The Content of African American Mothers' Discussions with their Adolescents about Sex

Abstract

Using afocus group approach, the investigators sought to explore the role of African American mothers in the education of their adolescents about sexuality including the provision of factual information and transmission of values. A focus group guide was developed and was used by a trained facilitator to direct discussions in three focus groups conducted during a 1 -week period. Participants in thefocus groups were mothers who had at least one adolescent between the ages of 13 and 15. A total of 29 mothers participated in the groups. All interview data were transcribed, and analysis was conducted using the constant comparative approach. Three major themes emergedfrom the analysis: "The Big Talk," "Sex Is Killing Now," and "Don't Let Them Know It's Embarrassing." Thefindings revealed that mothersfelt they talkedfrequently with their adolescents about sexual issues, butfelt that their sons were less likely than their daughters to discuss sexual concerns with them. Popular topics of discussion with daughters included menstruation and pregnancy; with boys, condom use. Participants expressed concern about the negative consequences ofteen sex including pregnancy, contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, and the human immunodeficiency virus.