A Descriptive Study on the Factors that Influence Adolescents in Engaging in a Romantic Relationship

Abstract

This research aims to find out the factors that influence adolescents in engaging in romantic relationships. The researcher has listed probable factors including time, social interaction (family and friends), reciprocity and liking. Such factors were examined whether they influence adolescent in engaging in a romantic relationship. The respondents who participated in the study are fourth hear high school students from two (2) public and two (2) private schools in Cavite. The sampling method used was purposive sampling design. The respondents were chosen in terms of their availability and accessibility to the researcher. The valid respondents included were 103 high schools students. The researcher utilized survey questionnaire for data gathering is divided into two parts. The first part is socio-demographic profile of the respondents which includes the civil status of parents, parenting style used, number of previous relationships as well as current relationship status. The second part is the Likert scale. It contains 49 statements answerable by strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree. It includes five domains namely: time, relational definition, attribution process, reciprocity and liking. Time domain explains the adolescent's sense of time. Relational definition domain is devoted to understand the adolescents' decision making, self esteem, independence, and identity. Attribution process domain pertains to the adolescents' social interactions, specifically towards their parents and friends. Reciprocity domain describes the adolescents' mutual feeling out towards the opposite sex. Liking domain tries to depict the characteristics adolescents' are looking for their prospective partner. Frequency and means were used to present the data. The independent t-test was also used to determine the significance of the domains as well as the comparison of male and female respondents. The findings showed that adolescents consider time, family, friends, reciprocity and liking in engaging in romantic relationships. Such contribute to the adolescents' attitudes in relationship but cannot be generalized as the only factors that influence them. The results of the independent t-test showed that time was the only significant factor that influence both male and female in engaging in relationships.