title: Using focus groups to understand mother-child communication about sex.
abstract: The purpose of this descriptive focus group study was to examine communication themes regarding sex and sexual risk behavior in low-income mothers of adolescent children. Focus group questions were guided by Jaccard's communication constructs. Data analysis provided three overriding themes in all five construct areas: mothers are often uncomfortable discussing sex with their male children, mothers feel strongly that their own values and beliefs must guide discussion, and mothers believe their children need developmentally appropriate information. This information may be useful in assisting pediatric nurses in discussing adolescent sex and sexual risk behavior with families.
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina College of Nursing, Columbia, SC, USA. mfcox@sc.edu <mfcox@sc.edu>
authors.forename: Mary F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scharer
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baliko
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012736:Sex Education / Q000379:methods; D012737:Sex Factors; D013022:South Carolina; D013997:Time Factors; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology