Family time prevents risky teen sex

by Amy Hatch (Subscribe to Amy Hatch's posts)
Oct 20th 2008 2:00PM

Filed under: Teens, Health & Safety: Babies, Development/Milestones: Babies, In The News

A new study out of Boston College suggests that teens who spend more time with their families engage in less risky sexual behavior.

Researchers report that teens who ate dinner with their families, did "something religious" or just had fun as a family had less sex and fewer partners. They also had less unprotected sex. The study surveyed 4,950 American teenagers, ages 12 to 16 -- 1,058 of whom were siblings -- over three years.

Just don't force it -- parents who engaged in "negative and psychologically controlling" behaviors, like criticizing teens' ideas and trying to control how they think and feel, increased the chances that their teens would have risky sex.

Considering that two out of every three U.S. teens have sex before the age of 19, it behooves parents to create an environment that fosters less risky sexual behavior. Head researcher Dr. Rebekah Levine Coley says family activities are "centrally important supports" for teens, and creating opportunities for bonding allows parents to transmit values and beliefs in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

The bottom line? You have an impact on how your kids act. Maintaining a healthy relationship with your children, especially as they become adolescents, can influence their decision-making for the rest of their lives.

Good glory, this parenting gig is an awful lot of pressure, isn't it?