Jim Liebelt Christian Blog and Commentary

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Teens Who Date More Likely to Become Depressed

In a new study of more than 8,000 American adolescents, researchers have found that dating increases the incidences of depression.

The authors of the study found that:

1. Depression often increases over the course of the mid-adolescent years, but it increases more for those adolescents who become romantically involved (especially for the first time) than for those who do not become romantically involved. This deepening depression occurred even for those who got involved and stayed involved -- so the findings were not simply a matter of feeling badly about a break-up.

2. Depression among the romantically involved increased for both the males and the females, but it increased more for the females.

3. The increase in depression among the romantically involved was also especially great for those adolescents who reported attraction to people of the same sex and for those who reported no romantic attraction toward either sex.

4. Both the males and the females who became romantically involved reported more problems with drinking and delinquency than did their peers who were not romantically involved.

Source: Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bella-depaulo/effects-of-adolescent-relationships_b_947642.html