Predictors of father-son communication about sexuality.
Examining the factors that influence adolescents' sexual behaviors is crucial for understanding why they often engage in risky sexual behaviors. Using social cognitive theory, we examined predictors of father-son communication about sexuality. Fathers (N=155) of adolescent sons completed a survey measuring 12 variables, including self-efficacy and outcome expectations. We found that (a) son's pubertal development, father's sex-based values, father's education; father's communication with his father, outcome expectations, and general communication accounted for 36% of the variance in information sharing communication and (b) son's pubertal development, outcome expectations, general communication, and father-son contact accounted for 20% of the variance in values sharing communication. Study findings can aid professionals in designing guidelines for programs to promote father-son general communication and sex-based communication.
Lehr
Sally T
ST
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. slehr@emory.edu
Demi
Alice S
AS
Dilorio
Colleen
C
Facteau
Jeffrey
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011606:Psychosexual Development; D012736:Sex Education / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States