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Our objective was to examine the prevalence and developmental significance of romantic break‐ups in adolescence, a relatively unexplored area of study. We examined their occurrence in a sample of 910 adolescents, first noting the frequency of these events across age, gender, and romantic experience, and then analyzing the dissolution explanations provided by a subsample (N = 211) who experienced a break‐up within the past 6 months. Break‐ups were reported by 23% of youth, especially those with extensive romantic experience. Most were described as self‐initiated, especially by girls. Using a categorical‐content approach, we determined that the majority of dissolution explanations reflected “fit failures” in meeting developmentally salient romantic needs, especially those related to interdependence. Patterns were consistent across gender and age, however, those with romantic experience focused most on unmet intimacy needs. We discuss the developmental significance of break‐ups, noting continuity between the needs expressed in intact and dissolving relationships.

Adolescent girls are involved in physical dating violence as both perpetrators and victims, and there are negative consequences associated with each of these behaviors. This article used a prospective design with 519 girls dating in grade 9 to predict profiles of dating violence in grade 11 based on relationships with families of origin (child maltreatment experiences, harsh parenting), and peers (harassment, delinquency, relational aggression). In addition, dating violence profiles were compared on numerous indices of adjustment (school connectedness, grades, self-efficacy and community connectedness) and maladjustment (suicide attempts, distress, delinquency, sexual behavior) for descriptive purposes. The most common profile was no dating violence (n = 367) followed by mutual violence (n = 81). Smaller numbers of girls reported victimization or perpetration only (ns = 39 and 32, respectively). Predicting grade 11 dating violence profile membership from grade 9 relationships was limited, although delinquency, parental rejection, and sexual harassment perpetration predicted membership to the mutually violent group, and delinquency predicted the perpetrator-only group. Compared to the non-violent group, the mutually violent girls in grade 11 had lower grades, poorer self-efficacy, and lower school connectedness and community involvement. Furthermore, they had higher rates of peer aggression and delinquency, were less likely to use condoms and were much more likely to have considered suicide. There were fewer differences among the profiles for girls involved with dating violence. In addition, the victims-only group reported higher rates of sexual intercourse, comparable to the mutually violent group and those involved in nonviolent relationships. Implications for prevention and intervention are highlighted.

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This study examined the association between conflict negotiation and the expression of autonomy in adolescent romantic partners. Thirty‐seven couples participated in a globally coded conflict interaction task. Actor‐partner interdependence models (APIM) were used to quantify the extent to which boys’ and girls’ autonomy was linked solely to their own negotiation of the conflict or whether it was linked conjointly to their own and their partners’ negotiation style. Combining agentic autonomy theories and peer socialization models, it was expected that boys’ and girls’ autonomy would be associated only with their own conflict behaviors when they employed conflict styles reflective of their same gender repertoire, and associated conjointly with self and partner behaviors when they employed gender‐atypical conflict styles. Instead of an equal, albeit distinct, positioning in the autonomy dynamic, the results suggested that girls’ autonomy is associated solely with their own conflict behaviors, whereas boys’ autonomy is jointly associated with their own and their partners’ conflict behaviors. We discuss the relative power of boys and girls in emergent dyadic contexts, emphasizing how romantic dynamics shape salient abilities.