Mexican adolescents' self-reports of parental monitoring and sexual communication for prevention of sexual risk behavior

Purpose Assess perceptions of parental monitoring and sexual communication for sexual health promotion among adolescents who are Mexican. Design and methods Adolescents (N = 153, n = 85 females, n = 68 males) between 14 years (n = 80) and 15 years (n = 73) were recruited at a public high school in Monterrey in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. All participants were living with a parent(s). Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to assess sociodemographic characteristics of the group. Chi-square analyses were conducted to identify potential group differences among the adolescents by age, gender and sexual activity regarding responses to each item of the Spanish Version Parental Monitoring and Sexual Communication Scale (a = 0.88). Results Eleven percent of adolescents self-reported sexual activity. Significant group differences by age, gender and sexual activity were identified concerning parental monitoring and sexual communication including: less parental monitoring with older age (14 versus 15 year olds); more parental monitoring for females than males; less monitoring for sexually active adolescents; greater sexual communication for males than females, and among adolescents who were sexually active. Conclusions An assessment of adolescents' perceptions of parental monitoring and sexual communication is useful for development of strategies concerning sexual health promotion in Mexico. Practice implications The Spanish Version Parental Monitoring and Sexual Communication Scale can be used for assessment and modification of interventions for adolescent populations in Mexico. Information obtained from this assessment can be used to assist parents to enhance positive outcomes for parental monitoring and sexual communication with their children.