Parents Do Play a Role in Kids' Attitudes Toward Sex
Studies find communication and closeness help teens avoid risks

(HealthDay News) -- Almost everyone has a story about "the talk" -- that moment when their father or mother made some effort to communicate with them about sex.

Maybe it was funny, maybe it was awkward, but it was -- and continues to be -- important, experts say.

Consider the statistics: The birth rate among U.S. teens is rising after more than a decade of declines. About one-fourth of kids have had sexual intercourse by the time they are 15, and that number jumps to two-thirds by age 18.

Sociology researchers say that teen sexual activity is worth trying to prevent, given the huge impact of pregnancy and disease. And research has revealed that parents play a crucial role when it comes to the choices their teen kids make.

Researchers at Boston College, for instance, have found that in families that spend time together -- eating dinner, going to church, playing sports and games, and going to the movies -- children are less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.

"The time the parents spend with their children engaging in everyday activities can provide very important opportunities for meaningful relationships and communication between parents and children," according to the study, led by Rebekah Levine Coley.

This helps parents "create shared values and ideas, and keep tabs on what their children are doing and what they're up to," the study reported.

Coley's study also found that fathers start paying even more attention to their teens when they find out their kids are sexually active.

"When adolescents increased their risky sexual activities, fathers became more knowledgeable about their children's activities and friends," Coley told HealthDay. "This suggests that fathers may be making more of an effort to be engaged with their youth to try to stem their risky behaviors."

Experts also have found that, when it comes to their kids' sexuality, parents might have more influence than they think.

A nationwide survey of Hispanic teens and adults found that the teens rely on their parents' advice more than on anything else when making decisions about sex.

Nonetheless, the rate of teen pregnancy and births is higher among Hispanic teens than other racial and ethnic groups, with more than 50 percent of Hispanic females becoming pregnant when they're teens, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and the National Council of La Raza. The groups co-sponsored the survey.

The survey, which included 759 Hispanic teens and 915 adults, found that 49 percent of the teens said their decisions about sex are influenced by their parents. Other influences included friends (cited by 14 percent), other family members (6 percent), religious leaders (3 percent), teachers (2 percent) and the media (2 percent).

About three-fourths of the teens said their parents had talked to them about sex and relationships, though just 49 percent said their parents had talked to them about contraception. The most common reason why the teens said they did not use contraception was fear that their parents might find out about it.

On the Web

To learn more about parenting teens, check out information from Boys Town.

SOURCES: HealthDay News; Rebekah Levine Coley, Ph.D., associate professor, applied developmental and educational psychology, Boston College, Boston; May/June 2009, Child Development; National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, news release, May 19, 2009
Author: Dennis Thompson
Publication Date: May 31, 2010
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