Dating a Friend?

The Role of close friends in African American adolescents' dating and sexual behavior

Dealing with feelings is very complicated. During adolescence, it is important to be aware of the role of close friends in the dating and sexual behavior.

During early and middle adolescence, youth become increasingly interested in forming dyadic romantic relationships, and by the age of 14 or 15 most adolescents have had some experience with dating (Connolly & Johnson, 1996; Furman, 1993; Sharabany, Gershoni, & Hofman, 1981). The formation of romantic relationships assists with healthy social development and provides a range of supportive functions that impact general adjustment and coping throughout adolescence (Lempers & Clark-Lempers, 1993; Shulman & Kipnis, 2001; Zimmer-Gembeck, Siebenbruner, & Collins, 2001). Romantic and dating relationships are also often a prelude to sexual activity during adolescence (Miller & Moore, 1990). Since these phenomena occur in a social context that is heavily influenced by peers, it is important to examine the role of close friends in the dating and sexual behavior of adolescents. These same-gender social networks may provide an avenue for delivering and diffusing prevention messages about safer sex to adolescents. This paper addresses dating and sex among inner-city African American adolescents and explores the role of friendships in these early sexual experiences.