Discussions in the home about sex: Different recollections by parents and children

Abstract

University students and their parents were asked whether they had ever had a meaningful discussion about sex. More than half of the students answered No, yet in 60% of these cases, one or both parents said that there had been meaningful discussions. Students and their parents most frequently disagreed about the topics of sexually transmitted diseases, sexual intercourse, reproduction, birth control, homosexuality, and sexual abuse. Mothers were more likely than fathers tohave had discussions that daughters considered to be meaningful, and as likely as fathers in thecase of sons. Parents who indicated that they, had had meaningful discussions about sex with their parents while growing up were much more likely than other parents to have had discussions that their own children recognized as meaningful. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate that manyparents greatly underestimate the extent of factual information that their children wish tolearn about sexuality.