Parental involvement, depression, and sexual experiences across adolescence: a cross-sectional survey among adolescents of different ages

Hanna Savioja,Mika Helminen,Sari Fröjd,Mauri Marttunen,Riittakerttu Kaltiala-Heino

doi:10.1080/21642850.2017.1322908

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackground: Early sexual activity and multiple sexual partners are deemed risky sexual behaviors and connected to mental disorders such as depression. Parent–adolescent relationship is connected both to risky sexual behaviors and depression.Objective: To ascertain if there is a connection between parental involvement and adolescent sexual behavior in different age groups from early to late adolescence, and the role of depression in this association.Methods: Data from School Health Promotion Study, a cross-sectional school survey in Finland from the years 2010 and 2011 with 186,632 adolescents as informants was used. We examined the association of sexual behaviors and parental involvement with self-reported depression, at first separately and then in the same model. Analyses were conducted in seven age groups, separately for girls and boys. The main outcomes were analyzed by χ2 test and logistic regression.Results: Among both girls and boys, low level of parental involvement was connected to having experienced sexual intercourse and, among those sexually active, reporting more sexual partners in early and middle adolescence. Parental involvement and depression were independently associated with the sexual behaviors studied and had only a slight modifying effect on each other in this context.Conclusion: Promoting parental involvement in adolescents’ lives is likely to be beneficial to adolescents’ sexual health.

Highlights

Sexual development in adolescence requires maturation in physical, psychological, and social domains
Sexual activity is connected to risky sexual behaviors such as a greater number of sexual partners and failure to use contraception, which in turn exposes these adolescents to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (Edgardh, 2000, 2002; Kotchick, Shaffer, Forehand, & Miller, 2001; O’Donnell, O’Donnell, & Stueve, 2001)
The aim of this study was to ascertain if there is a connection between parental involvement and adolescent sexual behavior in different age groups from early to late adolescence, and the role of depression in this association

Summary

Introduction

Sexual development in adolescence requires maturation in physical, psychological, and social domains. A large body of research shows that sexual activity per se among early and middle adolescents, and sexual risk-taking in particular, are connected to low socioeconomic status, living without both parents, and conflicts between parents and between parent and adolescent (Boislard P & Poulin, 2011; Davila et al, 2009; Kotchick et al, 2001; Madkour et al, 2010; Miller, Benson, & Galbraith, 2001; Wight, Williamson, & Henderson, 2006) All these correlates suggest that early and risky sexual activity are indicative of developmental problems rather than of rapid and favorable maturation. Conclusion: Promoting parental involvement in adolescents’ lives is likely to be beneficial to adolescents’ sexual health

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion