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Helen P. Koo, DrPH, Health, Social and Economics Research, RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Rd., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, 919-541-6351, hpk@rti.org, Allison Rose, MHS, Research Consultant, RTI International, 4815 Leland Street, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, Karen M. Anderson, PhD, Building Futures for Youth, Howard University, 2018 Georgia Avenue NW, Second Floor, Washington, DC 20001, Leslie Walker, MD, Dept. of Pediatrics, Georgetown University, 2 Pasquillera Health Center, 3800 Reservoir Rd., Washington, DC 20007, Brinda Bhaskar, MS, RTI International, 6110 Executive Blvd., Suite 420, Rockville, MD 20852, and Qing Yao, PhD, Statistics Research Division, RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
The purpose of this study is to determine if pubertal development is associated with pre-adolescents’ sexual and non-sexual risk behaviors and their caregivers’ parenting behaviors and attitudes. 408 5th graders and their caregivers completed self-administered questionnaires. Children answered questions regarding virginity status, expected sexual behaviors in the next 12 months, involvement in non-sexual risk behaviors, and two questions assessing pubertal development. Caregivers answered questions about parenting factors such as monitoring behaviors and parent-child communication. Among the 5th grade students, 77% of females and 67% of males indicated they had experienced physical changes associated with puberty. Bivariate results show that for both genders, pubertal development is associated with an increase in anticipated sexual activity during the next 12 months (p < .05) and non-sexual risk behaviors (p < .01). For males, onset of puberty is also associated with being a non-virgin (p = .0754). Bivariate results indicate that for females, pubertal development is associated with an increase in caregiver-child communication about topics related to sexuality (p < .001). No other parenting factors were associated with pubertal status. Multivariate analyses are currently underway; results will be presented. Despite an increase in pre-adolescents’ sexual and non-sexual risk behaviors associated with pubertal development, parental response to such developmental changes is limited. Caregivers need to be encouraged and educated on the relationship between pubertal development and risk behaviors and effective parenting strategies for dealing with such changes.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Teen Pregnancy, Risk Taking Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.