If she isn’t Jealous, that Means she doesn’t Love me.” Representations of Love Among French Early Adolescents
An Exploration of the Link With Perceptions of Dating Violence
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11670901 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Solveig Lelaurain (0000-0002-0572-9306, Aix-Marseille Université, corresponding author), Agathe Faruci (Aix-Marseille Université), Léa Restivo (0000-0003-3568-007X, Aix-Marseille Université) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-09-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of Early Adolescence (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0272-4316 • E-ISSN: 1552-5449 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/02724316251360391 |
| OpenAlex | W4414269948 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 42 |
Young people are particularly at risk of experiencing dating violence (DV). Several quantitative studies among this population have highlighted the link between an adherence to romantic love and the legitimization and acceptance of DV. However, adolescents’ meaning-making of love and violence is underexplored. We conducted in-depth interviews with 21 French adolescents (aged 11–15 years) in order to explore the social representations of love and the links between these representations and DV perception. Our results show that, from an early age, romantic love constitutes a frame of reference for understanding the ideal love relationship, and that it coexists with the perception of DV, the latter sometimes being interpreted as love, notably through the dimension of jealousy. While all interviewed strongly valued this form of love, notable gender differences were found in the expression of the love ideal and the relationship to violence. Whereas girls' speech focused more on respect and (non)violence, the boys valued fidelity and exclusivity above all. Our findings suggest that the fight against DV among teenagers must first and foremost involve the demystifying of dominant romantic representations
Expression (computer science · Fidelity · Ideal (ethics · Order (exchange · Perception · Poison control · Population · Power (physics · Romance · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research · Social Representations and Identity
Semi-Structured Interviewing and Qualitative Analysis
Well-Being and Romantic Relationships
The Relationship Between Violence in the Family of Origin and Dating Violence Among College Students
The development and validation of the cyber dating abuse questionnaire among young couples
Social representations
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Bitten by Twilight
Representations sociales et triangulation
Factors Related to Gender Violence and Sex Education in Adolescents
Relations among Romantic Myths, Offline Dating Violence Victimization and Cyber Dating Violence Victimization in Adolescents
Dating Violence
Controlling Behaviors in Couple Relationships in the Digital Age
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Loving the Green-Eyed Monster
Deadly Love
Problem Drinking, Jealousy, and Anger Control
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The Dark Side of Heterosexual Romance
Twilight
Using thematic analysis in psychology
It’s a Feeling That Makes You Do Anything
What makes decision-making difficult for oncologists faced with critical situations? The socio-affective side of the physician-patient relationship
Development of the `Romantic Beliefs Scale' and Examination of the Effects of Gender and Gender-Role Orientation
Attitudes of College Students toward Love
Relationships Among Romantic Myths, Tolerant Attitudes Toward Abuse, and Teen Dating Violence Victimization
Romantic Relationships from Adolescence to Young Adulthood
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |