Adolescent Sexual Standards and their Role in Parental Knowledge of Sexual Activity

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

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Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/9k41zg04v

Abstract

Parental-Adolescent relationships are influenced by the social norms and cultural standards within society. Research has looked at the role of parental knowledge on adolescents' risky behavior as well as the benefits of parental knowledge in reducing risks taken by adolescents. Research has also focused on how social norms influence teens' engagement in risky behaviors. There has been a lack of research on how social factors influence parental knowledge of adolescent behavior. Using the parent and student surveys from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), I measured parental-adolescent congruence and incongruence of the adolescent's sexual behavior and evaluated the role of cultural standards around premarital sexual intercourse in the level of congruence or incongruence. Parental standard of abstinence plays a significant role in the lack of parental knowledge of teens' sexual activity. Sex within intimate relationships also played a significant role, as adolescents who had sex outside of an intimate relationship had higher levels of parental incongruence. Results highlight the importance of social forces on parental knowledge and parent-adolescent relationships as a whole.

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