A Longitudinal Look at Family Communication about Sexual Issues
Parent–child communication about sex and relationships can protect adolescents from risky sexual behaviors, but few studies investigate how family talk may change over the course of development from adolescence to emerging adulthood. This current study uses thematic analysis to explore continuity an...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Sexes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5118/3/1/13 |
| _version_ | 1797442172223488000 |
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| author | Jennifer M. Grossman Amanda M. Richer |
| author_facet | Jennifer M. Grossman Amanda M. Richer |
| author_sort | Jennifer M. Grossman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Parent–child communication about sex and relationships can protect adolescents from risky sexual behaviors, but few studies investigate how family talk may change over the course of development from adolescence to emerging adulthood. This current study uses thematic analysis to explore continuity and change in perceived talk with parents about sex and relationships, following a United States sample of 15 adolescent participants over three time points: early adolescence (age 13–14), middle adolescence (age 15–16), and emerging adulthood (age 20–21). Analyses addressed participants’ experiences of talk with parents about sex and relationships (comfort, engagement) and the content of talk: dating and relationships, pregnancy and parenting, protection, STIs, and sexual behavior. Findings show that family communication about sex and relationships extends from early adolescence to emerging adulthood, but changes in content to reflect shifts in adolescent and emerging adult development. Further, while positive engagement and comfort with talk about sex remain relatively high over time, participants’ discomfort and negative engagement appear to increase, highlighting challenges for ongoing family communication. These findings suggest a meaningful, ongoing role for parents in family communication about sex and relationships as their children develop, and suggest some opportunities and challenges that parents may face through this process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:37:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-80fab5d3a1094d31bb54f6b6f3302e8e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2411-5118 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:37:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sexes |
| spelling | doaj.art-80fab5d3a1094d31bb54f6b6f3302e8e2023-11-30T22:21:50ZengMDPI AGSexes2411-51182022-02-013116417710.3390/sexes3010013A Longitudinal Look at Family Communication about Sexual IssuesJennifer M. Grossman0Amanda M. Richer1Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481, USAWellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481, USAParent–child communication about sex and relationships can protect adolescents from risky sexual behaviors, but few studies investigate how family talk may change over the course of development from adolescence to emerging adulthood. This current study uses thematic analysis to explore continuity and change in perceived talk with parents about sex and relationships, following a United States sample of 15 adolescent participants over three time points: early adolescence (age 13–14), middle adolescence (age 15–16), and emerging adulthood (age 20–21). Analyses addressed participants’ experiences of talk with parents about sex and relationships (comfort, engagement) and the content of talk: dating and relationships, pregnancy and parenting, protection, STIs, and sexual behavior. Findings show that family communication about sex and relationships extends from early adolescence to emerging adulthood, but changes in content to reflect shifts in adolescent and emerging adult development. Further, while positive engagement and comfort with talk about sex remain relatively high over time, participants’ discomfort and negative engagement appear to increase, highlighting challenges for ongoing family communication. These findings suggest a meaningful, ongoing role for parents in family communication about sex and relationships as their children develop, and suggest some opportunities and challenges that parents may face through this process.https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5118/3/1/13family communicationparent–child relationshipstalk about sexadolescenceemerging adulthoodqualitative |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer M. Grossman Amanda M. Richer A Longitudinal Look at Family Communication about Sexual Issues Sexes family communication parent–child relationships talk about sex adolescence emerging adulthood qualitative |
| title | A Longitudinal Look at Family Communication about Sexual Issues |
| title_full | A Longitudinal Look at Family Communication about Sexual Issues |
| title_fullStr | A Longitudinal Look at Family Communication about Sexual Issues |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Longitudinal Look at Family Communication about Sexual Issues |
| title_short | A Longitudinal Look at Family Communication about Sexual Issues |
| title_sort | longitudinal look at family communication about sexual issues |
| topic | family communication parent–child relationships talk about sex adolescence emerging adulthood qualitative |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5118/3/1/13 |
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