Influence of Parent-child Communication Patterns on Adolescents Sexual Behaviour

Abstract

This study investigated the different communication patterns adopted by parents in discussion with their children with the view to ascertaining the influence of the communication patterns on adolescents’ sexual behaviour. The study adopted the survey research design. The population consisted of all adolescent students in Ekiti State secondary schools and their parents. The sample comprised of 600 adolescent students and 600 literate parents selected using multistage sampling technique from three local government areas in Ekiti State. Data were collected using two instruments developed by the researchers, namely, “Adolescent Sexual Communication and Sexual Behaviour Scale” (ASCSBS) and Parental Sexual Communication Pattern Scale” (PSCPS). The two instruments were content validated and reliability coefficient of 0.78 and 0.82 were obtained for PSCPS and ASCSBS respectively. The data collected were analysed using analysis of variance, chi-square, cluster analysis, simple percentages and weighted average. The result of the study showed that parents adopted four sexual communication patterns namely; permissible, opportunistic, reactive and avoidant patterns of sexual communication. The results also revealed that the permissible pattern of sexual communication was the most prevalent among the four identified patterns and that mothers communicated sexual issues more than fathers with their adolescent children. The study recommended that parents should be trained and sensitised on some intervention strategies to improve on their sexual communication with their children.