Fathers' attitudes toward teen sex and the emotional closeness of their
relationship with their teen have a sizeable influence on their teens' sexual
behaviors, separate from the influence of moms, a new review of studies
suggests. The review showed that dads' attitudes toward teen sexual behavior
were linked to the age at which teens first had sex. Teens whose dads approved
of adolescent sexual activity tended to start having sex earlier than
teens whose dads did not approve, according to studies in the review. In
addition, teens who were close with their fathers tended to start having sex
later, the studies showed.
The findings "suggest that fathers may distinctly influence the
sexual behavior of their adolescent children," said study researcher
Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, a professor of social work at New York University.
"Fathers may parent in ways that differ from mothers, and therefore
represent an additional opportunity to support adolescent health and
well-being," he said. A better understanding of the role dads play in
their teens' sexual behaviors and reproductive health could help researchers
identify which parenting practices have the biggest impact on teens, and lead
to better invention strategies that include both moms and dads, the researchers
said.
Teens & risky sex
A 2011 national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention showed that 47 percent of high school students had ever had sexual
intercourse, and 40 percent of those who were currently sexually active did not
use a condom when they last had sex.
Adolescence is generally a time of increased risk-taking, and with
sexual activity, such risk-taking can be bad for teens' health, Guilamo-Ramos
said. It can lead to sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy. Previous
studies have linked positive parent-teen relationships with teens' sexual
behaviors. For example, researchers have shown that parents who monitor and
discipline their teens and communicate with them reduce the risk of their teens
being involved in sexually risky behaviors.
However, most studies have focused on the influence of mothers on teens’
behaviors. In the new review,
Guilamo-Ramos and colleagues looked at 13 studies of the paternal influence on
the behavior of teens between ages 11 and 18. The researchers defined
"fathers" broadly — they included biological fathers, stepfathers and
adoptive fathers, and other men such as uncles or grandfathers who participated
as primary male caregivers in teens' lives.
In considering the effect of a dad's general levels of strictness, a few
studies showed that teens of both overly restrictive and overly lenient fathers
started having sex earlier than teens of moderately strict fathers. "Fathers
who are moderately strict are those that have clear rules, and agreed-upon
rational consequences that have been discussed with their teen children,"
Guilamo-Ramos said. Teens should understand their fathers' expectations, and
know the consequences of not following the rules. But fathers should also
discuss with their teens the decisions teens can manage on their own and the
areas fathers want input from their teens in making a rule or decision,
he said.
Encouraging appropriate levels of teen autonomy and being consistent are
important actions for fathers, he said. The researchers also looked at whether
fathers might influence the frequency of teen sex, or a teen's number of sex
partners, but found no strong influence of paternal relationships or attitudes,
they said. Guilamo-Ramos noted that few of the reviewed studies examined these
behaviors, and said more research is needed.
Moms and dads
"Evidence increasingly suggests that mothers and fathers
independently shape areas of child development, such as academic success and
peer relationships," the researchers wrote in their study, published
Monday (Oct. 15) in the journal Pediatrics. Family-based interventions into
teens' sexual behaviors often overlook the role fathers have in helping shape
teens' sexual decisions, according to the study.
Much effort has gone into parsing the aspects of mother-teen
relationships that prevent teens from engaging in sexually risky behaviors, the
researchers said. "The lack of focus on fathers represents a critical
missed opportunity to improve the sexual and reproductive health of
teens," Guilamo-Ramos said.
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