Parenting Practices and Adolescent Sexual Behavior: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The effects of parental attitudes, practices, and television mediation on adolescent sexual behaviors were investigated in a study of adolescent sexuality and media (N=887). Confirmatory factor analyses supported an eight-factor parenting model with television mediation factors as constructs distinct from general parenting practices. Logistic regressions indicated that adolescents reporting greater parental disapproval and limits on viewing at Wave 1 were less likely to initiate oral sex between Waves 1 and 2. Adolescents who reported more sexual communication with parents were more likely to initiate oral sex. Results for vaginal intercourse were similar to those for oral sex. Co-viewing was a significant negative predictor of initiation of sexual behavior. Parental attitudes and television mediation can delay potentially risky adolescent sexual behaviors. KeywordsAdolescent sexual/contraceptive behavior; media; parenting Although national statistics indicate that the percentage of adolescents who report having engaged in sexual intercourse has decreased from 54% to 46% over the last decade (CDC, 2006), recent research suggests that youth may be supplanting one form of risky behavior with other potentially risky sexual behaviors such as oral sex (Mosher, Chandra, & Jones, 2005). For example, over half of adolescents aged 15 -19 (55% of males and 54% of females) report having ever had oral sex, with a significantly greater proportion of older youth reporting having engaged in oral sex (71%) relative to younger teens (43%). These data give cause for concern as research shows that oral sex places individuals at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and gonorrhea and may also be a greater factor in HIV transmission than previously thought (Edwards & Carne, 1998;Hawkins, 2001;Robinson & Evans, 1999). Given the prevalence and potential risks associated with both oral sex and vaginal intercourse such as unwanted pregnancy and STIs, it is important to understand the psychosocial factors that are predictive of involvement in these sexual behaviors in order to design effective prevention programs.Several decades of parent-child research have identified an extensive set of familial factors and parenting processes that influence adolescent risky behaviors and development both directly and indirectly (see Maccoby & Martin, 1983;Miller, 2002). These variables include genetic influences, structural features, parenting practices/family management, parenting style and emotional relationships. Studies have routinely found relationships between these parenting factors and adolescent sexual behaviors such as intercourse initiation and contraceptive use (see Kotchick, Shaffer, Forehand, & Miller, 2001;Meshke, Bartholomae, & Zentall., 2002;Huebner & Howell, 2003). Additionally, over 25 studies on parenting and adolescent sexuality/sexual behavior have been presented or published using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a large scale national data set with in-de...

Riesgo sexual en adolescentes según la edad de debut sexual.

“…Se administró un cuestionario sobre hábitos sexuales (elaborado ad hoc) con base en procedimientos convencionales (Aspy et al, 2007;Bersamin et al, 2008). Para seleccionar a los participantes de este estudio se les preguntó por: a) actividad sexual ("¿Alguna vez has tenido una relación sexual con penetración?")…”

Sexuality, Contraception, and the Media

“…Adolescents whose parents limit their TV-viewing are less likely to engage in early sex. 58 Younger children who have viewed adultoriented TV shows and movies are more likely to begin having sexual intercourse earlier. 61 The study samples together total nearly 10 000 teenagers nationwide, and the most ambitious studies included other media such as movies, music, and magazines.…”

“…[52][53][54] Nine longitudinal studies have given potential answers to the question of whether sexy media contribute to early sexual activity, and the answer seems to be "yes." 41,[55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62] Results of 7 of these studies have shown that exposure to sexual content in TV and other media in early adolescenceparticularly for white teenagers-can as much as double the risk of early sexual intercourse. Adolescents whose parents limit their TV-viewing are less likely to engage in early sex.…”

¿Existen diferencias en riesgo sexual entre adolescentes heterosexuales y no heterosexuales? [Are there differences in sexual risk between heterosexual and non-heterosexual adolescents?]

“…Expertos en prevención de riesgo sexual elaboraron un cuestionario siguiendo procedimientos convencionales (Aspy et al, 2007;Bersamin et al, 2008). Este cuestionario recogía información sobre características sociodemográficas (sexo, edad, situación familiar) y conducta sexual.…”