Research brief: sexual communication and knowledge among Mexican parents and their adolescent children.
This study describes the sexual knowledge and communication of Mexican parents and adolescents. Preintervention data were analyzed from 829 high school students (ages 14-17) and one of the parents of each. Differences were found between parents and adolescents in sexual knowledge (M = 16.16 vs. M = 14.92; t = 7.20, p < .001); specifically, parents had higher knowledge related to sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, and condom use. Parents perceived more general communication (t [787] = 6.33, p < .001), and less discomfort talking about sex (t [785] = 4.69, p < .001) than adolescents. Parents with higher education levels scored higher in HIV knowledge and general communication. Fathers had higher total sexual knowledge, whereas mothers perceived higher sexual communication than fathers. There were no differences in knowledge and communication by parental socioeconomic level. Results suggest health care providers need to assist parents in developing specific knowledge and skills to support their adolescents' sexual decision-making.
Gallegos
Esther C
EC
Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon.
Villarruel
Antonia M
AM
Gómez
Marco Vinicio
MV
Onofre
Dora Julia
DJ
Zhou
Yan
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D003142:Communication; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000208:ethnology*; D008824:Michigan; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010287:Parent-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012736:Sex Education / Q000379:methods*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires