Family influences on Latino and Anglo adolescents' sexual behavior

• Published in: Journal of marriage and family Vol. 56; no. 4; pp. 973 - 986
• Main Authors: Hovell, M, Sipan, C, Blumberg, E, Atkins, C, Hofstetter, C.R, Kreitner, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden National Council on Family Relations 01-11-1994; Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent Attitudes; Adolescents; AIDS; Children; Contraception; cultural environment; Demography; Ethnic groups; Families & family life; Family; Family Influence; family relations; Family Structure and Diversity; High School Graduates; Hispanic Americans; Hispanics; Human sexual behavior; Latin American Cultural Groups; Mother Attitudes; Mothers; Parental Influence; Parents; Pregnancy; Reading Materials; Sex Education; Sexual Behavior; Sexual behaviour; Sexual intercourse; Sexuality; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Social Background; Social dating; Sociology; Sociology of the family. Age groups; Teenagers; U.S.A; Values; Whites; Youth problems; California; United States Of America; Sexual Behavior; Tradition; Parents; Cultural Values; Values; AIDS; Adolescent boy; Chicano; White people; Values Transmission; Pregnancy; Illness; Family; Influence; Attitude Towards; Sexual Relation; Sexual socialization
• ISSN: 0022-2445; 1741-3737
• DOI: 10.2307/353607

This analysis explored the relationship between family variables and adolescents' sexual behavior. Latino (n = 224) and Anglo (n = 160) teens completed an interview concerning their sexual practices and social and family background. Adolescents reported a mean of 4.48 (SD = 3.24) on the sexual activity scale (petting inside of clothes); 29.9% reported some form of sexual intercourse. Sexual behavior was regressed on family variables, and a multiple R of .55, which explained 30% of the variance in sexual behavior, was obtained. The variables that accounted for most of the explained variance were: adolescent's age (positive), mother's attitude about the adolescent having sex (positive), following dating rules (negative), and mother's attitude to wait until married for intercourse (negative). It was concluded that the family influence component of the model was a moderately important contributor to the development of sexual behavior in adolescents. Results suggest that conservative maternal attitudes about sex and the presence of dating rules that are followed (or enforced) delay the development of sexual behavior.