Positive Adolescent Interpersonal Relationships (PAIR)

Teens sitting outside building and talking

Problem

Abuse within dating relationships has consequences that undermine the health of U.S. society.

Over 60 percent of teens report some form of psychological adolescent relationship abuse (ARA), and one in five report physical and/or sexual ARA in a dating relationship. Rates of ARA are higher for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth than heterosexual youth, and transgender youth experience about four times the rate of ARA as cisgender youth. Adolescents who experience ARA are more likely to face challenges in school, experience mental and physical health problems, and be involved in intimate partner violence as adults.

Support for healthy relationships can come from many sources. Individual, relational, community, and social factors can be leveraged to support positive adolescent development and interpersonal relationships. Parent, sibling, and peer relationships can model or foster emotional growth and resilience. And community and social norms may be strengthened through educational campaigns. Further, there are inherent strengths within marginalized and intersectional identities that align with positive youth development.

Solution

NORC is connecting with community-based organizations to build a national majority-minoritized cohort.

Positive Adolescent Interpersonal Relationships (PAIR) is a community-based National Survey on Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence (STRiV) study that presents the opportunity to work with youth and not-for-profit groups to recruit larger samples of youth of color and LGBTQIA+ youth to generate national data reflective of diverse contexts. PAIR data will be analyzed for the purpose of working with practitioners and community-based organizations to improve recognition, empathy, and action in support of thriving youth relationships.

NORC is conducting the study in partnership with:

YMCA of the USA
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Advocates for Youth
The Trevor Project
Texas Council on Family Violence

Result

Our findings will provide an empirical understanding of the nature and effects over time of unhealthy relationships in diverse contexts.

PAIR data will be a valuable resource for policymakers, service providers, the justice system, and other researchers to support healthier relationships among American youth.