Parents of Teens and Teens Discuss Sex, Love, and Relationships: Polling Data

A Summary of Findings from National Omnibus Survey Questions, April 1998

Conducted for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy by
International Communications Research

What's the biggest barrier to effective communication between parents and teens about sex?

Well over half of parents and teens agree that the biggest barrier is that teens and parents are not comfortable discussing sex with each other.

• Almost one-fourth of parents (24%) say the biggest barrier is that parents are not
  comfortable talking to their kids about sex. Interestingly, only 17 percent of teens
  eel that is the biggest barrier.

• Almost four in ten teens (39%)and three in ten parents of teens (30%)said the biggest barrier is that teens are not comfortable hearing from their parents about sex.

• Close to one-third of parents of teens (32%) said the biggest barrier to effective communication is that most teens think they know it all already. "However, only six percent of teens said it's because teens know as much or more than parents about sex and relationships."

• Fourteen percent of teens said the biggest barrier is that parents are "too judgmental.
  

Do male and female teens agree on what the biggest barrier to effective communication between parents and teens is?

Teen males are more likely to say that the biggest barrier is that teens are not comfortable hearing from their parents about sex, while teen females more often say that parents are not comfortable.

• Forty-three percent of teen males said the biggest barrier is that teens are not comfortable hearing from their parents about sex, while only 35 percent of teen females feel this way.

• While only 13 percent of male teens said the biggest barrier is that parents are not comfortable talking to their kids about sex, 21 percent of females said this was so.
  

When should teens start steady, one-on-one, dating?

Parents and teens disagree about when parents should allow teens to begin steady, one-on-one dating.

• Eighty-seven percent of parents of teens said teens should be at least 16 before they begin steady, one-on-one dating.

• Fifty-five percent of teens, however, said that 15 or younger is when kids should be allowed to begin steady dating.

• Fifteen percent of teens said that steady, one-on-one dating should be allowed for those between the ages of 10 and 13.

• The older the teen, the more likely they are to say that steady dating should begin later47 percent of teens age 15-17 say teens should wait until they are 16 or 17 to begin steady dating, while only 36 percent of these teens think that kids as young as 14 or 15 should be allowed to date steadily. By contrast, 44 percent of teens age 12-14 say it's okay to begin steady dating at age 14 or 15, and only 34 percent of these younger teens think that kids should be at least 16.
  

So what do teens say they most want to hear their parents talk more about?

Teens say they want their parents to talk more about a wide variety of important issuesfrom contraception to dating, from sexually transmitted diseases to knowing how and when to say "no" to sex.

• Nearly one in four (23%) said they want to hear more about sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, and pregnancy prevention.

• One in five (21%) said they want to hear more about how to manage dating, relationships, and sex.

• Another one in five (22%) would like to hear more about knowing when and how to say "no" to sexmore so for girls (24%) than boys (19%), and more so for younger teens age 12-14 (28%) than those 15-17 (15%).

• Sixteen percent said they want to hear more about what to do if they or their partner gets pregnant.

• Eleven percent said they want to hear their parents talk more about values relating to sex.
  

What do parents say they tell their teens about sex?

Nine in ten parents of teens (90%) who answered the question directly (that is, those who did not reply none of the above") said that they have told their kids that they should not have sex until they're at least out of high school. Nearly four in ten of these parents (39%) say they have also told their kids that school-age teens who are having sex should have easy access to contraceptives.

• This finding agrees with a poll released last May by the National Campaign that said a clear majority of both teens and adults feel that high school-age teenagers should not be sexually active but those teens who are engaged in sexual activity should have access to contraception.

A Note About the Survey

This report summarizes the findings from an omnibus survey of parents of teens and teens aged 12 to 17. This nationally representative survey was conducted by International Communications Researchon behalf of the National Campaign in early April, 1998. The teen survey was conducted April 1-5, and the parent survey was conducted April 1-12. The goal of the survey was to ascertain perceptions and attitudes about communications between parents and teens on sex, love, and relationships. The actual polling questions and respondent demographic information follows. The survey questioned 294 parents of teens and 507 teens. Adult responses have a margin of error of plus or minus 5.72 percentage points. Teen responses have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.35 percentage points.