Parenting practices, parents' underestimation of daughters' risks, and alcohol and sexual behaviors of urban girls.
OBJECTIVE
In urban economically distressed communities, high rates of early sexual initiation combined with alcohol use place adolescent girls at risk for myriad negative health consequences. This article reports on the extent to which parents of young teens underestimate both the risks their daughters are exposed to and the considerable influence that they have over their children's decisions and behaviors.


METHODS
Surveys were conducted with more than 700 sixth-grade girls and their parents, recruited from seven New York City schools serving low-income families. Bivariate and multivariate analyses examined relationships among parents' practices and perceptions of daughters' risks, girls' reports of parenting, and outcomes of girls' alcohol use, media and peer conduct, and heterosexual romantic and social behaviors that typically precede sexual intercourse.


RESULTS
Although only four parents thought that their daughters had used alcohol, 22% of the daughters reported drinking in the past year. Approximately 5% of parents thought that daughters had hugged and kissed a boy for a long time or had "hung out" with older boys, whereas 38% of girls reported these behaviors. Parents' underestimation of risk was correlated with lower reports of positive parenting practices by daughters. In multivariate analyses, girls' reports of parental oversight, rules, and disapproval of risk are associated with all three behavioral outcomes. Adult reports of parenting practices are associated with girls' conduct and heterosexual behaviors, but not with their alcohol use.


CONCLUSIONS
Creating greater awareness of the early onset of risk behaviors among urban adolescent girls is important for fostering positive parenting practices, which in turn may help parents to support their daughters' healthier choices.
O'Donnell
Lydia
L
Health and Human Development Programs, Education Development Center, Inc., Newton, Massachusetts 02458, USA. lodonnell@edc.org
Stueve
Ann
A
Duran
Richard
R
Myint-U
Athi
A
Agronick
Gail
G
San Doval
Alexi
A
Wilson-Simmons
Renée
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D010465:Perception; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*