Father’s advice affects teen sexual behavior, study says
A new Brigham Young University study suggests that persistence is taught by the father.
It turns out that the old saying "she's got daddy issues" has some basis in science, although it's not just limited to women. A new review of studies suggests that fathers play an important role in their kids' sex lives. Specifically, the review shows that teens have less sex if their fathers talk to them more openly about sexual matters. "Fathers do make a difference. It's not just about mothers," lead author Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, a professor and co-director of New York University's Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health, told HealthDay.
This review is important because prior research mostly looks to the mother and has neglected the influential role that fathers may play, Medical Daily reported.
More from GlobalPost: When the BRICs Crumble
The review showed that dads' attitudes toward teen sexual behavior were linked to the age that teens lost their virginity. Teens with dads who "approved of adolescent sexual activity" had sex earlier than those with dads who did not approve, MyHealthNewsDaily reported. More interesting, the review also showed that teens who were close with their fathers tended to wait longer in life before having sex.
"In study after study, young people say that when it comes to these important decisions, it really matters what their parents think about these issues," Guilamo-Ramos told HealthDay. Either that, or maybe teens are just really worried about getting grounded.