A new study in JAMA Pediatrics found that talking with your teens about sex reduces the chances of them engaging in risky sexual activity, according to the Daily Mail. Furthermore, the talk is more effective when it is done by mothers, and daughters benefit more than sons from the talk. The study analyzed over 25,000 teenagers over a 30-year time span to arrive at its conclusion.
"Results of this study confirm that parent-adolescent sexual communication is a protective factor for youth, and a focus on communication remains justified in future intervention efforts," said Laura Widman, one of the authors of the study.
In addition to reducing risky sexual activity, the study also found that talking with your children about sex increases the chances that your children will use condoms and contraceptives, according to Medical Daily.
"Across more than three decades of research and 25,314 adolescents, this meta-analysis suggests that communication with parents - particularly among mothers and girls - has a protective effect on adolescent contraceptive and condom use."
The results shed light on the positive affect that parents can have on their child's sexual activity simply by communicating with them and helping them understand how the world works and the consequences of their behaviors, according to Health.
"Further research using more sophisticated assessments, longitudinal designs, and mixed-methods approaches are needed to advance this literature and to better understand the effect parents have on the health of their adolescents"
