Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105490

Patricia J. Dittus, PhD¹, Kathleen A. Ethier, PhD², Pamela Anderson-Mahoney, PhD³, Christine J. De Rosa, PhD³, Mark A. Schuster, MD, PhD⁴, Linda Ward Russell, LCSW⁵, Peter Kerndt, MD, MPH⁶, and Jenny Kotlerman³. (1) Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS K-33, Atlanta, GA 30341, (2) Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Mailstop E44, Atlanta, GA 30303, (3) Health Research Association, 3580 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1660, Los Angeles, CA 90010, 818.989.3029, panderso@usc.edu, (4) Department of Pediatrics, UCLA, Box 951752, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752, (5) Los Angeles Unified School District, 333 S. Beaudry Avenue, 20th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017, (6) Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Sexually Transmitted Disease Program, 2615 So. Grand Avenue Rm 500, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Purpose: The content and quality of parental communication with adolescents about sex affects adolescent sexual risk behavior. We developed a model of how communication influences sexual behavior and used it to examine the association between supportive and negative communication styles and communication content (specifically, consequences of sexual behavior, delaying sexual activity, and sexual protection) and adolescent sexual behavior. The effect of communication content on the initiation of sexual intercourse and number of sexual partners was also examined. Methods: A classroom-based survey was administered to 584 students (78% Latino, 17% African-American) in six Los Angeles Unified School District high schools, as part of the formative research for Project Connect. Results: Supportive communication was significantly associated with communication about consequences (b=.37, p<.001), communication about delaying sex (b=.35, p<.001), and communication about protection (b=.42, p<.001). Communication about delaying sex was negatively associated with sexual initiation (OR = .57, 95% CI .38 - .85) and number of partners (b=-.44, p<.004). Conclusions: Parents can have an important impact on the sexual behaviors of adolescents who have and have not initiated intercourse. Parent-centered interventions may benefit from teaching parents research-based strategies.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• articulate the types of parental communication that have an impact on adolescent sexual behavior.
• describe the relationship between quality and content of communication.
• develop intervention messages for parents on communication with adolescents about sex.

Keywords: Adolescents, Communication

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation