Attitude towards dating and sexual behaviour in Chinese adolescents: An investigation into the impacts of parental control, parent-child relationship, sex education at home and perceived dis/approval of early sexual intercourse

Abstract

This study explores the influence of parenting practices, parent-child relationship, sex education at home, perceived parental disapproval of early sexual intercourse as well on dating and sexual behaviour among 381 adolescents (195 males and 186 girls) ranging in age from 10 to 19 years old. Data are collected in Hong Kong by using questionnaire. Parenting practices are measured in two dimensions: psychological control and behavioral control which includes knowledge, expectation, monitoring and discipline. Chi-square analysis, independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA are used to test the independence, association and effect. Results reveal that parent-child relationship is associated with dating and sexual intercourse while perceived paternal disapproval of early sexual intercourse is related to abstinence of early sexual intercourse among adolescents’ girls only. However, psychological control and behavioural control are not associated with dating and sexual intercourse. Adolescents who are currently dating or had experience of sexual intercourse are more likely to spend less time on studying and family. Age and educational differences are found in dating as well as in sexual intercourse in both genders. Older adolescents are more likely to have experience of dating and sexual intercourse than younger one.