Keyana Blanchard
Double Entry Journal
Complete source citation:
Loftus, J., Kelly, B., & Mustillo, S. (2011). Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescent Girls in Relationships with Older Partners:
Causes and Lasting Effects. J Youth Adolescence, 800-811.
Quotation w/ page or place locator
As much as 30% of older adolescents have relationships
with partners three or more years older at some point
10% of younger adolescents have relationships with
someone two or more years older 801
Relationships with significantly older males may disrupt a
standard developmental trajectory. Adolescent girls who
are romantically involved with older males may experience
off-time transitions with regard to typical adolescent
development. Research suggests that off-time life course
transitions adversely influence mental health 802
Adolescent girls with elevated depressive symptoms will
be more likely to enter into age-discordant relationships
depression may led adolescent girls to seek positive
reinforcement from romantic partners and peers by dating
older malestransitions may have long-term impacts by
interfering with the cultivation of interactional skills
necessary for development on a normative trajectory 802-
803
Comments
This shows the actual prevalence of age-discordant
relationships among adolescent girls. This particular piece of
information was shocking to me because even though I know
that this issue impacts more girls than most people would
think, I had no idea that it was this common. I plan to use this
in my paper to draw attention to why this issue can not be
overlooked anymore, because its not just a small few outliers
who are participating in these behaviors.
This supports my initial idea behind choosing this topic,
because I know that being romantically or sexually involved
with older men has the potential to stunt emotional and
mental growth.
This offers a potential explanation of what leads girls to engage
in age-discordant relationships. In my paper I will explore the
realistic validity of multiple possible explanations that I came
across in my research.
Keyana Blanchard
Complete source citation:
Meier, A., Erickson, G., & McLaughlin, H. (2017, 03 01). Older Sexual Partners and Adolescent Females' Mental Health.
Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, pp. 25-31.
Quotation w/ page or place locator
Older partners, especially when age differences are large, often
possess more life experience, have greater financial resources and
are physically larger females aged 16 or younger with male
partners who were not in school and were three or more years
their senior were more likely than other females to engage in
sexual intercourse (26)
A status asymmetry hypothesis suggests that female adolescents
who report first sex with an older partner will be more vulnerable
to negative mental health consequences than females with same-
age partners, but also more vulnerable than females who have
nonsexual romantic relationships, whether their partners are
same-age or older. (26)
While there is good reason to focus on the mental health of
adolescent females, given persistent sexual double standards that
suggest disparate emotional costs of and rewards for having sex
(31)
Comments
This source introduces the question of sexual activity as a
factor of a relationship that affects mental health, and how a
significant age difference would play a role in that
development. Also, this quote in particular addresses the
imbalances in an age-discordant aside from the obvious age
difference.
This shows that there is a direct correlation on mental
health and sexual activity particularly in an age-discordant
relationship. Out of all groups, same-age or age-discordant,
sexual or non-sexual, those engaging in sexual activity in
age-discordant circumstances are more apt to have mental
health deficits.
I will address this in my paper as the gap in my research,
which will focus on adolescent males in similar situations.
Adolescent boys are typically encouraged and applauded for
engaging in romantic endeavors with older women so it is
interesting to research the health effects of these
relationships.
Keyana Blanchard

Complete source citation:

Byers, E., Brotto, L., & O'Sullivan, L. (2016, May). Time Out from Sex or Romance: Sexually Experienced Adolescents' Decisions
to Purposefully Avoid Sexual Activity or Romantic Relationships. Journal ofYouth & Adolescence, 831-845

Quotation w/ page or place locator Comments

A fifth (20 %) indicated that they avoided relationships Engaging in sexual activity at an early age can have long-term
simply because they were not interested in commitment. effects on interpersonal skills particularly with regard to
Most of these individuals indicated that they were avoiding emotional relationships. Exhibit A: a skewed perception of
the expectations that go with commitment (836) commitment in relationships.

A similar number (20 %) indicated that their decision to Poor emotional health, which can be credited to age-discordant
avoid relationships was a result of their circumstances relationships, can set a precedent for young adults to avoid
their poor emotional state caused them to avoid romantic normal, healthy romantic relationships.
relationships. (836)

Complete source citation:

Cort, N. A., Senn, T. A., Carey, M. P., & Braksmajer, A. (2015). Recalled Explanations for Adolescent Girls Engagement in Age-
Discordant Sexual Relationships. AIDS and Behavior, 1327-1332.

Quotation w/ page or place locator Comments

Adolescent females are more likely to engage in sexual relationships with These are more possible risk factors for young
older male partners when they (a) experience early onset of menses [1], (b) girls engaging in age-discordant relationships.
have parents with lower education levels [21], (c) have friendships with older All of these are due to circumstances that can not
adolescents [21], (d) use alcohol or other drugs [5], (e) have lower self- be avoided even with intervention so I want to
Keyana Blanchard

esteem [22], and (f) have weaker religious involvement (1328)
Higginson (1999) found that adolescents expressed a number of different
reasons for engaging in age-discordant relationships, including peer norms,
belief in true love, partner manipulation, the desire for a father for their
child, as well as the desire for a father figure (1328)
Utilizing the Sex Motives Scale [23], Morrison-Beedy et al. found that girls
with older partners indicated that sexual satisfaction and excitement were key
motivators for engaging in sexual behavior, while girls with same-age
partners were more likely to cite love and intimacy as motivators; these
themes, however, were not explored in depth
(1328)
see if I can find a way to avoid these settings in
my research.
These are all very real reasons that adolescents
seek out age-discordant relationships. In my
paper I plan to reference these in comparison
with the reasons that I find in popular
conversation.
It is more likely for young girls to be in these
relationships because of the thrill than it is that
they are in it for the emotional involvement. This
can set a dangerous precedent for a life of
looking for excitement in the wrong places.

Complete source citation:

Loftus, J., & Kelly, B. C. (2012). The Effects of Relationships with Older Females on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health of
Adolescent Boys. American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 267-271.

Quotation w/ page or place locator Comments

we see that entering a relationship with older females is
associated with some substance use and mental health
issues
(270)
While their female peers may possibly suffer from mental
health problems heightened by age differences
augmenting gender discrepancies in relationship
dynamics, the relative male privilege that teenage boys
enjoy may offset the impact of age differential on
I will use this as the gap in my research, in addition to the source
above. Because it is seen as an achievement for adolescent males to
be sexually or romantically involved with older women, the risk for
negative emotional consequences is ignored.
This will serve as a counter argument, and also for me to base my
argument because it gives me a claim to refute. It will be interesting
to see how this claim compares to factual research regarding
emotional consequences.
Keyana Blanchard

relationship dynamics and consequently mitigate any

impact on depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and
suicidality. Yet, these boys experience higher levels of
anxiety relative to boys who date similar-aged girls. (270)