Posted on 09/10/2019 8:07:11 PM PDT by huldah1776
With all of the social and personal turmoil that develops during the teenage years, a new study finds teens who hold off on dating have better social skills, are happier, and are less depressed.
This finding goes against American culture in terms of every movie or television show that portrays teenagers in high school.
Some believe that dating is just a part of being a teenager. Forming a romantic relationship for the first time can help in a teenager's own self-esteem.
Researchers at the University of Georgia say that's true, but they've also found that not dating could be even more beneficial for teenagers.
In their study published online in The Journal of School Health, the research team found that teens who had not dated during middle or high school displayed good social skills, low levels of depression, and were generally on the same par with their classmates who were dating.
"The majority of teens have had some type of romantic experience by 15 to 17 years of age, or middle adolescence," explains doctoral student and the study's lead author Brooke Douglas in a press release. "This high frequency has led some researchers to suggest that dating during the teenage years is normative behavior. That is, adolescents who have a romantic relationship are therefore considered 'on time' in their psychological development."
If dating was considered normal and essential for a teen's individual development and well-being, Douglas began to wonder what this suggested about adolescents who chose not to date.
"Does this mean that teens that don't date are maladjusted in some way? That they are social misfits? Few studies had examined the characteristics of youth who do not date during the teenage years, and we decided we wanted to learn more," she said.
During the research period of seven years, the team noted non-dating 10th grade students had similar or better interpersonal skills than their more frequently dating peers. While the scores of self-reported positive relationships with friends, at home, and at school did not differ between dating and non-dating peers, teachers rated the non-dating students significantly higher for social skills and leadership skills than their dating peers.
Students who didn't date were also less likely to be depressed. Teachers' scores on the depression scale were significantly lower for the group that reported no dating. Additionally, the proportion of students who self-reported being sad or hopeless was significantly lower within this group as well.
"In summary, we found that non-dating students are doing well and are simply following a different and healthy developmental trajectory than their dating peers," said study co-author Pamela Orpinas, a GU professor of health promotion and behavior.
"While the study refutes the notion of non-daters as social misfits, it also calls for health promotion interventions at schools and elsewhere to include non-dating as an option for normal, healthy development," said Douglas.
"As public health professionals, we can do a better job of affirming that adolescents do have the individual freedom to choose whether they want to date or not and that either option is acceptable and healthy," she said.
Don’t call it “dating”. What they’re really saying is that teens who don’t have sex. Makes sense. There’s a huge emotional anxiety and turmoil associated with young people having sex.
And these days, white males aren't allowed to be "alpha", minorities can get away with it, just watch your average rap video.
I had a similar experience - although I was not 6’1”. I was however fit.
Straight As. Honor Graduate. Yearbook artist.
I was preaching by special invitation at 19.
At a Christian school, the good girls (including the ones who really did seem good) still went for the bad boys and dumb jocks.
Many of these girls told me how much they respected me; some said I was the most honorable man they knew. Yet they did not want to date me. They did value me as a Christian friend. (My point is that they did not see me as a creep, or try to avoid me.)
It took some time, but I eventually called a halt to it all.
Some of them are now divorced.
My opinion is:
Intelligent men are both too little and too much a challenge:
Too little: Such a man does not need a woman to transform his lump of coal into a diamond.
Too much: Such a man cannot be so easily manipulated, and may arouse a woman’s insecurity.
Bingo.
The word “abstinence” is buried way down in the article, but it was obvious to me immediately that the word “dating” is a euphemism for “having sex” -— and usually with a series of changing partners.
But from the comments it’s apparent FReepers think “dating” still means going out for a movie & a milkshake, & wondering when you’ll ever get to first base.
Ahhh, I knew all those hours on the Atari playing Frogger would make me much happier than all my friends dating girls.
Well, bad luck in dating can really affect a teenager’s seof-image, to the point of deep depression. Too much success can overinflate one’s self-estimate also. Both can be long-term damaging.
As a non dater my social skills also seemed to be zero (self assessment)...
Complete baloney written by a fag who cant get buggered
Badabing
Younger white guys today have one third less free T than I had at 25
I was 25 in 1982
All those pretty hipster girls and no real men much....man....I wish I could take advantage
Younger white guys today have one third less free T than I had at 25”
Man, that’s fecking scary. I mean WHY?
Study: Teenagers Who Don't Date Have Better Social Skills, Less Depressed
Incels are better adjusted. Who knew?
Thats exactly right.
Even back in my day I wondered why some girls made fools of themselves after a guy broke up with them: publicly demanding that they get back together, yelling and crying. I kept thinking that they needed to shut up, hold their head high and show some pride. Then I realized that they had been sleeping with these guys; had given them everything then were tossed aside like a used tissue.
Its like marrying and divorcing, repeatedly for some, during your teen years-theres bound to be negative consequences to mental health.
Amazing!
How ARE YOU! LOL
Exactly. Many people need to wake up. When "teens" say they are dating, seeing each other, are together, hooked up, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc etc it means, 90% of the time, that they are having sex. That is now the criteria for "dating".
You sound like a deep still water type. Consider the older woman. :) Church going Christian preferably. They’ll be there on Sunday.
Wow, even I missed that being naive.
THAT IS CRUCIAL!
Now that is truly funny — the woman I was dating early this year fit that description exactly. She unceremoniously dumped me.
He bought it last May. Only 110k miles. One owner. Yes, the only thing he now needs is the plastic trim around the rear window and window rubber. T-top.
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