Gender Differences in the ABC’s of the Birds and the Bees: What Mothers Teach Young Children About Sexuality and Reproduction

Martin, Karin A.; Luke, Katherine P.

doi:10.1007/s11199-009-9731-4

Cited by 53 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…The finding that mothers are more comfortable engaging with daughters than sons in sex communication also supports the gendered sex communication noted above. This difference in comfort with sex communication based on parents’ gender can be explained in part by a large survey of mothers with young children that found that mothers do not care as much about daughters seeing them naked compared to sons, which provides more early opportunities to talk about bodies and sexuality among mothers and daughters (Martin & Luke, 2010). While seemingly simplistic, these early dyadic exchanges do set a pattern for more mother-daughter discussions that continue through adolescence and beyond.…”

Section: Enduring Sex Communication Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

21st Century Parent–Child Sex Communication in the United States: A Process Review

Flores

Barroso

2017

The Journal of Sex Research

207

143

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Parent-child sex communication results in the transmission of family expectations, societal values, and role modeling of sexual health risk reduction strategies. Parent-child sex communication’s potential to curb negative sexual health outcomes has sustained a multidisciplinary effort to better understand the process and its impact on the development of healthy sexual attitudes and behaviors among adolescents. This review advances what is known about the process of sex communication in the U.S. by reviewing studies published from 2003 to 2015. We used CINAHL, PsycInfo and Pubmed, the key-terms “parent child” AND “sex education” for the initial query; we included 116 original articles for analysis. Our review underscores long-established factors that prevent parents from effectively broaching and sustaining talks about sex with their children and has also identified emerging concerns unique to today’s parenting landscape. Parental factors salient to sex communication are established long before individuals become parents and are acted upon by influences beyond the home. Child-focused communication factors likewise describe a maturing audience that is far from captive. The identification of both enduring and emerging factors that affect how sex communication occurs will inform subsequent work that will result in more positive sexual health outcomes for adolescents.

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Section: Enduring Sex Communication Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

21st Century Parent–Child Sex Communication in the United States: A Process Review

Flores

Barroso

2017

The Journal of Sex Research

207

143

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“…There are key differences in the socialization processes of boys and girls in terms of their sexual behavior; extant studies have found that mothers are more likely to communicate with daughters compared to fathers (Dilorio et al 2000; Hutchinson and Cederbaum 2011; Martin and Luke 2010; Pluhar et al 2008; Wyckoff et al 2008). Additionally, daughters typically report greater comfort and frequency of sex discussions with their mothers (Guzman et al 2003; Kapungu et al 2010).…”

Section: The Significance Of the Maternal Rolementioning

confidence: 99%

Direct and Indirect Effects of Maternal and Peer Influences on Sexual Intention among Urban African American and Hispanic Females

Barman‐Adhikari

Cederbaum

Sathoff

et al. 2014

Child Adolesc Soc Work J

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Peer and family influences are interconnected in complex ways. These influences shape adolescent decision-making regarding engagement in sexual behaviors. Evidence indicates the more proximal (and direct) a process is to an individual, the more likely it is to affect his/her development and behavior. Therefore, family factors (e.g., parenting practices) and peer influence (e.g., peer norms) tend to be more strongly associated with adolescent behavior than distal factors (e.g., media or the economy). Guided by an ecological framework, this study explored how maternal influence variables interact with perceptions of peer influence to affect daughters' intentions to have sex. A nonprobability sample of 176 mother-daughter dyads was recruited in clinics and service organizations in the northeastern United States. Results from path analysis revealed that maternal influence variables had a significant indirect relationship with daughters' intentions to have sex through daughters' perceptions of peer influence. Maternal processes can act as protective factors for adolescent girls who perceive their peers are engaged in sexual behaviors. Therefore, risk reduction interventions with adolescents should include opportunities for parents to learn about sex-related issues and develop skills that will allow them to buffer negative peer influence.

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“…Mothers are more likely to communicate with daughters (DiIorio et al, 2000; Martin & Luke, 2010; Pluhar et al, 2008; Wyckoff et al, 2008), particularly older daughters (Martino et al, 2008; Pluhar et al, 2008); daughters report greater comfort and frequency of sex discussions with their mothers (Guzman et al, 2003; Kapungu et al, 2010). Mothers more often take primary responsibility for caregiving activities, monitoring (DiClemente et al, 2001), and for discussing sexuality with their children (Hutchinson, 2002).…”

Section: Mother-daughter Communicationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Experience of Sexual Risk Communication in African American Families Living With HIV

Cederbaum

2011

Journal of Adolescent Research

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Mother-daughter communication plays an influential role in adolescent development. The impact of maternal HIV infection on family communication is not clear. This study explores how living with HIV impacts sexual risk communication between mothers and daughters and whether maternal HIV status influences adolescent choices about engagement in HIV risk behaviors. Data were collected from 12 African American women and 10 of their adolescent daughters through focus groups. Both mothers and daughters shared information about issues that promoted and inhibited communication and engagement in risk behaviors. Findings show that HIV status served as a mechanism for behavioral change related to communication and risk engagement behaviors. Therefore, HIV-infected mothers should be supported in communicating values and expectations to their daughters.

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Gender Differences in the ABC’s of the Birds and the Bees: What Mothers Teach Young Children About Sexuality and Reproduction

Cited by 53 publications

References 47 publications

21st Century Parent–Child Sex Communication in the United States: A Process Review

21st Century Parent–Child Sex Communication in the United States: A Process Review

Direct and Indirect Effects of Maternal and Peer Influences on Sexual Intention among Urban African American and Hispanic Females

The Experience of Sexual Risk Communication in African American Families Living With HIV

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