Parent Sex Talks With Kids Lower Risky Sexual Behaviors

First Posted: Nov 02, 2015 11:00 PM EST
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Talking with your kids about safe sex may seem awkward, but it can help prevent risky sexual behaviors in those growing up.

As risky sexual behaviors among adolescents continue to pose a serious public health problem--increasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies--communication between parents and adolescents can positively affect safer sex behaviors among teens, including the use of condoms and contraception. Unfortunately, such talks do not always happen due to embarrassment and inaccurate knowledge.

During this recent study, researchers looked at data from 30 years of research that included 52 articles with information on over 25,000 adolescents. They examined the effect of parent-adolescent sexual communication on safer sex behavior among youth.

From this analysis, the researchers discovered that parent-adolescent sexual communication was linked to a small but significantly positive effect when it came to increasing safer sexual behaviors. From this, they noted that the association was strongest in girls and adolescents who discussed sexual topics with their mothers.

"Results of this study confirm that parent-adolescent sexual communication is a protective factor for youth, and a focus on communication remains justified in future intervention efforts," researchers concluded, in a news release

The study results are published in JAMA Pediatrics

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