Premium
Parenting Practices and Adolescent Sexual Behavior: A Longitudinal Study
Author(s) -
Bersamin Melina,
Todd Michael,
Fisher Deborah A.,
Hill Douglas L.,
Grube Joel W.,
Walker Samantha
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of marriage and family
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.578
H-Index - 159
eISSN - 1741-3737
pISSN - 0022-2445
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2007.00464.x
Subject(s) - psychology , mediation , developmental psychology , human sexuality , sexual behavior , sexual intercourse , longitudinal study , logistic regression , confirmatory factor analysis , clinical psychology , structural equation modeling , population , demography , medicine , gender studies , statistics , mathematics , pathology , sociology , political science , law
The effects of parental attitudes, practices, and television mediation on adolescent sexual behaviors were investigated in a study of adolescent sexuality and media ( N = 887). Confirmatory factor analyses supported an eight‐factor parenting model with television mediation factors as constructs distinct from general parenting practices. Logistic regressions indicated that adolescents reporting greater parental disapproval and limits on viewing at Wave 1 were less likely to initiate oral sex between Waves 1 and 2. Adolescents who reported more sexual communication with parents were more likely to initiate oral sex. Results for vaginal intercourse were similar to those for oral sex. Coviewing was a significant negative predictor of initiation of sexual behavior. Parental attitudes and television mediation can delay potentially risky adolescent sexual behaviors.