Adolescents and young adults today face very different choices about family formation than their parents' generation. In this volume, top scholars examine the nature and origin of adolescents' contemporary patterns of sexual and romantic relationships, spanning diverse topics such as the evolutionary roots of these behaviors, and policies and programs that represent best practices for these issues in schools and communities.

Preface. Part I: What Are the Evolutionary Origins of Contemporary Patterns of Sexual and Romantic Relationships? Where Does Evolution Leave Off and Where Do History and Culture Begin?H.E. Fisher, Broken Hearts: The Nature and Risks of Romantic Rejection. B.L. Barber, To Have Loved and Lost...Adolescent Romantic Relationships and Rejection. D.P. Schmitt, Short- and Long-Term Mating Strategies: Additional Evolutionary Systems Relevant to Adolescent Sexuality. P. Schwartz, What Elicits Romance, Passion, and Attachment, and How Do They Affect Our Lives Throughout the Life Cycle? Part II: How Do Early Family and Peer Relationships Give Rise to the Quality of Romantic Relationships in Adolescence and Young Adulthood?W.A. Collins, M. van Dulmen, "The Course of True Love(s)...": Origins and Pathways in the Development of Romantic Relationships. S. Coontz, Romance and Sex in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood K. Joyner, M. Campa, How Do Adolescent Relationships Influence the Quality of Romantic and Sexual Relationships in Young Adulthood? C.M. Bryant, Pathways Linking Early Experiences and Later Relationship Functioning. B.B. Brown, A Few "Course Corrections" to Collins & van Dulmen's "The Course of True Love". Part III: How Do Early Romantic and Sexual Relationships Influence People Contemporaneously and Later in Life?P.C. Giordano, W.D. Manning,M.A. Longmore, Adolescent Romantic Relationships: An Emerging Portrait of Their Nature and Developmental Significance. V.M. Murry, T.R. Hurt, S.M. Kogan, Z. Luo, Contextual Processes of Romantic Relationships: Plausible Explanations for Gender and Race Effects. A.R. Snyder, Risky and Casual Sexual Relationships Among Teens. W. Furman, L.S. Hand, The Slippery Nature of Romantic Relationships: Issues in Definition and Differentiation. Part IV: To What Extent Are Current Trends in Sexual and Romantic Relationships Problematic for Individuals, Families, and Society? What Are Effective Intervention Approaches at the Level of Practice, Program, and Policy?J. Manlove, K. Franzetta, S. Ryan, K. Moore, Adolescent Sexual Relationships, Contraceptive Consistency, and Pregnancy Prevention Approaches. V.J. Hotz, The Economic Approach to Modeling Adolescent Sexual Behavior: Empirical Implications. D.M. Upchurch, Y. Kusunoki, Adolescent Sexual Relationships and Reproductive Health Outcomes: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges. J. Manlove, S. Ryan, K. Franzetta, Sample Selection for Adolescent Sexual Relationships. M.L. Kan, A.C. Cares, From "Friends With Benefits" to "Going Steady": New Directions in Understanding Romance and Sex in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood.