Associations Between Adolescent Perceptions of Parental Interactions and Adolescent Sexual Behaviors

Associations Between Adolescent Perceptions of Parental Interactions and Adolescent Sexual Behaviors by Shakesha Fairley MA, Cameron University, 2006 BS, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, 2004 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Health Psychology Walden University September 2016 Abstract Sexual risk behaviors among U.S. adolescents is a major public health concern. Adolescents are contracting sexually transmitted diseases at alarming rates. The purpose of this research was to identify factors related to parent-child interactions that influence adolescent sexual behaviors. A combination of attachment theory and family systems theory was used to help explain how adolescent sexual choices (age of sexual debut, use of birth control, use of condoms, multiple sex partners in a 12-month period) are affected by the perceived quality of parent-child interactions (maternal/parental closeness, monitoring, communication, and involvement). Archival data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics National Longitudinal Survey of Child and Young Adult cohort 1979 (NLSY79) was used for this research. A sample of 11,504 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years, and their biological mothers who participated in the longitudinal survey, was drawn. Nonparametric analyses revealed significant differences in adolescent perceptions of maternal and paternal closeness and maternal perceptions of maternal and paternal closeness. Logistic regression analyses revealed that adolescents’ perceptions of parental engagement (maternal and paternal closeness, monitoring, communication, and involvement) significantly affected their sexual choices (age of sexual debut, use of birth control, condoms, and multiple partners). The results of this study can be used to initiate positive social change by informing parents, program developers, and researchers.Sexual risk behaviors among U.S. adolescents is a major public health concern. Adolescents are contracting sexually transmitted diseases at alarming rates. The purpose of this research was to identify factors related to parent-child interactions that influence adolescent sexual behaviors. A combination of attachment theory and family systems theory was used to help explain how adolescent sexual choices (age of sexual debut, use of birth control, use of condoms, multiple sex partners in a 12-month period) are affected by the perceived quality of parent-child interactions (maternal/parental closeness, monitoring, communication, and involvement). Archival data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics National Longitudinal Survey of Child and Young Adult cohort 1979 (NLSY79) was used for this research. A sample of 11,504 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years, and their biological mothers who participated in the longitudinal survey, was drawn. Nonparametric analyses revealed significant differences in adolescent perceptions of maternal and paternal closeness and maternal perceptions of maternal and paternal closeness. Logistic regression analyses revealed that adolescents’ perceptions of parental engagement (maternal and paternal closeness, monitoring, communication, and involvement) significantly affected their sexual choices (age of sexual debut, use of birth control, condoms, and multiple partners). The results of this study can be used to initiate positive social change by informing parents, program developers, and researchers. Developing strategies to guide parents and adolescents to develop positive perceptions of the interactions, closing the gap between adolescent and parental perceptions of interactions, will help reduce adolescent risky sexual behaviors, thereby benefiting the individuals, families, and the community. Associations Between Adolescent Perceptions of Parental Interactions and Adolescent Sexual Behaviors by Shakesha Fairley MA, Cameron University, 2006 BS, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, 2004 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Health Psychology Walden University September 2016 Dedication First and foremost, I give sincere thanks and gratitude to my Almighty God for His grace, mercy, and protection for seeing me through this process. This dissertation is dedicated to the most important people in my life. I dedicate this study to my loving daughters, Destiny and Ashauntee Fairley. Destiny and Ashauntee, your strength, support, encouragement, and sacrifices kept me motivated. Thank you for your encouraging words, your smiles, and your hugs, especially when times were hard. I love you, and we did it—team of three! I also dedicate my dissertation to my wonderful mother, Daphne Hunter, who always—no matter what time of day or night—listened to my pains and frustrations, but kept me encouraged and cheered me on. Acknowledgments This has been a long and arduous journey, but I appreciate everyone that has guided and mentored me on this voyage. It is with such great gratitude that I thank my chair Dr. Talpade. She is an amazing chair, mentor, and motivator. Her guidance throughout this study taught me much about research, but most importantly, much about myself. Also, the mentoring and encouraging words of my expert committee member Dr. Baril, throughout the dissertation process, helped me tremendously not to give in and give up. Also, I thank Dr. Baril for challenging my research, resulting in me seeing the benefit of my work in multiple ways. I am also thankful for my University Research Reviewer, Dr. Galiaf. Her advice and expertise really helped shape my dissertation. I have benefited immensely from you all in the development and completion of my dissertation. Next, I am forever in debt to my daughters. Many days and nights over the years they sacrificed quality time with me. They gave up activities, including sleepovers and going to the movies, believing I was tired and needed rest. Thank you mommy’s babies for your patience! To my lovely mother, Daphne Hunter, and best friend Michelle Dwyer, I thank you both for your love and constant support. Michelle, I deeply appreciate you for listening to my frustrations and thank you for proofreading my dissertation. Your constant reprimands regarding my sentence structure, including transitions, comma splices, and wordiness, have given me PTSD with respect to writing. I love and thank you all from the bottom of my heart! I also thank my wonderful co-workers, especially Kenyetta Walker, for praying for me and encouraging me when I came to work looking and feeling defeated and exhausted. Also, I would like thank my father Michael Baker and my stepmother Lisa Baker for constantly praying for me. Special thanks to my church family at The Ridge Fellowship, for sending me wonderful scriptures of encouragement and for your prayers!