Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

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• Help make the conversation a dialogue and not amonologue; encourage children to express theirviews and ask questions.• If need be, become informed about the levels ofsexual activity among your children’s friends andpeers.• Think about your beliefs and values and sharethem clearly and honestly.• Recognize that conversations about sex maysometimes be uncomfortable, but that it is importantto have them anyway.• Always remember that talking about sex does notencourage young people to have sex, but may helpthem make more responsible sexual decisions.How has parent-child communication beenmeasured?Table9-7Communication questionsHave you ever talked with your parents about the followinglist of topics? (No; Yes, a little; Yes, a lot)If yes, how many times?If yes, how comfortable were you? (Very comfortable; Kind ofcomfortable; Not at all comfortable)List of topicsBody changesMenstruation and wet dreamsReproductionExamples of Items That Have Been Usedto Measure Parent-Child CommunicationAbout SexualityTable 9-7 lists illustrative questions that have beenused to measure parent-child communication aboutsexuality.ConclusionsIn sum, these studies indicate that reaching parentsthrough homework assignments may prove the mostpromising method of reaching large numbers ofparents and actually having an impact on parentchildcommunication. These homework assignmentsand programs for parents and their teens togetherhave the strongest evidence that they increaseparent-child communication about sex. Theseresults undoubtedly reflect the fact that homeworkassignments and activities in parent-child programsdirectly involve parents and teens talking togetherabout sex. That is, if activities are completed, theywill necessarily increase parent-child communication.However, the longer-term impact on this communicationis less clear. A few of these programs,either with homework assignments to talk with parentsor with the direct involvement of parents andtheir teens, actually delayed the initiation of sexualactivity or increased condom use.Numerous studies indicate that other family characteristics(e.g., parental support/connectednessand parental monitoring) are related to adolescentsexual behavior. To the extent that programs toincrease parent-child communication about sex alsocan increase parental support, connectedness andpossibly even appropriate monitoring, they also mayreduce teen sexual risk behavior.Going out; going together at different agesReproductionPregnancySexually transmitted diseaseValues about sexual behaviorAlternatives to sexYoung people having sex (under what conditions, if at all)Using condoms or other types of contraceptionHealthy and unhealthy relationshipsDating violence114 Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical Guide for Developing and Adapting Curriculum-Based Programs
Activity 9-1Description of ActivityHomework Assignment to Talk with ParentsObjectives: Students will be able to:Increase the frequency and quality of parent-child conversations about sexRisk and Protective Factors Affected:Parent-child communication about sexActivity:Students are given a homework assignment to go home and talk with their parents (or other trustedadults) about sexuality. They ask their parents the questions on a worksheet, but do not recordanswers. The worksheet should include questions about when it is okay for a person to have sex,what people should consider before deciding to have sexual intercourse, and what the parents’beliefs are about using condoms or other types of contraception. Students are encouraged to takethis opportunity to talk with their parents about other issues involving sex.After the students and parents discuss these questions, the parents (or other trusted adults) sign theworksheet, indicating they had a conversation about the questions.As an option, students can brainstorm questions beforehand in class that they would like to asktheir parents. They then choose questions from the brainstormed list that they would like to asktheir parents, in addition to those on the worksheet.In subsequent class periods, students debrief their experience talking with their parents aboutsex. To maintain confidentiality, they do not reveal what their parents said. Students then identifystrategies for making it easier to talk with their parents about sex.Important Considerations in Using ItParents should be notified ahead of time that their teens will be bringing home an assignment totalk with them about sexuality, so that the parents can think about and prepare their answers, ifnecessary.Parents can be given information about sexual behavior among teens in their communities, teenpregnancy and STD rates and the effectiveness of condoms and other forms of contraception.Multiple consecutive homework assignments can lead to more in-depth conversations.References for Lessons That Describe a Similar Activity More Fully1. It’s Your Game, Grade 7, Lesson 10, Activity IV: Parent-Student Homework2. It’s Your Game, Grade 8, Lesson 11, Activity IV: Parent-Student Homework3. Reducing the Risk, Class 3: Talk to Your Parents4. Safer Choices, Level 1, Class 1, Activity 4: Homework—Then and Now5. Safer Choices, Level 1, Class 5B, Activity 2: Homework Review—Then and Now6. Safer Choices, Level 1, Class 7, Activity 5: Homework—What Do You Think?7. Safer Choices, Level 2, Class 1, Activity 3: Homework—Talk About It8. Safer Choices, Level 2, Class 5, Activity 1: Homework Review—Talk About It9. Safer Choices, Level 2, Class 8, Activity 4: What Do You Think?10. Safer Choices, Level 2, Class 10, Activity 1: Homework Review—What Do You Think?Chapter 9 Increasing Parent-Child Communication About Sex 115
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Reducing AdolescentSexual RiskA The
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ETR Associates (Education, Training
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AcknowledgmentsThis book evolved ou
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Activities, Boxes and FiguresActivi
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1 IntroductionThis book was created
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• Children of teenage mothers are
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Table1-2 The 17 Characteristics of
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Each of the following chapters focu
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“determinants,” “behaviors,
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model, provide evidence regarding h
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to avoid unwanted sex and then synt
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Figure2-3 An Example of a Logic Mod
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Table2-2Learning Objectives to Redu
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Table2-2Learning Objectives to Redu
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Table2-3Learning Objectives to Incr
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3 Increasing KnowledgeKeys to Incre
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Table3-1Number of Studies Reporting
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Box3-1Types of Activities to Increa
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partner does not mind using a condo
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methods more often. For example, th
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4ImprovingPerceptions of Risks—Bo
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1. Do teens’ perceptions of risk
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a. Presentations and discussions of
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Table4-5Examples of Items That Have
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Pregnancy Risk Activity and Follow-
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STD Handshake(Continued)Important C
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5AddressingAttitudes,Values and Bel
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Theories ofAttitude ChangeAttitudes
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Although both quality and quantity
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• When arguments are presented by
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Page 143 and 144: ResourcesThree kinds of resources a
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Page 147 and 148: National Longitudinal Study of Adol
Page 149 and 150: Changing Social Normshttp://www.etr
Page 151 and 152: Advocates for Youth, Young Women of
Page 153 and 154: ReferencesAbelson, R., and Prentice
Page 155 and 156: Coyle, K. (2006). All4You2! Prevent
Page 157 and 158: Lapsey, D.K. (1993). Toward an inte
Page 159 and 160: Weed, S.E., Olsen, J.A., DeGaston,
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