TY - JOUR
T1 - "I know what love means"
T2 - Qualitative descriptions from Mexican American and White adolescents
AU - Williams, Lela
AU - Hickle, Kristine E.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - A qualitative approach was used to explore the meaning of being in love for Mexican American and White adolescents. Adolescents' written descriptions were coded using inductive content analysis. Five broader love themes encompassing five additional subthemes emerged: commitment (sacrifice and time); intimacy (friendship, trust, and caring); reciprocity; unconditional acceptance; and unsure/unknown. Mexican American adolescents mentioned intimacy components, White adolescent boys mentioned commitment components, and White adolescents and girls mentioned unconditional acceptance components in their self-definitions of love more than their counterparts. Understanding the meaning of love has implications for prevention efforts targeted at reducing the health risks associated with romantic relationships in adolescence.
AB - A qualitative approach was used to explore the meaning of being in love for Mexican American and White adolescents. Adolescents' written descriptions were coded using inductive content analysis. Five broader love themes encompassing five additional subthemes emerged: commitment (sacrifice and time); intimacy (friendship, trust, and caring); reciprocity; unconditional acceptance; and unsure/unknown. Mexican American adolescents mentioned intimacy components, White adolescent boys mentioned commitment components, and White adolescents and girls mentioned unconditional acceptance components in their self-definitions of love more than their counterparts. Understanding the meaning of love has implications for prevention efforts targeted at reducing the health risks associated with romantic relationships in adolescence.
KW - Adolescence
KW - Content analysis
KW - Romantic relationships
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955368670&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77955368670&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10911351003673278
DO - 10.1080/10911351003673278
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77955368670
SN - 1091-1359
VL - 20
SP - 581
EP - 600
JO - Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment
JF - Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment
IS - 5
ER -