Parent-Teen Sexual Health Communication and Teens’ Health Information and Service Seeking

Is the frequency of parent-teen sexual health communication associated with teens’ self-efficacy to seek sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services?In this cross-sectional study of 522 parent-teen dyads, frequent communication was associated with higher teen self-efficacy when parents felt informed and comfortable. When parents did not feel informed or comfortable, frequent communication was associated with decreases in teen self-efficacy.This study suggests that parents must have quality information and strategies to increase comfort around sexual health conversations, which may in turn be associated with higher levels of teens’ confidence to seek SRH information and services when needed.

Corresponding Author: Hannah Javidi, PhD, Department of Psychology, North Carolina Ahjavidi@ncat.edu).

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