Kids additional doubtless to pay attention to sex recommendation If mamma offers ‘The Talk’

Teens whose oldsters speak with them regarding sex area unit additional doubtless to attend to own sex and to use contraception and condoms once they do, a brand new study finds.

Although a parent’s voice is barely one within the mixture of influences, it will have a big, although little, role in serving to their youngsters avoid sexually transmitted infections and unwitting pregnancies, the researchers aforementioned. and also the impact was slightly stronger once moms were those doing the talking, the study found.

“Communicating regarding sex will be uncomfortable for each oldsters and youths, however these conversations area unit a vital element of serving to teens create safe and healthy choices,” aforementioned lead man of science Laura Widman, associate degree prof within the department of psychological science at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

“What oldsters inform their youngsters regarding sex matters,” she said.

Although the study found associate degree association between having “the talk” regarding sex with teens and a delay in teens’ gender, the study wasn’t designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The report was revealed on-line November. a pair of in JAMA medical specialty.

Teen physiological state and sexually transmitted diseases, together with HIV, area unit preventable, however stay way too common, Widman aforementioned. oldsters have a crucial role in educating teens regarding sexual health and serving to them create safer, healthier choices once it involves sex, she said.

Regular conversations ought to begin before youngsters become sexually active to make sure that teens perceive family values regarding sex and area unit equipped to form the most effective potential choices, Widman advised.

“Conversations regarding sex, like conversations regarding different vital health topics for teens — drinking, smoking, texting and driving — be thoughtful, honest conversations,” Widman aforementioned. “The bottom line is that these area unit conversations value having, even though they're troublesome.”

Another skilled united. “Parents will form the sexual behavior of teens UN agency area unit having sex, and oldsters matter once it involves contraception and contraceptive device use,” aforementioned Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, prof and co-director of the middle for Latino Adolescent and Family Health at big apple University in big apple town. Guilamo-Ramos co-authored associate degree incidental to journal editorial.

Too usually oldsters suppose talking with their youngsters regarding sex means that they’re condoning sexual behavior, which could result in their youngsters changing into sexually active, he said.

“We have most proof that it will the other of that,” Guilamo-Ramos aforementioned. “Parents UN agency area unit addressing this issue, those teens area unit those least doubtless to own sex and also the presumably, if they're having sex, to use protection,” he said.

For the study, Widman’s team pooled knowledge from thirty years of analysis. The investigators found fifty two antecedently revealed studies on sex communication between oldsters and youths, similarly as teenage sexual practices. The studies enclosed over twenty five,000 adolescents.

The researchers found atiny low, however vital positive impact of parent-teen talks on safer sex behavior. The association was stronger for ladies. The link was conjointly stronger for teens UN agency mentioned sexual topics with their mothers, the study authors found.

In addition, the association between parent communication and teenage contraceptive and contraceptive device use was considerably stronger for ladies than boys, the researchers aforementioned.

“We grasp that the messages oldsters share area unit additional doubtless to fret the negative consequences of gender, like physiological state, once they speak with their daughters,” Widman aforementioned.

If oldsters need to own a stronger impact on their sons’ safer sex practices, they'll have to be compelled to increase the frequency of communication and alter the content of the messages regarding sex that they convey to boys, she said.

“For example, oldsters may additional clearly discuss the implications of adlescent physiological state for boys and stress the importance of clear communication and consent between partners. oldsters may additionally  challenge the predominant cultural messages several boys receive that they ought to forever be prepared for sex,” Widman aforementioned.

How oldsters discuss with their youngsters matters, aforementioned Brandon Korman, chief of psychological science at Jack Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.

“It’s vital that oldsters have interaction in significant discussion instead of instruction youngsters,” Korman aforementioned. “It’s not telling them what to try and do, however serving to them to know the manner the globe works and serving to them to know long consequences of behaviors,” he added.