Dating and Peer Acceptance for Adolescents with Same-Gender and Other-Gender Romantic Partners

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Social Relationships

Abstract

For most adolescents, dating corresponds to positive appraisals from peers. Adolescents report that romantic relationships help them increase social standing (Howard et al., 2015), and adolescents with more romantic experience are more socially accepted (Furman et al., 2009). However, the association of dating with peer acceptance may differ for adolescents with other-gender partners versus same-gender partners. Sexual minority adolescents experience social isolation due to their sexual identities (e.g., Hatzenbuehler et al., 2012). Dating a same-gender partner may expose sexual minority adolescents to additional scrutiny, leading to decreases in peer acceptance. We examine if the within-person association between adolescent dating and peer acceptance varies by partner gender using longitudinal sociometric data from the PROSPER Peers study.

Participants (N = 1,749; 53% male; 89% White) completed annual assessments of their friendships and romantic relationships in their school from 8th-12th grade. Each student nominated up to seven same-grade friends and up to one same-grade romantic partner. Peer acceptance was measured by indegree (number of friendship nominations received) standardized within school and wave of data collection. Romantic relationship status was measured by two dummy variables indicating whether the participant had an other-gender partner or a same-gender partner, with single (did not nominate a romantic partner) as a reference group. See Table 1 for descriptive statistics.

Multilevel models (waves nested within individuals nested within schools) with robust standard errors tested whether peer acceptance differed in waves adolescents reported an other-gender or same-gender romantic relationship, versus waves they were single (Table 2). Due to differences in the gender composition of friendship networks of sexual minority vs. heterosexual youth (Ueno, 2010), separate models assessed the outcomes of number of male friends and female friends. All models controlled for wave of data collection, participants’ gender, race/ethnicity, school grades, whether they lived in a two-parent household, and whether they received free lunch. Participant gender x romantic partner gender interactions tested how the associations of same-gender and other-gender partners with peer acceptance differed for boys and girls.

Other-gender partners: Girls had more female friends, but not more male friends, when they reported an other-gender romantic partner, compared to when they were single. Boys had more male friends, but not more female friends, when they reported an other-gender romantic partner, compared to when they were single.

Same-gender partners: Girls’ number of male and female friends did not differ when they had a same-gender romantic partner, compared to when they were single. Boys had more female friends, but not male friends, when they had a same-gender romantic partner, compared to when they were single.

Results suggest social benefits of dating for adolescents who date other-gender partners and boys who date same-gender partners. Heterosexual girls may form friendships with sexual minority boys because these friendships are not complicated by romantic overtures (Ueno, 2010) or ties to male-centric peer groups. These friendship characteristics are especially true when boys have a same-gender romantic partner. Adolescent girls may thus play an important role in improving peer acceptance of sexual minority boys. Prevention implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Rose Wesche, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  Presenting Author

• Derek A Kreager, Penn State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nayan G Ramirez, California State University, Northridge
  Non-Presenting Author