While dating among teenagers has been common in the U.S. since the 1920s, each generation has had its own style of dating and popular dating activities. Today’s teens describe a progression from mixed‐sex group outings, to pairing off within the group, to individuals going on dates with one another.12,13 Popular dating activities include going out to dinner or the movies, “hanging out” at school or the mall, and visiting each other’s homes.14 Concern has also been raised about an uncommitted form of dating referred to as “hooking up,” characterized by casual sex, though the term encompasses many other types of sexual encounters.15 Although only 28 percent of urban secondary students had engaged in any form of “hook‐up” in 2009, the practice was associated with drug use, truancy, and school suspensions. However, even when only looking at “hook‐ups” involving sexual intercourse, the research shows that 62 percent of hook‐ups were between friends, and another 23 percent were between acquaintances, rather than strangers.16 2 | P a g e Dating December 2014 Trends
Although dating in adolescence is still common, students in the eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades in 2012 were less likely to date than they were in 1991. The shift in behavior is more pronounced for twelfth‐grade students, where the proportion of youth who did not date more than doubled, from 14 percent in 1991 to 36 percent in 2012. In the same period, the proportion of tenth‐graders who never date increased from 28 to 41 percent, and the proportion of eighth‐graders increased from 48 to 58 percent. (Figure 1) Figure 1
Percentage of 8th‐, 10th‐, and 12th‐Grade Students who Never Date, by Grade, Selected Years, 1976‐2012
100
8th Grade
10th Grade
12th Grade
80
58.0
Percent
60
48.2
50.1
47.9
40.5
35.7
40
32.4
35.6
28.2
29.4
20
15.1
20.8
12.7
0
1974
1977
1980
12.7
1983
1986
14.0
1989
1992
1995
1998
2001
2004
2007
2010
2013
Source: Child Trends analysis of Monitoring the Future Data, Selected Years, 1976-2012
In a similar trend, the proportion of teens that date more than once a week has been decreasing. Between 1991 and 2012, the percentage of twelfth‐graders who went on more than one date per week declined from 34 to 17 percent. In the same time period, the proportion of tenth‐graders who frequently dated also declined (from 17 to 11 percent). The proportion of eighth‐graders who date frequently stayed level between 1991 and 2009, between seven and eight percent. However, the proportion has since decreased, and was at six percent in 2012. (Figure 2) 3 | P a g e Dating December 2014 Figure 2
Percentage of 8th‐, 10th‐, and 12th‐Grade Students Who Date Frequently, by Grade, Selected Years, 1976‐2012
50
8th Grade
10th Grade
12th Grade
40
32.9
34.2
34.0
33.1
28.3
Percent
30
22.7
20
17.3
17.3
14.7
12.7
10.7
10
8.0
0
1974
1977
1980
1983
1986
1989
1992
7.9
1995
1998
2001
7.9
2004
2007
2010
6.2
2013
Note: Frequent dating is used here to describe youth who report going out on more than one date a week
Source: Child Trends analysis of Monitoring the Future Data, Selected Years, 1976-2012
Differences by Race/Hispanic Origin17
White students in the twelfth grade were significantly more likely than black students to date frequently. In 2012, 18 percent of white twelfth‐graders reported frequent dating (more than once a week), compared with 13 percent of black students. There was no significant difference in the percentages of white and Hispanic students in twelfth grade who date frequently. White students were more likely than black students to date frequently in tenth grade as well (11 and nine percent, respectively), but again, Hispanic students were not significantly more likely to date frequently than white students. In eighth grade, however, Hispanic students were the most likely to date frequently (nine percent), followed by black students (seven percent) and white students (five percent). (Appendix 1) A complementary pattern by race/Hispanic origin holds for the percentages of twelfth‐ graders who never date. However, in both eighth and tenth grade, there was no difference in 2012 between black and white students; both were less likely than Hispanics to never date in tenth grade, but more likely to never date in eighth grade. (Figure 3) 4 | P a g e Dating December 2014 Figure 3
Percentage of 8th‐, 10th‐, and 12th‐Grade Students Who Never Date, by Grade and Race/Hispanic Origin, 2012
100
White
Black
80
Hispanic
60
59.8
54.9
Percent
51.0
39.4
40
42.7
40.8
35.7
36.2
32.7
20
0
8th Grade
10th Grade
12th Grade
Never Date
Note: Frequent dating is used here to describe youth who report going out on more than one date a week.
Source: Child Trends analysis of Monitoring the Future Data, 2012
Differences by Age
In 2012, more than one‐half (58 percent) of eighth‐grade students reported never dating, compared with 41 percent of tenth‐graders and 36 percent of twelfth‐graders. (Figure 1) The share of students who date more than once a week increases markedly with age, from six percent among eighth‐grade students, to 11 percent of tenth‐grade students and 17 percent of students in the twelfth grade. (Figure 2) Differences by Gender
In 2012, male eighth‐graders were more likely to date frequently than were their female counterparts (seven and five percent, respectively), but in tenth and twelfth grades the two sexes were equally likely to report frequent dating. (Appendix 2) However, eighth‐ and tenth‐
grade females were more likely than males to report that they never date, though the gap decreases with age. (Appendix 1) 5 | P a g e Dating December 2014 Differences by Parents’ Education
In 2012, students whose parents had a high school education or less were somewhat more likely to report dating frequently than were students whose parents had received a college education. For example, while 19 percent of twelfth‐graders whose parents had completed high school reported frequent dating, 17 percent of their peers whose parents had completed college reported likewise. (Appendix 2) State and Local Estimates
None available. International Estimates
None available. National Goals
None. Related Indicators

Dating Violence: www.childtrends.org/?indicators=dating‐violence Definition
The Monitoring the Future Survey asks students “On average, how often do you go out with a date (or your spouse, if you are married)?” The possible responses are: never; once a month or less; 2 or 3 times a month; once a week; 2 or 3 times a week; over three times a week. Frequent dating is used here to describe youth who report going out on more than one date in an average week. 6 | P a g e Dating December 2014 Data Source
Child Trends’ original analysis of the Monitoring the Future Survey, 1976 to 2012. Raw Data Source
Bachman, J. G., Johnston, L. D., and O'Malley, P. M. Monitoring the Future: A continuing study of American youth (8th, 10th, and 12th‐Grade Surveys), 1976‐2012 [Computer files]. Conducted by University of Michigan, Survey Research Center. ICPSR ed. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter‐university Consortium for Political and Social Research [producer and distributor]. ICPSR: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu Monitoring the Future: http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/
7 | P a g e Dating December 2014 Appendix 1 - Percentage of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-Grade Students in the United
States Who Report That They Never Date: Selected Years, 1976-2012
1976 1980 1985 1990 Eighth Grade ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 1991
1995
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003 2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012 48.2 50.6 48.6 47.9 49.6 51.5 52.6 52.0 49.9 50.2 50.3 50.1 51.6 53.3 58.0 51.4 Gender Male ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 42.0 44.0 43.8 42.4 44.6 45.9 47.6 46.2 47.0 44.9 44.8 44.0 43.3 45.1 47.1 52.1 Female ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 54.4 56.8 53.1 53.1 54.3 56.8 57.5 56.6 56.8 54.6 55.8 56.8 56.5 57.7 59.6 64.0 Race White ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 48.5 49.7 48.5 46.5 48.7 50.7 52.1 50.9 52.0 50.7 51.4 50.5 50.4 52.8 53.5 59.8 Black ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 50.7 54.9 51.4 49.8 54.6 53.0 53.4 52.1 52.5 53.1 49.6 48.2 45.1 49.7 52.5 54.9 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 46.2 47.1 48.3 51.0 Hispanic 1
Parental Education Less than high school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 47.3 48.2 46.6 48.1 48.4 52.8 57.2 50.8 49.8 49.1 46.0 48.2 47.3 46.9 48.7 54.9 Completed high school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 48.8 49.3 48.5 45.9 48.2 49.2 49.6 48.8 50.3 47.1 47.4 47.5 45.7 47.5 48.4 53.3 Some college ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 47.5 48.6 47.5 45.9 47.6 49.4 51.5 48.8 48.3 47.7 47.0 47.5 47.1 47.7 50.4 54.6 Completed college ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 49.4 52.9 48.2 49.0 50.9 51.8 53.1 52.4 53.1 52.1 53.6 52.2 52.1 54.5 55.7 60.9 Graduate school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 43.3 49.2 48.1 45.5 48.0 53.5 52.9 52.8 54.3 49.3 51.7 51.7 53.3 55.7 57.7 61.0 College Plans None or under 4 years ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 44.4 43.0 44.1 43.4 47.7 45.7 46.6 44.2 46.8 42.2 41.6 42.2 45.6 43.0 43.9 49.8 Complete four years ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 48.8 51.6 49.2 48.6 49.9 52.1 53.4 52.1 52.6 50.6 51.1 51.1 50.5 52.2 54.1 58.4 8 | P a g e Dating December 2014 1976 1980 1985 1990 1991 1995 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Tenth Grade ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 28.2 29.7 32.7 32.4 33.2 34.4 36.5 37.1 36.9 35.1 35.2 36.8 35.7 36.4 37.9 40.5 Gender Male ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 27.1 29.6 31.0 31.8 32.3 33.2 36.4 36.3 35.7 32.3 33.3 34.3 33.2 33.9 35.3 37.4 Female ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 29.2 30.0 34.2 33.0 33.9 35.2 36.6 37.9 38.1 37.8 37.1 39.1 38.1 38.8 40.5 43.5 White ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 24.3 26.9 30.1 29.2 30.8 30.9 33.8 34.9 34.4 33.1 33.3 35.4 34.4 35.7 36.0 39.4 Black ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 37.9 39.0 38.1 40.3 43.2 42.6 39.8 39.4 40.3 38.8 38.9 40.6 37.5 38.6 37.0 42.7 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 32.4 32.0 39.0 35.7 Less than high school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 33.8 33.4 38.2 40.1 38.1 38.6 37.6 41.0 38.8 36.8 35.1 36.9 34.8 33.3 37.5 38.4 Completed high school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 27.3 28.8 31.8 32.0 32.9 32.4 35.3 35.7 34.4 34.1 32.7 33.9 33.3 33.7 36.5 37.8 Some college ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 26.9 27.3 30.9 30.2 31.5 33.8 34.3 35.5 34.4 33.2 33.5 34.1 33.2 34.4 35.7 38.0 Completed college ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 26.4 30.1 33.1 30.4 32.5 33.0 36.9 36.3 36.9 34.7 36.9 37.4 36.2 37.5 37.9 40.5 Graduate school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 28.0 31.3 31.0 31.6 31.8 34.9 38.5 38.2 40.2 36.0 36.6 41.3 40.0 39.9 41.1 45.5 Race Hispanic 1
Parental Education College Plans None or under 4 years ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 26.8 30.5 33.5 33.7 33.7 34.6 37.6 35.4 37.1 34.2 34.5 31.8 35.6 34.4 37.8 39.4 Complete four years ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 28.6 29.5 32.5 32.0 33.1 34.3 36.2 37.3 36.9 35.1 35.3 37.3 35.7 36.6 37.9 40.0 9 | P a g e Dating December 2014 1976 1980 1985 1990 Twelfth Grade 1991
1995
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003 2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012 15.1 12.7 12.7 14.3 14.0 17.1 20.0 20.8 22.2 23.3 25.3 26.6 27.6 27.1 27.2 28.3 29.4 30.4 34.1 35.6 Gender Male 14.7 12.0 13.0 14.4 13.7 16.9 19.4 20.6 22.5 23.5 26.0 27.3 28.4 27.6 27.2 27.7 29.0 29.8 34.3 34.1 Female 15.5 13.6 12.5 14.0 14.3 17.2 20.5 20.7 21.8 22.9 24.8 26.1 26.9 26.6 27.1 29.1 29.6 31.0 34.0 36.7 Race White 14.3 11.6 10.6 11.6 11.9 14.2 17.1 18.2 19.4 21.2 21.7 24.0 24.3 25.0 24.9 25.4 26.6 28.0 32.0 32.7 Black 16.7 16.8 17.9 21.0 20.4 22.5 26.0 25.4 27.5 29.9 32.0 30.8 32.2 30.6 31.2 33.1 33.5 37.9 39.7 40.8 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 31.5 29.9 31.1 36.2 Less than high school 17.7 15.8 17.0 21.2 18.9 22.1 26.5 21.6 28.8 28.7 29.3 30.4 31.1 27.8 29.1 33.3 33.5 34.6 34.7 37.7 Completed high school 14.2 12.3 12.7 13.4 14.1 17.0 19.8 19.4 21.6 23.6 25.1 25.3 25.9 26.5 27.3 28.2 30.2 30.1 34.0 35.4 Some college 14.0 11.0 11.4 13.3 13.0 15.0 18.3 20.5 20.0 21.3 23.6 23.9 25.6 25.3 24.4 26.5 26.9 29.4 32.0 33.3 Completed college 13.4 12.2 11.0 12.5 11.9 16.8 19.0 19.9 21.4 22.2 23.8 27.6 27.3 26.6 27.5 26.5 26.9 28.7 33.8 34.8 Graduate school 15.5 13.5 12.9 13.7 14.9 17.4 21.0 22.3 23.9 23.2 25.1 27.2 30.4 29.5 29.1 30.9 33.0 30.7 37.7 37.6 None or under 4 years 15.1 12.5 12.9 15.3 15.3 17.9 22.0 20.7 25.2 25.8 27.1 27.0 29.4 28.5 29.1 29.2 32.1 31.5 34.5 34.9 Complete four years 15.1 12.7 12.6 13.9 13.6 16.9 19.3 20.8 21.4 22.6 24.8 26.4 27.1 26.7 26.7 28.0 29.0 30.3 34.1 35.8 Hispanic 1
Parental Education College Plans 1
Parental education is the average education of the two parents. In those circumstances where the gap between mothers' and fathers' education is more than one level, this results in an underestimate of the most educated parent's education level. Source: Original analysis by Child Trends of Monitoring the Future data, 1976‐2012 10 | P a g e Dating December 2014 Appendix 2 - Percentage of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-Grade Students in the United
States Who Report That They Date Frequently1: Selected Years, 1976-2012
1976 1980 1985 1990
Eighth Grade ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 1991
1995
1999
2000
2001
2002
8.0 7.1 7.1 7.9 7.5 7.7 2003 2004
7.1 7.0 2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012 6.9 7.2 7.7 7.5 7.9 7.5 7.0 6.2 Gender Male ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 9.1 7.7 7.7 9.6 8.9 9.0 8.6 8.4 7.7 8.8 9.0 9.3 9.4 9.6 8.5 7.2 Female ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 6.9 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.1 6.1 5.7 5.5 5.9 5.6 6.4 5.7 6.5 5.6 5.4 4.9 Race White ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 6.9 6.2 5.8 7.0 6.5 6.6 6.4 5.7 5.6 5.9 6.3 6.7 6.8 6.4 5.6 4.7 Black ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 10.1 7.2 6.6 8.1 6.7 7.7 7.4 9.9 8.7 8.0 8.7 7.8 8.6 8.3 9.0 7.2 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 10.7 9.9 9.6 9.3 Hispanic 2
Parental Education Less than high school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 11.8 11.6 10.1 10.5 12.2 10.5 8.3 9.9 10.7 10.2 11.4 10.7 11.2 9.5 10.6 6.8 Completed high school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 9.1 7.3 7.9 7.8 7.8 7.5 7.7 6.7 7.0 6.9 8.6 8.4 9.1 8.5 8.6 7.9 Some college ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 7.8 5.8 6.5 6.8 6.0 7.8 6.9 6.8 6.5 6.2 7.1 6.5 7.5 6.7 7.4 5.4 Completed college ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 5.7 5.7 6.3 6.8 6.7 6.9 6.1 5.7 6.2 6.1 6.2 6.0 6.6 7.3 5.1 5.1 Graduate school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 7.7 7.3 5.6 9.6 9.0 7.8 6.7 7.0 5.6 8.7 7.3 7.5 6.1 6.8 5.6 5.7 College Plans None or under 4 years ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 13.7 12.5 10.1 12.7 11.8 12.2 13.2 12.1 9.6 11.8 13.2 15.8 12.8 12.6 12.1 12.6 Complete four years ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 7.1 6.4 6.7 7.3 7.0 7.1 6.4 6.4 6.5 6.7 7.1 6.7 7.4 7.1 6.6 5.7 11 | P a g e Dating December 2014 1976 1980 1985 1990 1991 1995 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Tenth Grade ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 17.3 15.8 13.0 14.7 14.8 13.7 13.6 12.9 12.7 13.1 12.5 11.7 12.7 12.4 10.8 10.7 Gender Male ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 13.5 12.5 11.4 13.9 13.1 12.1 11.5 11.3 11.8 12.2 12.0 11.3 12.2 12.0 10.8 10.3 Female ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 20.9 19.1 14.5 15.5 16.4 15.3 15.4 14.2 13.5 13.8 12.8 12.0 13.3 12.7 10.6 10.9 White ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 19.1 16.9 13.8 16.2 15.8 15.1 15.1 13.8 13.9 13.4 13.2 11.9 12.8 12.4 11.3 10.7 Black ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 11.7 12.1 8.7 10.2 9.5 9.5 9.9 8.9 9.6 11.2 8.1 8.0 11.5 9.7 9.5 8.6 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 15.6 15.0 10.9 12.7 Less than high school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 16.7 17.2 12.1 12.1 14.6 13.9 15.8 15.7 13.1 17.1 14.1 14.1 14.8 17.0 11.6 12.8 Completed high school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 18.1 17.6 14.9 17.0 15.8 14.8 15.0 14.2 14.6 14.7 13.2 13.6 15.0 13.7 11.1 11.5 Some college ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 18.6 16.2 12.3 15.2 15.7 14.1 13.5 12.8 12.4 13.9 12.7 11.8 12.4 13.0 11.3 10.9 Completed college ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 17.4 15.1 11.7 14.9 13.6 11.9 12.8 11.8 12.4 11.3 11.7 10.3 12.1 10.9 10.2 10.0 Graduate school ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 14.2 13.2 13.4 13.1 14.3 14.9 11.8 12.3 11.0 10.9 11.4 10.0 10.1 9.7 9.9 9.5 None or under 4 years ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 21.1 18.3 13.4 18.3 15.8 15.8 15.0 14.6 14.5 17.3 14.7 16.3 15.1 15.1 13.3 13.7 Complete four years ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 16.4 15.4 12.9 14.3 14.6 13.4 13.3 12.7 12.4 12.4 12.2 11.2 12.5 12.0 10.5 10.5 Race Hispanic 2
Parental Education College Plans 12 | P a g e Dating December 2014 1976 1980 1985 1990
Twelfth Grade 1991
1995
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003 2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012 32.9 33.1 34.0 33.6 34.2 32.1 30.8 28.3 29.0 27.6 27.0 26.8 25.3 23.7 24.1 22.7 22.7 20.9 17.9 17.3 Gender Male 27.7 28.5 29.5 30.5 30.7 28.3 28.3 26.4 26.8 26.4 24.6 24.4 23.9 21.6 23.7 22.9 22.8 20.6 17.9 17.3 Female 38.1 37.6 38.2 37.0 37.8 35.5 33.1 30.2 31.3 28.5 28.9 29.1 26.7 25.5 24.5 22.4 22.5 20.9 17.8 17.2 White 34.0 34.6 36.5 36.5 37.1 35.0 33.8 30.9 31.7 29.1 29.4 29.4 27.4 24.6 25.5 24.2 23.7 22.2 18.6 18.1 Black 27.1 25.1 24.9 23.6 22.2 22.5 20.8 19.2 21.1 19.6 19.8 17.3 17.0 17.5 17.1 18.4 16.3 16.0 14.2 12.9 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 24.0 21.4 20.4 18.5 Race Hispanic 2
Parental Education Less than high school 32.3 34.2 31.7 30.4 30.9 28.9 27.9 29.3 28.3 25.5 24.5 23.5 22.7 23.7 24.1 20.9 21.6 22.0 19.9 18.9 Completed high school 35.6 36.3 36.3 37.0 36.6 34.1 30.7 28.9 30.1 29.8 28.6 29.0 26.1 24.5 26.1 23.8 23.3 20.2 17.9 18.7 Some college 32.4 33.4 35.1 34.5 34.0 34.0 32.9 30.0 29.9 27.4 26.9 28.3 26.0 25.2 24.8 23.3 22.9 21.6 18.6 16.9 Completed college 29.0 29.3 32.7 32.6 35.0 31.3 31.1 28.6 28.9 27.3 27.8 26.0 26.5 22.2 22.9 22.2 22.8 21.2 17.2 16.9 Graduate school 30.0 28.4 30.1 29.1 30.7 27.9 27.9 23.5 26.0 26.5 25.5 25.4 22.5 22.5 22.4 22.2 21.2 19.5 16.5 16.2 None or under 4 years 38.6 40.0 38.8 37.5 37.2 35.7 32.2 30.2 29.8 28.8 28.8 28.9 26.0 24.7 25.1 23.4 22.7 21.3 17.7 18.2 Complete four years 27.7 28.2 31.2 32.0 33.0 30.8 30.5 27.5 28.9 27.3 26.5 26.4 25.1 23.5 23.9 22.7 22.6 20.7 17.8 17.1 College Plans 1
Frequent dating is used here to describe youth who report going out on more than one date a week.
Parental education is the average education of the two parents. In those circumstances where the gap between mothers' and fathers' education is more than one level, this results in an underestimate of the most educated parent's education level. Source: Original analysis by Child Trends of Monitoring the Future data, 1976‐2012 2
13 | P a g e Dating December 2014 Endnotes
1
Collins, W.A., Welsh, D.P., Furman, W. (2009). Adolescent romantic relationships. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 631‐652. 2
Quatman, T., Sampson, K., Robinson, C., & Watson, C. M. (2001). Academic, motivational, and adolescent dating. Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs, 127(2), 211‐234. 3
Furman, W. (2002). The emerging field of adolescent romantic relationships. Current Directions in Psychological Science , 11(5), 177‐181. 4
Collins, W.A., Welsh, D.P., Furman, W. (2009). Op cit. 5
Quatman, T., Sampson, K., Robinson, C., & Watson, C. M. (2001). Op cit. 6
Collins, W.A., Welsh, D.P., Furman, W. (2009). Op cit. 7
Ibid. 8
Furman, W. (2002). Op cit. 9
Collins, W.A., Welsh, D.P., Furman, W. (2009). Op cit. 10
McCarthy, B., Casey, T. (2008). Love, sex, and crime: Adolescent romantic relationships and offending. American Sociological Review, 73, 944. 11
Collins, W.A., Welsh, D.P., Furman, W. (2009). Op cit. 12
Feiring, C. (2002). Learning the ways of romance. In J. J. Arnett (Ed.), Readings on adolescence and emerging adulthood (pp. 173‐182). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 13
O’Sullivan, L.F., Cheng, M.M., Harris, K.M., Brooks‐Gunn, J. (2007) I wanna hold your hand: The progression of social, romantic and sexual events in adolescent relationships. Perspective on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 39(2), 100‐107. 14
Ibid. 15
Stepp, Laura S. (2007). Unhooked: How young women pursue sex, delay love, and lose at both. New York: Riverhead Books. 16
Fortunado, L., Young, A. M., Boyd, C. J., & Fons, C. E. (2010). Hook‐up sexual experiences and problem behaviors among adolescents. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, 19(3), 261‐278. 17
Hispanics may be any race. Estimates for white and black students in this report include Hispanics. 14 | P a g e