This study investigates that dating at earlier ages can have a stronger effect on adolescent criminal behavior or substance use, but the effect would be weaker as one ages.
This study uses a developmental perspective and focuses on examining whether the impact of adolescent dating is age-sensitive. Dating at earlier ages is hypothesized to have a stronger effect on adolescent criminal behavior or substance use, but the effect would be weaker as one ages. The data obtained from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 are used to investigate this research question. The age-sensitive effect is measured by the interaction term between dating and age in the fixed effects modeling. The results show that when an adolescent changes from nondating to dating, the probability of committing criminal activities or using substances increases, but the influence of adolescent dating decreases as one ages. In addition, the dating effect decreases more rapidly among female adolescents than male adolescents. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.