Parent-Adolescent Communication About Sex and Condom Use Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men: An Examination of the Theory of Planned Behavior

• Published in: Annals of behavioral medicine 2018-10, Vol.52 (11), p.973-987
• Main Authors: Thoma, Brian C, Huebner, David M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Communication; Condoms; Gays & lesbians; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health psychology; HIV; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Male; Mens health; Parent-Child Relations; Psychological Theory; Regular; Teenagers; Theory of planned behavior; Unsafe Sex - psychology
• ISSN: 0883-6612; 1532-4796
• DOI: 10.1093/abm/kay002

Abstract Background Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are at disproportionate risk for HIV infection. Parent-adolescent communication about sex, particularly mother-adolescent communication, protects against adolescent sexual risk behavior. However, it is unclear whether these findings generalize to YMSM. Purpose The current study used the theory of planned behavior as a framework to examine how YMSM perceptions of parent-adolescent communication about condoms are associated with determinants of condom use and condomless anal sex among YMSM. Method YMSM ages 14–18 (M = 16.55) completed an online survey (n = 838). Associations between several domains of parent-adolescent communication about condoms (i.e., frequency and specificity, quality, and negative emotionality) and condom-related attitudes, norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions, as well as instances of condomless anal intercourse (CAI), were examined with structural equation modeling. Results Multiple facets of mother-adolescent communication were associated with attitudes about condoms, subjective norms for condom use, perceived behavioral control, intentions to use condoms, and indirectly, instances of CAI. Father communication was not associated with determinants of condom use behavior. Conclusions Parent-adolescent communication about condoms is associated with determinants of condom use behavior among YMSM, and mother communication exerted an indirect influence on HIV-related sexual risk behaviors. Interventions designed to enhance parent- adolescent communication about condoms could prove efficacious in reducing HIV infections among YMSM. Mother-adolescent communication about sex is associated with theoretical determinants of condom use and indirectly predicts HIV-related sexual risk behaviors among young men who have sex with men.