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Abstract
This study examined the influence of parental monitoring and communication on behavior and behavioral intentions for a broad range of sexual behavior among early adolescents. The participants (ages 11–16) reported on the sexual behaviors they had engaged in (from holding hands to vaginal sex) and their intentions to engage in these behaviors in the next 12 months. The results were different for males versus females. For males, parental monitoring was more likely to be associated with behavior. For females, parental monitoring was more likely to be associated with behavioral intentions. Parental communication was not associated with any of the behaviors for males and only associated with behavioral intentions for French kissing among females. Across both males and females past behavior was a significant predictor of behavioral intentions. The importance of sexual risk interventions that take into consideration a broad range of sexual behaviors is discussed in this article.
