Seattle Public Schools

Student/Teen Resources

Relationship Health Student Resources

SBIRT Resources For Students & Teens

Did you know?

In the 2024-25 school year, only about 1 in 4 students in 8th and 9th grade said that they’ve been in a romantic or dating relationship. About 1 in 6 of those students said they’ve had relationship problems.

Health Effects

Healthy relationships

Healthy relationships help you feel safe and supported and make it easier to set boundaries and feel in control of your own choices.

Unhealthy relationships

Unhealthy relationships can make you feel stressed, sad, or anxious, and can affect your mood and self-esteem. They can also affect sleep, focus, and energy.

Signs of a healthy relationship

  • Communication is open and honest
  • Respect and trust is mutual
  • Both people can enjoy independent hobbies and interests
  • Decisions are made cooperatively
  • Conflict is handled with patience and open-mindedness
  • The relationship moves and grows at a comfortable pace
  • There are healthy boundaries in place that involve consent
  • You can feel fully yourself

Signs of an unhealthy relationship

  • Communication is not open
  • There is lack of trust and disrespect
  • There is dishonesty
  • One person is attempting to control the other
  • There is pressure to do or say things, or act in a certain way
  • One person is making all or most of the decisions
  • Other interests, responsibilities, and relationships are being neglected
  • Constant emails, texts, or calls

Power and Control

Dating violence is an attempt to gain and maintain power over another person, and affects about 1 in 4 people before they turn 20. It includes:

Coercion, threats, or intimidation

Isolation

Physical violence

Emotional abuse (like manipulation or denying feelings)

What You Can Do

There are things you can do to cultivate healthy relationships of all types – with friends, partners, family, classmates, teachers, teammates, and others:

Do your own thing: Enjoy your own hobbies, friends, interests, and activities

Be yourself: You should feel comfortable to be yourself, and being yourself will help you form meaningful relationships.

Stay safe: Make your own decisions about what is right for you.

Establish boundaries: Let the person know what you are and are not comfortable with.

Communicate: If something’s wrong or seems different, talk to the other person about what’s going on or talk to a trusted adult.

When to Talk to An Adult

It’s time to talk to a trusted adult when:

  • Someone is pressuring you or trying to control you
  • Your relationship is causing you to feel stressed, sad, or confused
  • You are in a relationship that shows signs of being unhealthy
  • You have a friend who is in a relationship that doesn’t seem healthy

Need immediate help?