Changes in Parent–Child Relationship Quality Across Early Adolescence: Implications for Engagement in Sexual Behavior

• Published in: Youth & society 2018-03, Vol.50 (2), p.204-228
• Main Authors: McElwain, Alyssa D., Bub, Kristen L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent development; Adolescents; Age; Age Differences; Child care; Child Development; Children; Closeness; Conflict; Correlation; Early Adolescents; Elementary Secondary Education; Factor Analysis; Fathers; Health Behavior; Health services; Human development; Individual Characteristics; Interpersonal relations; Interviews; Latent growth curve models; Likert Scales; Longitudinal Studies; Mothers; National Surveys; Oral sex; Parent Child Relationship; Parent-adolescent relations; Parent-child relations; Predictor Variables; Quality; Questionnaires; Sexual behavior; Sexual intercourse; Sexuality; Social development; Statistical Analysis; Youth
• ISSN: 0044-118X; 1552-8499
• DOI: 10.1177/0044118X15626843

The present study investigated how changes in specific dimensions of the parent–adolescent relationship predict adolescent engagement in sexual intercourse and oral sex. Longitudinal data from 1,364 participants in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were gathered at six time points spanning from first grade to age 15. Latent growth curve modeling was used to investigate whether changes in mother–adolescent and father–adolescent closeness or conflict predicted adolescents’ sexual behavior at age 15. Results indicate that more rapid increase in mother–adolescent conflict predicted engagement in sexual intercourse but not oral sex by age 15, whereas change in mother–adolescent closeness did not predict sexual behaviors. A more rapid decline in father–adolescent closeness and a more rapid increase in father–adolescent conflict predicted more engagement in sexual behaviors by age 15.