The Romantic Relationships of Girls in Child Protective Services: Perceptions of Personal Agency

During late adolescence romantic relationships emerge as a critical context whereby teens exercise agency to promote their own development. However, expressions of agency within the romantic context have only been studied among adolescents who have normative parental relationships known to support their romantic development. Thus, this study explored expressions of agency within the context of romantic relationships among girls who experience ruptured parental relationships. Twenty-two girls (Mage =18.5) placed in out of home care by CPS were interviewed regarding their romantic relationships. A content analysis was conducted on their responses. Results showed that girls selected romantic relationships that satisfied normative and unique needs, that some girls reflected on and learned from their experiences, and that girls adapted their behaviour in the face of unmet needs. These finding suggest girls in care enact agency within romantic relationships to support their development and hold implications for the positive value of romantic relationships.