Parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health: perspectives of Jordanian and Syrian parents
Young people throughout the world face considerable challenges related to their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The parent–child relationship is fundamental to shaping children’s trajectories through adolescence and suggests considerable potential to improve youth SRH knowledge. Lack of parent...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2020.1758444 |
| _version_ | 1798014764644827136 |
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| author | Areej Othman Abeer Shaheen Maysoon Otoum Mohannad Aldiqs Iqbal Hamad Maysoon Dabobe Ana Langer Jewel Gausman |
| author_facet | Areej Othman Abeer Shaheen Maysoon Otoum Mohannad Aldiqs Iqbal Hamad Maysoon Dabobe Ana Langer Jewel Gausman |
| author_sort | Areej Othman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Young people throughout the world face considerable challenges related to their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The parent–child relationship is fundamental to shaping children’s trajectories through adolescence and suggests considerable potential to improve youth SRH knowledge. Lack of parent–child sexual communication (PCSC) may cause youth to turn instead to questionable information sources, such as peers, the internet and social media. The limited research in this area, and specifically in the Middle East, led us to explore how parents discuss SRH issues with their children and pinpointed the potential role for parents in supporting their children’s SRH needs. A qualitative research approach was used, with 20 focus groups stratified by nationality and sex of participants from four major communities in Jordan. Thematic coding and analysis was used. Parents described their willingness to “break the culture of shame.” Three primary strategies emerged: (1) the gender match, (2) mothers as a safe space and (3) seeking help from others, which included two sub-themes: incorporating others, and relying on the delivery of SRH information in schools. Strengths and challenges were inherent within each strategy, and discussion topics varied according to the strategy used. Evidence from this study provides an opportunity for future research and programming to improve adolescent health outcomes within conservative milieus to break the intergenerational cycle of shame. Interventions are suggested to target parents’ knowledge and self-confidence to help youth achieve their sexual development. Using gender-matched PCSC strategies, school-based platforms and religious institutions are ways to destigmatise such topics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:23:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-54013fe060444b2b98b3b83889aa2a36 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2641-0397 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:23:23Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters |
| spelling | doaj.art-54013fe060444b2b98b3b83889aa2a362022-12-22T04:16:19ZengTaylor & Francis GroupSexual and Reproductive Health Matters2641-03972020-01-0128110.1080/26410397.2020.17584441758444Parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health: perspectives of Jordanian and Syrian parentsAreej Othman0Abeer Shaheen1Maysoon Otoum2Mohannad Aldiqs3Iqbal Hamad4Maysoon Dabobe5Ana Langer6Jewel Gausman7Department Chair, Maternal and Child Health Nursing Department, School of Nursing, The University of JordanDepartment Chair, Community Health Nursing Department, School of Nursing, The University of JordanDirector, Center for Women’s Studies, The University of JordanLecturer, Faculty of Nursing, Al-Ahliyya Amman UniversityDirector of Women’s Empowerment and Gender Program, Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human DevelopmentGender Policy Supervisor, Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human DevelopmentDirector, Women and Health Initiative, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public HealthSenior Research Associate, Women and Health Initiative, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public HealthYoung people throughout the world face considerable challenges related to their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The parent–child relationship is fundamental to shaping children’s trajectories through adolescence and suggests considerable potential to improve youth SRH knowledge. Lack of parent–child sexual communication (PCSC) may cause youth to turn instead to questionable information sources, such as peers, the internet and social media. The limited research in this area, and specifically in the Middle East, led us to explore how parents discuss SRH issues with their children and pinpointed the potential role for parents in supporting their children’s SRH needs. A qualitative research approach was used, with 20 focus groups stratified by nationality and sex of participants from four major communities in Jordan. Thematic coding and analysis was used. Parents described their willingness to “break the culture of shame.” Three primary strategies emerged: (1) the gender match, (2) mothers as a safe space and (3) seeking help from others, which included two sub-themes: incorporating others, and relying on the delivery of SRH information in schools. Strengths and challenges were inherent within each strategy, and discussion topics varied according to the strategy used. Evidence from this study provides an opportunity for future research and programming to improve adolescent health outcomes within conservative milieus to break the intergenerational cycle of shame. Interventions are suggested to target parents’ knowledge and self-confidence to help youth achieve their sexual development. Using gender-matched PCSC strategies, school-based platforms and religious institutions are ways to destigmatise such topics.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2020.1758444parent–child sexual communicationsexual and reproductive healthreproductive healthsexualityjordanqualitative researchgenderparents |
| spellingShingle | Areej Othman Abeer Shaheen Maysoon Otoum Mohannad Aldiqs Iqbal Hamad Maysoon Dabobe Ana Langer Jewel Gausman Parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health: perspectives of Jordanian and Syrian parents Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters parent–child sexual communication sexual and reproductive health reproductive health sexuality jordan qualitative research gender parents |
| title | Parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health: perspectives of Jordanian and Syrian parents |
| title_full | Parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health: perspectives of Jordanian and Syrian parents |
| title_fullStr | Parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health: perspectives of Jordanian and Syrian parents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health: perspectives of Jordanian and Syrian parents |
| title_short | Parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health: perspectives of Jordanian and Syrian parents |
| title_sort | parent child communication about sexual and reproductive health perspectives of jordanian and syrian parents |
| topic | parent–child sexual communication sexual and reproductive health reproductive health sexuality jordan qualitative research gender parents |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2020.1758444 |
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