Getting In, Being In, Staying In, and Getting Out

Abstract

Dating is a highly desirable experience during adolescence and serves as an important developmental milestone. This study explored healthy and unhealthy dating as a step toward improving adolescent well-being. Six focus group interviews were conducted with high school–aged girls and boys ( N = 35). Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Youth were asked to describe what dating was like for teens in their age, including dating problems. Narrative analyses indicated the following four distinct stages of dating: getting in, being in, staying in, and getting out. Each stage is described in-depth, along with exemplary quotes. Practice implications for each stage of the dating experience emphasize developmentally timed universal health education starting in middle school. In particular, health programming is needed to improve adolescents’ skills for identifying unhealthy relationships to minimize “staying in,” and for “getting out” safely and respectfully.