Adam McLane

The role of father’s in adolescent sexual education

Existing research preliminarily suggests fathers influence the sexual behavior of their adolescent children; however, more rigorous research examining diverse facets of paternal influence on adolescent sexual behavior is needed. We provide recommendations for primary care providers and public health practitioners to better incorporate fathers into interventions designed to reduce adolescent sexual risk behavior.

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“Our research suggests that fathers matter when it comes to their adolescent children’s sexual behavior,” Guilamo-Ramos said. “Moving forward, more attention to the role of fathers in shaping adolescent health and wellbeing is needed. Fathers represent a critical missed opportunity to support the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and represent an additional mechanism to influence teenage sexual behavior.”

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I’m intrigued about where this research can end up.

What do you think? Obviously, dads have impact on their adolescent children. But what are ways that you’ve seen dad’s attitudes towards adolescent sex positively or negatively impact his children? 

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4 responses to “The role of father’s in adolescent sexual education”

  1. Ricky Lewis Avatar
    Ricky Lewis

    This is right on. I know, because I made negative choices, my dad’s attitude about sex and relationships shaped how I viewed sex. I made choices about what sex is based on the example I saw. Those choices have had consequences I continue to deal with. Now I’m happily married with 4 kids. I have had to be very intentional about changing how and what I think about sex and relationships to line up with what God says. I also know that my 3 boys need that from me to help them handle this better than I did.

    Thanks for bringing this up. I think it is a huge part of how we look wrongly, not negatively because sex and relationships can be good, we just look at it wrongly in this country. If that doesn’t change who knows the consequences we will face. I’m not talking about sin and punishment from God. I’m talking about how we value the life of the person next to us, or don’t if all we see is a sex object.

    Thanks Adam, this is good stuff.

    Reply
  2. Robbie Mackenzie Avatar
    Robbie Mackenzie

    Seems like this conversation is verboten in a lot of the families I encounter. The attitude many fathers have is “don’t do it and that’s it so let’s not talk about it.” The negative aspects of that is a lot of male youth kids who have gone through our youth group are at odds as to why masturbation is so fun or why they are having wet dreams. Experimentation is the next logical step (for many) when no conversation happens or at least when there is a negative or apathetic attitude toward adolescent sex.

    I consider it an honor to be able to talk to my kids openly about sex and want them to feel comfortable asking me questions. Scripture is full of beautiful expressions of sex that can be both helpful and formative for teenagers.

    Make sense?

    Reply
    1. Adam McLane Avatar
      Adam McLane

      @RobbieMackenzie:disqus Do you mean your own children or kids in your group?

      Reply
  3. A Father’s Role « The Middle School Ministry of Christ Chapel

    […] ran across this article from youth ministry writer Adam McLane about the role of fathers in adolescent sexual development. […]

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