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Parents’ Perspectives on Family Sexuality Communication from Middle School to High School

Author

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  • Jennifer M. Grossman

    (Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481, USA)

  • Lisa J. Jenkins

    (Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481, USA)

  • Amanda M. Richer

    (Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481, USA)

Abstract

Parents’ conversations with teens about sex and relationships can play a critical role in improving teenage reproductive health by reducing teens’ risky sexual behavior. However, little is known about how teen-parent communication changes from early to middle adolescence and how parents can tailor their communication to address their teens’ changing development and experiences during these periods. In this longitudinal qualitative study, U.S. parents ( N = 23) participated in interviews when their teens were in early adolescence, then again when the teens were in middle adolescence. Participants were largely mothers and were from diverse racial/ethnic and educational backgrounds. Thematic analysis was used to assess continuity and change in parents’ perceptions of teen-parent communication. Findings showed that many parents adapted their conversations with their teens about sex and relationships as teens developed. Once teens had entered high school, more parents described feeling comfortable with their conversations. However, parents also more often reported that their teens responded negatively to the communication in high school than they had in middle school. These findings may help parents to anticipate their own as well as their teens’ responses to family conversations about sex at different developmental time points and to strategize how to effectively talk with their teens about sex and relationships to improve their teens’ overall reproductive health.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer M. Grossman & Lisa J. Jenkins & Amanda M. Richer, 2018. "Parents’ Perspectives on Family Sexuality Communication from Middle School to High School," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:1:p:107-:d:126276
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Miller, K.S. & Levin, M.L. & Whitaker, D.J. & Xu, X., 1998. "Patterns of condom use among adolescents: The impact of mother- adolescent communication," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 88(10), pages 1542-1544.
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    Cited by:

    1. Taofeek Kolawole Aliyu & Joshua Oyeniyi Aransiola, 2023. "Parent-Adolescent Communication About Reproductive Health Issues in Nigeria," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, April.
    2. Efrati, Yaniv, 2023. "Parent-child quality of sex-related communication before and during the COVID-19 pandemic," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    3. Jon Øyvind Odland, 2018. "Teenage Reproductive Health: Pregnancy, Contraception, Unsafe Abortion, Fertility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-4, June.
    4. Hannah Lantos & Jennifer Manlove & Elizabeth Wildsmith & Bianca Faccio & Lina Guzman & Kristin A. Moore, 2019. "Parent-Teen Communication about Sexual and Reproductive Health: Cohort Differences by Race/Ethnicity and Nativity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, March.

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