“An umbrella for all things”: Black daughter's sexual decisions and paternal engagement

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this article is to highlight the value of Black fathers to the sexual decision‐making processes among Black adolescent and young adult daughters.BackgroundVarious contextual factors, such as fewer sexual health resources in poorer communities and federal funding cuts to family planning service agencies, ultimately contribute to the sexual health decision‐making of adolescent young women and may be linked to sexual health disparities among Black adolescent women. Recent studies have reported the protective nature of a Black father's engagement to be beneficial to the behavioral outcomes of adolescent daughters.MethodFindings from 17 semistructured interviews conducted with Black adolescent and young adult women are used to discuss the impact of Black fathers' engagement in their lives on their decision‐making processes.ResultsFindings from grounded theory and thematic analysis techniques highlight the impact of paternal advice and expectations on the respondents' sexual decisions through two primary themes: “teaches me about the game” and “umbrella‐like protection.”ConclusionFuture research should consider interventions that consider the intersectional experiences of Black adolescent women and the implications of gender and power dynamics on how Black fathers' engagement may be important to a daughter's sexual health decision‐making processes.ImplicationsPractitioners working with Black families may consider including Black fathers in sexual health communication efforts to support Black daughters' healthy sexual decision‐making.