Having a good relationship with their mother: a protective factor against sexual risk behavior among adolescent females?

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To assess whether having a good relationship with their mother was a protective factor against risky sexual behavior for female adolescents and whether it was independent of family structure.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey of in-school adolescents aged 14-19 years.

SETTING

Catalonia, in northeast Spain.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 3677 females divided according on whether they had a good (n=3335) or a bad (n=342) relationship with their mother.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Rates of sexual activity and sexual behavior.

RESULTS

Adolescents in the good relationship group were significantly younger, more likely to live in an intact family, to have a good relationship with their father and siblings, and to talk about sexuality and their partner with their mother. They were also less likely to have ever had sexual intercourse. Among those sexually experienced, they were significantly older at first intercourse and less likely to have multiple partners or a history of STI. After adjusting for potential confounders, females in the good relationship group were less likely to be sexually active and to have had multiple partners, independently of family structure.

CONCLUSIONS

Having a good relationship with their mother is a protective factor against sexual intercourse and having multiple sexual partners independently of family structure. Communication between generations and having a good relationship with their father and siblings also play an important role.