Family communication about sex and relationships extends from early adolescence to emerging adulthood, study finds

Newswise — Parents’ communication with their teens about sex and relationships can protect teens from risky sexual behaviors, but few studies investigate how family talk may change over the course of development from adolescence to emerging adulthood. 

A new study in Sexes from the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) did just that, following a sample of 15 adolescents in the U.S. over three time points: early adolescence (age 13-14), middle adolescence (age 15-16), and emerging adulthood (age 20-21). 

Led by WCW Senior Research Scientist Jennifer M. Grossman, Ph.D., the researchers analyzed participants’ experiences of talk with their parents about sex and relationships in terms of their comfort and engagement, as well as the content of that talk, including dating and relationships, pregnancy and parenting, protection, STIs, and sexual behavior. 

The study found that family communication about sex and relationships extended from early adolescence to emerging adulthood, but changed in content to reflect shifts in adolescent and emerging adult development. Further, while positive engagement and comfort with talk about sex remained relatively high over time, participants’ discomfort and negative engagement appeared to increase, highlighting challenges for ongoing family communication. 

“These findings suggest a meaningful, ongoing role for parents in family communication about sex and relationships as their children develop,” said Grossman, who leads WCW’s Family, Sexuality, and Communication Research Initiative. “Our findings also suggest some opportunities and challenges that parents may face through this process.”

Grossman recently wrote more about what this means for parents in Bay State Parent. 

The journal article was coauthored by Amanda M. Richer, M.A. A Longitudinal Look at Family Communication about Sexual Issues is published in Sexes. DOI: 10.3390/sexes3010013

Research reported in this publication was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under award number R03 HD095029-01A1. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.