Abstract
Previous literature has emphasized the role of mothers in sexual health communication with their adolescents. However, the extant literature lacks exploration of the importance of parental communication in association to specific risk-reduction behaviors, such as access to contraceptives. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore the roles of parental attachment, the mother–daughter relationship, and communication about sexual content during adolescence in relation to women’s recalled access to contraceptives during their teen years. Cisgender female participants aged between 18 and 35 (N = 582) were retrospectively assessed on maternal and paternal attachment, the mother–daughter relationship, mother–daughter communication about sexual content, and their own access to contraceptives during their teen years. After controlling for socioeconomic status, participant race, and history of pregnancy, only maternal communication about sexual content significantly related to access to contraceptives and ease of access to contraceptives. These results demonstrated that specific communication about sexual content was associated with greater access and ease of access to contraceptives, whereas more general relationship factors and communication did not.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
Available from corresponding author via email.
References
Ashcraft, A. M., & Murray, P. J. (2017). Talking to parents about adolescent sexuality. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 64, 305–320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2016.11.002
Armsden, G. C., & Greenberg, M. T. (1987). The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment: Individual differences and their relationship to psychological well-being in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 16, 427–454. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02202939
Aspy, C. B., Vesely, S. K., Oman, R. F., Rodine, S., Marshall, L., & McLeroy, K. (2007). Parental communication and youth sexual behaviour. Journal of Adolescence, 30, 449–466. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2006.04.007
Beckett, M. K., Elliott, M. N., Martino, S., Kanouse, D. E., Corona, R., Klein, D. J., & Schuster, M. A. (2010). Timing of parent and child communication about sexuality relative to children’s sexual behaviors. Pediatrics, 125, 34–42. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-0806
Boonstra, H. D. (2009). Advocates call for a new approach after the era of “abstinence-only” sex education. Guttmacher Policy Review, 12, 8.
Carver, K., Joyner, K., & Udry, R. J. (2003). National estimates of adolescent romantic relationships. In P. Florsheim (Ed.), Adolescent romantic relationships and sexual behavior: Theory, research, and practical implications (pp. 23–56). Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2019). Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Data summary and trends report, 2009-2019. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBSDataSummaryTrendsReport2019-508.pdf on November 17, 2021.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). Sexually transmitted diseases. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/std/life-stages-populations/adolescents-youngadults.htm on October 22, 2021.
Chandra-Mouli, V., Parameshwar, P., Parry, M., Lane, C., Hainsworth, G., & Wong, S. (2017). A never-before opportunity to strengthen investment and action on adolescent contraception, and what we must do to make full use of it. Reproductive Health, 14, 85. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-017-0347-9
Chin, H. B., Sipe, T. A., Elder, R., Mercer, S. L., Chattopadhyay, S. K., Jacob, V., & Santelli, J. (2012). The effectiveness of group-based comprehensive risk-reduction and abstinence education interventions to prevent or reduce the risk of adolescent pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus, and sexually transmitted infections: Two systematic reviews for the guide to community preventive services. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 42, 272–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2011.11.006
Commendador, K. A. (2010). Parental influences on adolescent decision making and contraceptive use. Pediatric Nursing, 36, 147–156.
Daniels, K., & Abma, J. C. (2020). Current contraceptive status among women aged 15–49: United States, 2017–2019. NCHS Data Brief, 388. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
Denford, S., Abraham, C., Campbell, R., & Busse, H. (2017). A comprehensive review of reviews of school-based interventions to improve sexual-health. Health Psychology Review, 11, 33–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2016.1240625
DiIorio, C., Kelley, M., & Hockenberry-Eaton, M. (1999). Communication about sexual issues: Mothers, fathers, and friends. Journal of Adolescent Health, 24, 181–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(98)00115-3
Eastman, K. L., Corona, R., Ryan, G. W., Warsofsky, A. L., & Schuster, M. A. (2007). Worksite-based parenting programs to promote healthy adolescent sexual development: A qualitative study of feasibility and potential content. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 37(2), 62–69. https://doi.org/10.1363/3706205
Finer, L. B., & Philbin, J. M. (2013). Sexual initiation, contraceptive use, and pregnancy among young adolescents. Pediatrics, 131, 886–891. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-3495
Fortenberry, J. D., Schick, V., Herbenick, D., Sanders, S. A., Dodge, B., & Reece, M. (2010). Sexual behaviors and condom use at last vaginal intercourse: A national sample of adolescents ages 14 to 17 years. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7, 305–314. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02018.x
Godinez, E. (2018). Does insecure parental attachment influence teenage unprotected sex? The Measure, 2, 35–44.
Grossman, J. M., Sarwar, P. F., Richer, A. M., & Erkut, S. (2017). “We talked about sex.”"No, we didn’t": Exploring adolescent and parent agreement about sexuality communication. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 12, 343–357. https://doi.org/10.1080/15546128.2017.1372829
Guarnieri, S., Ponti, L., & Tani, F. (2010). The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA): A study on the validity of styles of adolescent attachment to parents and peers in an Italian sample. Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 17, 103–130.
Harper, C. C., Rocca, C. H., Thompson, K. M., Morfesis, J., Goodman, S., Darney, P. D., Westhoff, C. L., & Speidel, J. J. (2015). Reductions in pregnancy rates in the USA with long-acting reversible contraception: A cluster randomized trial. The Lancet, 386, 562–568. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(14)62460-0
Harris, A. (2016). Parent-adolescent sexual communication. Nursing for Women’s Health, 20, 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2016.01.002
Hutchinson, M. K., Jemmott, J. B., Jemmott, L. S., Braverman, P., & Fong, G. T. (2003). The role of mother-daughter sexual risk communication in reducing sexual risk behaviors among urban adolescent females: A prospective study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 33, 98–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(03)00183-6
Ikramullah, E., Manlow, J., Cui, C., & Moore, K. A. (2009). Parents matter: The role of parents in tees’ decisions about sex. Child Research Brief, 45, 2–7.
Kaestle, C. E., Allen, K. R., Wesche, R., & Grafsky, E. L. (2021). Adolescent sexual development: A family perspective. Journal of Sex Research, 58, 874–890. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1924605
Kip**, R. R., Smith, M., Heron, J., Hickman, M., & Campbell, R. (2015). Multiple risk behaviour in adolescence and socioeconomic status: Findings from a UK birth cohort. European Journal of Public Health, 25, 44–49. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cku078
Kirby, D. B. (2008). The impact of abstinence and comprehensive sex and STD/HIV education programs on adolescent sexual behavior. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 5(3), 18–27. https://doi.org/10.1525/srsp.2008.5.3.18
Kohler, P. K., Manhart, L. E., & Lafferty, W. E. (2008). Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42, 344–351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.026
Koren, A. (2019). Reproductive health for teens: Parents want in too. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 45, 406–413. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2018.1549635
Marseille, E., Mirzazadeh, A., Biggs, M. A., Miller, A. P., Horvath, H., Lightfoot, M., Malekinejad, M., & Kahn, J. G. (2018). Effectiveness of school-based teen pregnancy prevention programs in the USA: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Prevention Science, 19, 468–489. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-017-0861-6
Martin, J. A., Hamilton, B. E., Osterman, M. J. K., & Driscoll, A. K. (2021). Births: Final data for 2019. National Vital Statistics Report: From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics Systems, 70, 1–51.
Mason-Jones, A. J., Crips, C., Momberg, M., Koech, J., De Koker, P., & Mathews, C. (2012). A systematic review of the role of school-based healthcare in adolescent sexual, reproductive, and mental health. Systematic Reviews, 1, 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-4053-1-49
Miller, B. C. (2002). Family influences on adolescent sexual and contraceptive behavior. Journal of Sex Research, 39, 22–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490209552115
Mohammadabadi, A. N., Askari, A., Bahrami, F., Sadegh, R., & Abedi, J. (2013). Standardization and validation of Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised (IPPA-R) in children. Research in Clinical Psychology and Counseling, 2(2), 81.
Mueller, T. E., Gavin, L. E., & Kulkarni, A. (2008). The association between sex education and youth’s engagement in sexual intercourse, age at first intercourse, and birth control use at first sex. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(1), 89–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.002
Pariera, K. L. (2016). Barriers and prompts to parent-child sexual communication. Journal of Family Communication, 16, 277–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2016.1181068
Pariera, K. L., & Brody, E. (2018). “Talk more about it”: Emerging adults’ attitudes about how and when parents should talk about sex. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 15, 219–229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-017-0314-9
Parker, G., Tupling, H., & Brown, L. B. (1979). A parental bonding instrument. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 52, 1–10.
Reece, M., Herbenick, D., Schick, V., Sanders, S. A., Dodge, B., & Fortenberry, J. D. (2010). Condom use rates in a national probability sample of males and females ages 14 to 94 in the United States. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7, 266–276. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02017.x
Romero, L. M., Galbraith, J. S., Wilson-Williams, L., & Gloppen, K. M. (2011). HIV prevention among African American youth: How well have evidence-based interventions addressed key theoretical constructs? AIDS and Behavior, 15, 976–991. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9745-5
Santelli, J. S. (2006). Abstinence-only education: Politics, science, and ethics. Social Research: An International Quarterly, 73, 835–858.
Strasburger, V. C., & Brown, S. S. (2014). Sex education in the 21st Century. Journal of the American Medical Association, 312(2), 125–126. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2014.4789
Swan, L. E. T. (2021). The impact of US policy on contraceptive access: A policy analysis. Reproductive Health, 18, 235. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01289-3
Szucs, L. E., Lowry, R., Fasula, A. M., Pampati, S., Copen, C. E., Hussaini, K. S., Kachur, R. E., Koumans, E. H., & Steiner, R. J. (2019). Condom and contraceptive use among sexually active high school students — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2019. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 69(1), 11–18. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su6901a2
Underhill, K., Operario, D., & Montgomery, P. (2007). Abstinence-only programs for HIV infection prevention in high-income countries. Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews, 4, 1–115. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD005421.pub2
United Nations Children’s Fund. (2020). A new era for girls: Taking stock of 25 years of progress. https://www.unicef.org/reports/new-era-for-girls-2020.
Weaver, A. D., Byers, E. S., Sears, H. A., Cohen, J. N., & Randall, H. E. S. (2002). Sexual health education at school and at home: Attitudes and experiences of New Brunswick parents. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 11, 19–31.
Wilson, H. W., & Donenberg, G. (2004). Quality of parent communication about sex and its relationship to risky sexual behavior among youth in psychiatric care: A pilot study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45, 387–395. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00229.x
Woodruff, R. J. V., Zimmerli, W. H., & Duncan, D. F. (2006). Reasons youth of color give for not accessing primary health care. Californian Journal of Health Promotion, 4, 175–180. https://doi.org/10.32398/cjhp.v4i2.1943
Yu, J. (2010). Sex education beyond school: Implications for practice and research. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, 10, 187–199. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811003666515
Funding
No funds, grants, or other support was received.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All authors contributed to the study conception and design. The first draft of the manuscript was written by IM, JI, and BL. Material preparation, data collection, and analyses were performed by EG. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethical approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Conflict of interest
The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Munshi, I., Ishaq, J.K., Liebhardt, B. et al. Maternal Communication About Sexual Content and Ease of Access to Contraceptives. Arch Sex Behav 52, 1607–1616 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02476-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02476-4