Adolescent sexuality: Disentangling the effects of family structure and family context

Growing up in single-parent, step-, cohabiting, or lesbian families has bee n suggested to ha re negative effects on adolescent sexual behavior. Howeve r, our analysis reveals that, with the exception of girls in single-pa rent families, family structure does not significantly influence adolescents' s exual initiation. Rather, the family context-more specifically the mother-c hild relationship, their level of interaction, and the mother's attitudes t oward and discussion of sex-is associated with adolescent sexual debut. Whe n looking at sexually active teenagers, neither family structure nor family context have an impact on the sexual partnerships of boys, and they explai n little in terms of girl's sexual partnering.