During adolescence, remarkable changes take place in our capacity to form close relationships with other people, and, consequently, in the types of relationships we form. Most researchers draw a distinction between intimacy and sexuality. Intimacy refers to the development of relationships characterized by self-disclosure, trust, and concern.
The growth of intimacy, a central feature of adolescent psychosocial development, can be traced to the fundamental biological, cognitive, and social changes of the era.
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ADOLESCENT INTIMACY
The three main theoretical approaches to the study of intimacy in adolescence are those of Sullivan, Erikson, and the attachment theorists.
Sullivan's Theory of Interpersonal Development: According to Sullivan, the need for intimacy emerges in preadolescence and is typically satisfied through same-sex friendships. During adolescence, this need is integrated with sexual impulses and desires, and the focus of the adolescents' interpersonal concerns is redirected toward opposite-sex peers, or from nonromantic to romantic relationships.
Erikson's View of Intimacy: In Erikson's theory, the psychosocial crisis of late adolescence is labeled "intimacy versus isolation." According to this viewpoint, individuals must first develop a coherent sense of identity before they are able to develop genuinely intimate relationships with others. This position contrasts somewhat with that of Sullivan, who argues that the development of intimacy precedes the development of a coherent sense of self. There is some evidence that Erikson's model may be more true for males than females, and that for females, the tasks of identity and intimacy may be somewhat merged. However, most researchers view the development of identity and intimacy as complementary, not competing tasks.
Attachment in Adolescence: According to attachment theorists, intimacy during adolescence must be examined in relation to the individual's history of close relationships, and in particular, the individual's infant-caregiver attachments. There is evidence that individuals who enjoyed a secure attachment to their caregiver during infancy develop more healthy ideas about relationships and more advanced social competencies as opposed to anxious-avoidant or anxious-resistant attachments. Some theorists have argued that the initial attachment relationship forms the basis for a more general model of interpersonal relationships that we employ throughout our life, known as the internal working model. A secure internal working model permits the individual to enter more satisfying intimate relationships in adolescence and adulthood. Research has attempted to understand the parent-adolescent relationship by using a retrospective measure called the Adult Attachment Interview.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTIMACY IN ADOLESCENCE
Research on the development of intimacy in adolescence points to changes in individuals' conceptions about friendship, changes in the display of intimacy, and changes in the "targets" of intimacy.
Changes in the Nature of Friendship: With development, adolescents become more concerned about trust and loyalty as defining features of friendship, more self-disclosing in their relationships, and more responsive to their friends.
Changes in the Display of Intimacy: Numerous studies have revealed that adolescents become increasingly sensitive to the feelings and needs of their friends, provide more comfort to their friends when their friends are having problems, and are less controlling and more tolerant of their friends' individuality.
Changes in the "Targets" of Intimacy: Adolescence is also a time during which teenagers broaden their circle of confidants. In general, new types of relationships are added to the adolescent's social world without replacing previous ones. Whereas in childhood, the primary targets of intimacy are parents, and to a lesser extent, siblings, beginning in preadolescence, the network of intimates widens to include peers, family members, and mentors.
Friendships with the Other Sex: It is not until relatively late in adolescence, however, that intimacy with opposite-sex peers develops. Cross-sex friendships are relatively rare before adolescents begin to date. The emotional assistance from others, or social support, aids the adolescent in making this transition.
DATING AND ROMANCTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Despite the fact that almost all adolescents date by the time they are 16, far less is known about the nature and consequences of romantic relationships during adolescence than about adolescent friendships. Sullivan's theory of interpersonal development suggests that adolescents begin establishing intimate relationships through same-sex friendships, then transition into expressing intimacy in romantic relationships. This model is more accurate for females than for males.
Recent research has indicated that the evolution of romance for adolescents proceeds through four stages: the infatuation phase, the status phase, the intimate phase, and the bonding phase. The level of intimacy and commitment to the relationship increase across these phases.
In general, social activities with the opposite sex begin in early adolescence as group activities, proceed to casual dating in couples, and, later in adolescence, progress to serious involvement with a steady romantic partner. A moderate degree of dating, without serious involvement until late adolescence, is associated with better mental health and well-being than either early, intense dating or no dating at all.
Models of romantic relationships may be less applicable to sexual-minority youth - adolescents who are not exclusively heterosexual. Stigmas and stereotypes make the development of intimate relationships of all kinds far more complicated for sexual-minority youth than for their straight peers.
Because the age at which individuals marry has become considerably later over the past half-century, dating during adolescence has lost its courtship significance.
INTIMACY AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Adolescents who have intimate friendships typically have better mental health than their peers who do not. We do not know which comes first, however, intimacy or psychological health. Intimacy, and the social support it provides, enhances adolescents' well-being.
Intimate friendships can also have negative effects resulting from frequent conversations with friends about personal problems and difficulties. These conversations may lead to too much introspection and self-consciousness. Also, while good friendships serve many positive functions, they also provide opportunities for insecurity, conflict, jealousy, and mistrust. Nevertheless, experts agree that close peer relationships are an essential part of healthy social development during adolescence.
