Citation

Lesinskiene S, Istomina N, Stonkutė G, Krotova J, Šambaras R, Austys D. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023; 20(6).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph20064870

PMID

36981779

PMCID

PMC10048862

Abstract

This study investigated early dating experiences by exploring the complex aspects of first-time and later romantic involvement as well as the surrounding circumstances. In total, 377 young people (with the median age being 17 years) were investigated in six high schools in two cities in Lithuania using a questionnaire designed for research purposes by the authors. The results from this study in Lithuania contribute to the field by showing current data on the cultural and psychosocial aspects of dating experiences in high schools. This investigation into first-time and later dating creates an appropriate window to explore and investigate the attitudes, dating habits, and experiences of late adolescents, comprising negative experiences and sexual harassment, which could be used to build preventative programmes. The obtained results provide various data that are useful for trying to better understand the current habits and experiences of young people, for public health specialists, educators, and doctors and also provide an opportunity for monitoring trends, dynamic changes over time, and cross-cultural comparisons.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescent; Humans; Schools; Students; adolescents; alcohol use; drug use; *Sexual Harassment; sexual harassment; Surveys and Questionnaires; cultural contexts; dating violence; high school students; *Intimate Partner Violence; *Crime Victims/psychology; *Adolescent Behavior/psychology; dating; inebriation; sex education