What Are Parents Really Saying When They Talk With Their Children About Sexuality?

Twenty parents attending an urban community college were interviewed about how they respond to common questions children ask about sexuality. Parental responses to children's questions about sexuality were considered in relation to the authoritative and authoritarian patterns of communication identified by Baumrind (1967). The majority of parents were labeled authoritarian based on their responses to five common sexuality topics. Themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis included cultural and religious influences, distinct communication patterns, a focus on specific issues such as HIV/AIDS and sexual orientation, lack of parental knowledge of sexuality, support of school sexuality education, and lack of books and resources.