Family characteristics and risk behaviors of young adolescent girls

Abstract

Background Factors that facilitate healthy psychological development of adolescents, particularly reduction of risk-taking behaviors, have pointed to the importance of the family. The current study describes the relationship of parental monitoring and family demographics to sexual experience, adverse outcomes of sexual experience (i.e., STD or pregnancy), and substance use. Methods Adolescent girls (N = 174) were recruited from a university-based adolescent clinic to participate in a study on psychosexual development. The girls had a mean age of 14.5 years; 76% were African-American and 24% were Caucasian. 71 were sexually experienced and 36 had a history of pregnancy and/or STD. Parental monitoring was measured through three factors: direct supervision when sick, after school, or weekends; direct supervision when with friends; indirect supervision through knowledge of adolescent's location. Family demographics included mother's level of education and her age at first pregnancy. Using logistic regression, variables of race, adolescent's age, mother's education and age at first child, and the 3 types of monitoring were used to predict intercourse, alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes. In order to predict adverse sexual outcomes, the above variables were used, as well as age of sexual debut and lifetime partners. Results For sexual intercourse, greater subject age and lower age of mother's first pregnancy remained in the model. For adverse outcome, subject age, age of mother's first pregnancy, and lower age sexual debut remained. Direct monitoring when with peers remained for alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use (as did indirect monitoring for marijuana). Conclusions Family demographics and parental monitoring are important factors for adolescent risk behaviors. These findings have implications for future research and interventions.