Having and being an other-sex crush during early adolescence

Bowker, Julie C.; Spencer, Sarah; Thomas, Katelyn K.; Gyoerkoe, Elizabeth A.

doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2011.11.008

Cited by 26 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 49 publications

(101 reference statements)

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“…Romantic relationship interest and motivation are also low during early adolescence, especially when compared to interest in social status and popularity (Kindelberger & Tsao, 2014; LaFontana & Cillessen, 2010). Yet, there is some indication that other types of romantic experiences, such as crushes (defined as target-specific likings for another person, characterized by one-sided romantic attraction or feelings; Bowker, Spencer, Thomas, & Gyoerkoe, 2012), become increasingly common during early adolescence, with one recent study reporting that 56% percent of young adolescents ( M age = 12. 74 years) had at least one current other-sex crush on grade-mates (Bowker et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet, there is some indication that other types of romantic experiences, such as crushes (defined as target-specific likings for another person, characterized by one-sided romantic attraction or feelings; Bowker, Spencer, Thomas, & Gyoerkoe, 2012), become increasingly common during early adolescence, with one recent study reporting that 56% percent of young adolescents ( M age = 12. 74 years) had at least one current other-sex crush on grade-mates (Bowker et al, 2012). In this study, having a crush was not related to socio-behavioral adjustment indices but being viewed by many other-sex peers as a crush was (e.g., popularity, social preference).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Very few studies have considered other-sex crush experiences during early adolescence (for three exceptions, see Bower, Nishina, Witkow, & Bellmore, 2015; Bowker et al, 2012; Hurlock & Klein, 1934). Thus, many unanswered questions exist, with perhaps the most important being: Do other-sex crush experiences (both having and being viewed as an other-sex crush) impact young adolescents psychologically?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, several concurrent and retrospective studies revealed that most young adolescents have at least one current (and unreciprocated) other-sex crush and that the majority of older adolescents and young adults report having had at least one other-sex crush in their past , specifically during early adolescence, and before their first dates and romantic relationships (Bowker et al, 2012; Hearn, O’Sullivan, & Dudley, 2003; Hurlock & Klein, 1934; Kornreich, Hearn, Rodrigues, & O’Sullivan, 2003). These findings are consistent with theory and research on other-sex peer and romantic experiences indicating that young adolescents spend considerable time thinking about other-sex peers and romantic issues before actually interacting with or forming mutual heterosexual romantic relationships (e.g., Blyth, Hill, & Thiel, 1982; Connolly, Craig, Goldberg, & Pepler, 2004; Connolly, Nguyen, Pepler, Craig, & Jiang, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating the Psychological Concomitants of Other-Sex Crush Experiences During Early Adolescence

Bowker

Etkin

2016

J Youth Adolescence

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Very little empirical attention has been paid to other-sex crush experiences during adolescence. As a result, it is not known whether such experiences, which appear to be relatively common, impact psychological adjustment outcomes. This two-wave (3 month interval) longitudinal study of 268 young adolescents (48% girls; M age at Time 1 = 11.84 years) examined the psychological concomitants of other-sex crush experiences (having and being viewed by others as a crush). Anxious-withdrawal and gender were evaluated as moderators. Peer nomination measures at Time 1 assessed both types of crush experiences and mutual friendship involvement, and participants completed self-report measures of loneliness and depressive symptoms at Times 1 and 2. The results from regression analyses revealed significant associations between having an other-sex crush and depressive symptoms at Time 1, after accounting for the effects of mutual friendship. Two interaction effects also revealed that crush status was a risk factor for depressive symptoms at low levels of anxious-withdrawal but a protective factor at high levels. The findings provide the first empirical evidence that other-sex crush experiences are developmentally significant during early adolescence.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating the Psychological Concomitants of Other-Sex Crush Experiences During Early Adolescence

Bowker

Etkin

2016

J Youth Adolescence

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“…The idea and use of the word “crush” to describe feelings of attraction have been discussed in adolescent romantic research (Bowker, Spencer, Thomas, & Gyoerkoe, 2012; Bruce & Sanders, 2001; Hurlock & Klein, 1934), but it is conceivable that a crush has the potential to be felt multiple times across the lifespan, including during adulthood. While research shows that extra dyadic relationships may be only emotional and not involve engaging in sexual acts (Buss et al, 1992; Treger, Sprecher, Hatfield, & Erber, 2013), there is a lack of understanding about how common crushes are and how women and men in relationships navigate these feelings and experiences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Women's Experiences With Feelings and Attractions for Someone Outside their Primary Relationship

Mullinax

Barnhart

Mark

et al. 2015

Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy

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The purpose of this article is to explore women’s experiences with attractions and feelings for people outside their primary romantic relationship. In an anonymous Internet-based survey, 160 women answered open-ended questions about crushes. Women had varied experiences with, and diverse strategies for, managing crushes. The majority of women reported the crush did not impact their primary relationship; participants also reported that these crushes improved their desire for their partner. The majority of women in this sample did not communicate with their partners about their crushes. This research can be used by therapists and counselors working with patients experiencing these feelings.

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Friendships, Romantic Relationships, and Peer Relationships

Furman

Rose

2015

Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science

117

118

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This chapter reviews the current state of the literature on children and adolescents' dyadic peer relationships. Particular emphasis is placed on children and adolescents' same‐sex friendships and romantic relationships, but research on other‐sex friendships, antipathies, passionate friendships, and sexual relationships are covered as well. The chapter uses a unified relational perspective, which has four key points. First, friendships and romantic relationships need to be studied as relationships. They are dyadic phenomena with a history. Second, children and adolescents' friendships, romantic relationships, and other peer relationships all share common features. They have been studied as separate phenomena and typically by different investigators, but the field would benefit by simultaneously considering all of these types of relationships. Third, any particular relationship is embedded in a network of dyadic relationships. Finally, dyadic peer relationships cannot be understood without incorporating the contexts in which they occur, such as the general peer group, family, and culture. Using this unified relational perspective, the chapter reviews research on the development of dyadic relationships, the role of the self and partner and gender. The chapter then discusses the associations with family relationships, the peer group, media, and the cultural context in which they are embedded. The links between relationships and adjustment are also covered. The chapter also outlines a number of definitional, conceptual, methodological, and analytical issues that need to be addressed in future research, and identifies a number of understudied topics. It concludes by discussing the merits of the unified relational perspective.

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Having and being an other-sex crush during early adolescence

Cited by 26 publications

References 49 publications

Evaluating the Psychological Concomitants of Other-Sex Crush Experiences During Early Adolescence

Evaluating the Psychological Concomitants of Other-Sex Crush Experiences During Early Adolescence

Women's Experiences With Feelings and Attractions for Someone Outside their Primary Relationship

Friendships, Romantic Relationships, and Peer Relationships

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