Jealousy as “protectiveness,” surveillance as “caring,” and moody silence as “mysterious” remain common tropes. Without critical discussion, teens may internalize that love requires emotional volatility or that a partner’s distress is their responsibility to fix.
Storylines allow teens to “practice” relationship scenarios vicariously: first kisses, rejection, jealousy, breakup grief. Research on narrative transportation suggests that emotionally engaging with fictional characters strengthens real-world social scripts. Adolescents often feel intense attraction
Comprehensive sexual education (CSE) is an approach that emphasizes the development of knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary for healthy and positive relationships. In Belgium, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of CSE, particularly in the context of preventing sexual violence and promoting healthy relationships. Jealousy as “protectiveness
Adolescents often feel intense attraction, heartbreak, or confusion without language for it. Well-written romantic arcs—e.g., Heartstopper (Alice Oseman) or The Fault in Our Stars (John Green)—model how to name emotions: “I feel anxious when you don’t text back,” or “I need space to figure out what I want.” ” surveillance as “caring