Defining the Undefined: Exploring the Concept of Situationship among Filipino Adolescents

Situationship, a term that has gained significant attention through media exposure, has become increasingly common in contemporary dating culture. Despite its growing prevalence, there remains a need for a clear and contextualized meaning of situationship, especially among Filipino adolescents. This study seeks to provide a definitive and nuanced definition of situationship, contextualize this emerging concept in modern dating, and contribute to the existing literature on relationship dynamics. Focus group discussions anchored on a descriptive phenomenological research design were conducted among 15 Filipino adolescents aged 18 to 20 years old and were considered to fall under the late adolescence group. Participants were selected through snowball purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used to unpack how the participants defined and perceived situationship, namely, (1) ambiguity and uncertainty, (2) inconsistency, and (3) the possibility of simultaneous multiple situationships. In terms of the temporal dimension, the participants agreed that situationships may last for months but should not exceed one year. Given these findings, the study argues for greater recognition and understanding of situationship, particularly its impact on individual well-being. The researchers also suggest that future projects explore the dynamics of situationships as experienced by different cultures and gender identities. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of situationship and enriches the academic discourse on relationship structures.