This article discusses the research methodology and findings from a study of the health benefits of romantic relationships for justice-involved youth and adults, concluding that those health benefits are dependent on having a high-quality relationship and that low-quality relationships have opposite effects, resulting in poorer health.
Romantic relationships are one of the strongest promoters of desistance among justice-involved youth. However, research seldom demonstrates how these relationships enhance well-being beyond antisocial behavior. Given the overrepresentation of persons of color in the legal system, justice-involved individuals experience significant health inequities due to the collateral consequences of justice involvement and other systemic barriers. Extant literature suggests that romantic relationships have significant health benefits, but this trend has yet to be examined in a population known to experience health disparities and challenges. The present study sought to evaluate how the health of justice-involved young men differs based on both relationship status and quality. A total of 877 justice-involved young men arrested for felony offenses in Pennsylvania and Arizona were included in this study. Longitudinal data were leveraged to evaluate the relative associations between relationship status, relationship quality, and self-reported health over four years. Relative to those in better quality relationships, those in poorer quality relationships, neutral-quality relationships, and unpartnered individuals reported significantly poorer health. Findings complement existing research by highlighting that these high-quality relationships seem to be the threshold at which justice-involved individuals begin to experience health benefits. Thus, by focusing on strengthening existing romantic relationships, health practitioners can attempt to better the health of an underserved population via a potentially underexplored avenue. (Published Abstract Provided)