Let’s talk about sex: divorced families, contact with parents and emotional distress in relation to teenagers’ sexual activity

Abstract

Puberty is a life stage characterized by a massive increase in risky behavior as well as the onset of sexual relationships. While sexual activity in teens may not always be problematic, the increased prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies during this period shows that a better understanding of the concept is important for preventive and educational implications. The current cross-sectional study examined contact with (step-)parents and emotional distress as contributing factors to the strikingly large differences in sexual intercourse between Dutch teenagers with divorced parents and those with married parents. Regression analyses were performed using data from 6978 high school students from the 2017 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Results showed no effect. However, both a problematic relationship with parents and increased levels of emotional distress were confirmed to be associated with a higher frequency of sexual activity. These effects were particularly strong among girls aged 14 and 15. Interestingly, the (often problematic) relationship with stepparents was not significantly correlated with sexual activity.This study showed that contact with biological parents and emotional distress, especially at ages 14 and 15, should be considered important factors in teen sexual interventions. Future directions are discussed.