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.