| A close parent-child relationship is an important element in improving health outcomes for African American adolescents and young adults. Research related to adolescent sexual behaviors suggests a close bond between mothers and adolescent daughters promotes planning for the future, limit setting, and communication (Jaccard & Dittus, 2000). Incidences of sexual abstinence, delayed intercourse, reduced promiscuity, and consistent contraception increase when there is a healthy mother-daughter relationship (Miller & Whitaker, 2001).;The goal of this study was to investigate whether mother-daughter connectedness and sexual communication were significant predictors of African American female adolescents and young adults' decision to initiate sexual activity and whether quality mother-daughter interactions were related to sexual initiation and behavior. A conceptual model developed by King (1981) was used for this study. Data were collected using the Connectedness to Mother Scale, an 11-item instrument containing questions related to adolescent and young adult perceptions of maternal relationships; Mother-Adult Daughter Questionnaire, an 18-item instrument measuring the subscales of connectedness, interdependence, and trust by examining adolescent and young adult perceptions in a culturally sensitive manner; Parent-Teen Sexual Risk Communication Scale, a 15-item instrument used by adolescent and young adult females to report mother-daughter interactions; and a demographic survey.;The researcher recruited a convenience sample (N = 119) of (a) African American female adolescents and young adults, (b) 18 to 25 years of age, (c) who were English-speaking, and (d) attending a historically Black college and university in the southern United States. A binary, logistic regression study was conducted and descriptive analyses were used to answer the research questions. The researcher found no statistically significant predictors of the initiation of sexual activity.;The findings of the study provide direction for health care professionals and researchers in planning and implementing family-based program interventions focused on promoting quality mother-daughter interactions and risk-reduction strategies among African American adolescents and young adults. Limitations of the study were a small sample size and reliance on self-reported data. Additional research is needed to investigate the impact of early interventions on mother-daughter connectedness, communication, and sexual behaviors of African American females. |
