How Cheating in Romance Might Signal Positive Well-Being in Adolescents, favoring adolescents’ personal growth, because of the need to explore new sensations and feelings that arise during this period

The Relationship Between the Motivation to Commit Infidelity and Negative Affect and Self-Esteem: How Cheating in Romance Might Signal Positive Well-Being in Adolescents. Ana M. Beltrán-Morillas et al. Psychological Reports, November 16, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294120973947

Abstract: Infidelity occurs in adult romantic relationships quite often; however, little is known about this relational phenomenon in the adolescent stage, despite its being a surprisingly common behavior. Through a correlational study, we set out to examine how the various documented motivations to engage in an act of infidelity are associated with negative emotional responses, self-esteem, and psychological well-being. In a sample of Spanish adolescents (N = 346 [Mage = 15.71, SD = 1.27; range from 13 to 19]), results showed that committing an act of infidelity due to sexual or emotional dissatisfaction (vs. neglect and anger) is related to higher levels of psychological well-being by undermining negative affect, thereby increasing the levels of self-esteem. The discussion of the findings emphasizes that infidelity could favor adolescents’ personal growth, because of the need to explore new sensations and feelings that arise during this period.

Keywords: Adolescence, infidelity, negative affect, psychological well-being, self-esteem