Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 31, Issue 1 , Pages 59-69, July 2002

A longitudinal study of maternal messages about dating and sexuality and their influence on Latino adolescents☆

  • Laura F Romo, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to: Laura Romo, Ph.D., Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UCLA-NPI, 760 Westwood Plaza, Room 68-237, Los Angeles, California 90024-9972 USA
    • Departments of Child and Adolescent Development and Chicano Studies, California State University, Northridge, California, USA (L.F.R.)
    • ,
  • Eva S Lefkowitz, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA (E.S.L.)
    • ,
  • Marian Sigman, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA (M.S., T.K.A.)
    • ,
  • Terry K Au, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA (M.S., T.K.A.)

Accepted 17 September 2001.

Abstract 

Purpose: To learn more about the nature of mother-adolescent discussions about sexuality and their influence on adolescents’ behaviors and attitudes in Latino families.

Methods: Fifty-five Latino mothers and their midadolescent children (35 girls, 20 boys, mean age 13 years) were observed talking about dating and sexuality. The videotaped conversations were coded for the prevalence of five maternal message types: beliefs and values, advice, cautionary messages, comments about the adolescents’ everyday experiences, and maternal self-disclosure about her own dating and sexuality experiences. A structural equation model was used to examined how time spent on the various message types was related to three adolescent-related outcomes collected about 1 year later: sexual behavior, attitudes toward premarital sex, and reports of openness in the mother-child relationship.

Results: Latino mothers focused the conversation on their personal beliefs and values about dating and sexuality. Discussions about beliefs and values were accompanied by more parental advice and cautionary messages. More maternal self-disclosure about personal dating and sexuality experiences was related to the adolescents’ reporting a better functioning relationship with their mothers and having more conservative attitudes toward premarital sex. Sexuality communication was both positively and negatively related to adolescent sexual behavior, but the messages were not the same.

Conclusions: Maternal communication in Latino families influences adolescents’ behaviors and attitudes toward sex and adolescents’ perceptions of openness in the mother-child relationship. Observational methods are useful for studying the complexity of the communication process and for studying participants from ethnic minority populations who may be unfamiliar with or uncomfortable filling out questionnaires.

Keywords:  Observational methodology, Parent-adolescent communication, Sexuality communication, Gender differences, Latinos

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☆ The work was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH54151 to Marian Sigman and a dissertation year fellowship to Laura Romo from the Sexuality Research Fellowship Program sponsored by the Social Science Research Council.

PII: S1054-139X(01)00402-5

Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 31, Issue 1 , Pages 59-69, July 2002

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