Risky sexual behavior among
adolescents is common and results in many negative consequences. The present
study investigated longitudinal predictors of adolescents' likelihood of
engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse. Parental knowledge, or the extent
to which parents know about their children's activities, whereabouts, and
friendships, is a robust predictor of youth risk behavior, including risky sexual
behavior. However, parenting practices are typically less potent as predictors
of subsequent behavior among youth with high levels of callous-unemotional (CU)
traits.
We conducted three logistic regression models, each of which examined
parental knowledge in a different way (through child report, parent report, and
a discrepancy score), allowing us to examine parental knowledge, CU traits, and
their interaction as predictors of adolescents' subsequent engagement in sex
without a condom.
Results indicated that adolescents who perceived their
parents to possess greater knowledge were less likely to engage in unprotected
sex. Higher parent report of parental knowledge was also related to decreased
likelihood of engaging in unprotected sex, but only for adolescents with high
levels of CU traits.
In addition, greater discrepancy between parent and
adolescent reports of parental knowledge was related to increased likelihood of
engaging in unprotected sex, but only for adolescents with low levels of CU
traits.
Results highlight the importance of considering both parent and
adolescent perceptions of parental knowledge and have important implications
for prevention and intervention efforts.
Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/fkd7fn
By:
- 1University of Maryland, College Park, USA kelong5@umd.edu.
- 2University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
More at: https://twitter.com/hiv_insight
No comments:
Post a Comment