Cross-cultural variations in adolescents' perceived maternal expectancy and sexual initiation.
OBJECTIVE
This study built on previous findings and compared the effects of maternal influences on adolescents' sexual initiation among four racial and ethnic groups: Asian American Pacific Islanders, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Caucasians.


METHODS
An exploratory, comparative secondary analysis of longitudinal data from 433 Asian American Pacific Islanders, 1,367 African Americans, 1,241 Hispanic Americans, and 4,567 Caucasian adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17 years at Wave 1 was conducted using structural equation modeling. Bronfenbrenner's Social Ecological Model guided the modeling and analyses.


RESULTS
Adolescents' sexual initiation was significantly associated with mother-adolescent interactions and adolescents' perceived maternal sexual expectations. Cross-cultural variations are noted and discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
Nursing interventions designed to delay adolescents' sexual initiation need to focus on familial and cultural variations associated with mother-adolescent interactions.
School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5482, USA. anniekao@umich.edu
Tsui-Sui Annie
TS
Kao
Barbara
B
Guthrie
Carol
C
Loveland-Cherry
Cleopatra Howard
CH
Caldwell
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D001213:Asian; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011247:Pregnancy; D011594:Psychometrics; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D012938:Social Perception; D014481:United States; D044465:White People