Perceived control and communication about sex: A study of South African families

Bradley Goodnight; Christina Salama; Elizabeth C. Grim; Elizabeth R. Anthony; Lisa Armistead; Sarah L. Cook; Donald Skinner; Yoesrie Toefy

doi:10.2989/16085906.2014.892016

Perceived control and communication about sex: A study of South African families

Bradley Goodnight, Christina Salama, Elizabeth C. Grim, Elizabeth R. Anthony, Lisa Armistead, Sarah L. Cook, Donald Skinner, Yoesrie Toefy

Institute on Community Integration

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Caregiver-youth communication about sex protects youth against HIV/AIDS, and caregivers who believe that sex knowledge is important are more likely to talk to their youth about sex. However, caregivers who experience barriers to communication about sex may not talk to their youth about sex even if the caregiver believes that sex education is important. The Theory of Planned Behaviour predicts that an actor has perceived control is necessary for behavioural change. This study therefore hypothesised that caregivers perceived control moderates the relationship between caregiver attitudes about youth sex knowledge and caregiver-youth communication about sex. Results from a sample of 99 female South African caregivers of adolescent (10-14 year old) youth supported our hypothesis, indicating that caregiver attitudes about providing youth with sex knowledge positively predict communication about sex only when caregivers have perceived control. This finding illustrates the importance of perceived control in predicting caregiver-youth communication, and therefore has implications for family-based interventions aimed at improving caregiver-youth communication about sex.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	31-36
Number of pages	6
Journal	African Journal of AIDS Research
Volume	13
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2989/16085906.2014.892016
State	Published - Jan 2 2014

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements — This study was funded by the Eunice K Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grant 5R21HD058483). We acknowledge Katherine Colmer, Georgia State University; Erin Ashford, Gillian Sibiya, Namafu Jayiya and Annemie Stewart, Stellenbosch University; Ina Vermulen, Desiree Uys, Nolitha Lekoma, Gertrude Gwenzi, Patience Dolweni, Nosicelo (Nono) Venkile, Babalwa (Zinzi) Dabadeni and Nomonde Khulati, Cape Town Child Welfare; Cat Rieper, Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (RAPCAN); Fouzia Rykleft and Marjorie Feni, the Parent Centre; Ndileka Xameni, Anele Ghasana and Siyabonga Mgwabala, Siyaphambili Orphan Village; Khulani Chiliza ‘KC’, LoveLife; and Nomakhosi Magalakanqa, Mbulelo Mapele and Nokwanda Matanda; and the families from Langa who participated in the study for their contributions to this project.

Keywords

Caregivers
Family
HIV
Parent-child communication
Parental attitudes
Perceived control

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.2989/16085906.2014.892016

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title = "Perceived control and communication about sex: A study of South African families",

abstract = "Caregiver-youth communication about sex protects youth against HIV/AIDS, and caregivers who believe that sex knowledge is important are more likely to talk to their youth about sex. However, caregivers who experience barriers to communication about sex may not talk to their youth about sex even if the caregiver believes that sex education is important. The Theory of Planned Behaviour predicts that an actor has perceived control is necessary for behavioural change. This study therefore hypothesised that caregivers perceived control moderates the relationship between caregiver attitudes about youth sex knowledge and caregiver-youth communication about sex. Results from a sample of 99 female South African caregivers of adolescent (10-14 year old) youth supported our hypothesis, indicating that caregiver attitudes about providing youth with sex knowledge positively predict communication about sex only when caregivers have perceived control. This finding illustrates the importance of perceived control in predicting caregiver-youth communication, and therefore has implications for family-based interventions aimed at improving caregiver-youth communication about sex.",

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author = "Bradley Goodnight and Christina Salama and Grim, {Elizabeth C.} and Anthony, {Elizabeth R.} and Lisa Armistead and Cook, {Sarah L.} and Donald Skinner and Yoesrie Toefy",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements — This study was funded by the Eunice K Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grant 5R21HD058483). We acknowledge Katherine Colmer, Georgia State University; Erin Ashford, Gillian Sibiya, Namafu Jayiya and Annemie Stewart, Stellenbosch University; Ina Vermulen, Desiree Uys, Nolitha Lekoma, Gertrude Gwenzi, Patience Dolweni, Nosicelo (Nono) Venkile, Babalwa (Zinzi) Dabadeni and Nomonde Khulati, Cape Town Child Welfare; Cat Rieper, Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (RAPCAN); Fouzia Rykleft and Marjorie Feni, the Parent Centre; Ndileka Xameni, Anele Ghasana and Siyabonga Mgwabala, Siyaphambili Orphan Village; Khulani Chiliza {\textquoteleft}KC{\textquoteright}, LoveLife; and Nomakhosi Magalakanqa, Mbulelo Mapele and Nokwanda Matanda; and the families from Langa who participated in the study for their contributions to this project.",

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AU - Armistead, Lisa

AU - Cook, Sarah L.

AU - Skinner, Donald

AU - Toefy, Yoesrie

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements — This study was funded by the Eunice K Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grant 5R21HD058483). We acknowledge Katherine Colmer, Georgia State University; Erin Ashford, Gillian Sibiya, Namafu Jayiya and Annemie Stewart, Stellenbosch University; Ina Vermulen, Desiree Uys, Nolitha Lekoma, Gertrude Gwenzi, Patience Dolweni, Nosicelo (Nono) Venkile, Babalwa (Zinzi) Dabadeni and Nomonde Khulati, Cape Town Child Welfare; Cat Rieper, Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (RAPCAN); Fouzia Rykleft and Marjorie Feni, the Parent Centre; Ndileka Xameni, Anele Ghasana and Siyabonga Mgwabala, Siyaphambili Orphan Village; Khulani Chiliza ‘KC’, LoveLife; and Nomakhosi Magalakanqa, Mbulelo Mapele and Nokwanda Matanda; and the families from Langa who participated in the study for their contributions to this project.

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N2 - Caregiver-youth communication about sex protects youth against HIV/AIDS, and caregivers who believe that sex knowledge is important are more likely to talk to their youth about sex. However, caregivers who experience barriers to communication about sex may not talk to their youth about sex even if the caregiver believes that sex education is important. The Theory of Planned Behaviour predicts that an actor has perceived control is necessary for behavioural change. This study therefore hypothesised that caregivers perceived control moderates the relationship between caregiver attitudes about youth sex knowledge and caregiver-youth communication about sex. Results from a sample of 99 female South African caregivers of adolescent (10-14 year old) youth supported our hypothesis, indicating that caregiver attitudes about providing youth with sex knowledge positively predict communication about sex only when caregivers have perceived control. This finding illustrates the importance of perceived control in predicting caregiver-youth communication, and therefore has implications for family-based interventions aimed at improving caregiver-youth communication about sex.

AB - Caregiver-youth communication about sex protects youth against HIV/AIDS, and caregivers who believe that sex knowledge is important are more likely to talk to their youth about sex. However, caregivers who experience barriers to communication about sex may not talk to their youth about sex even if the caregiver believes that sex education is important. The Theory of Planned Behaviour predicts that an actor has perceived control is necessary for behavioural change. This study therefore hypothesised that caregivers perceived control moderates the relationship between caregiver attitudes about youth sex knowledge and caregiver-youth communication about sex. Results from a sample of 99 female South African caregivers of adolescent (10-14 year old) youth supported our hypothesis, indicating that caregiver attitudes about providing youth with sex knowledge positively predict communication about sex only when caregivers have perceived control. This finding illustrates the importance of perceived control in predicting caregiver-youth communication, and therefore has implications for family-based interventions aimed at improving caregiver-youth communication about sex.

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Perceived control and communication about sex: A study of South African families

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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