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. 2024;21(1):132-149.
doi: 10.1080/19361653.2023.2176399. Epub 2023 Feb 9.

Differences in the sexual health information parents/guardians give their adolescent sexual minority sons by outness

Kaitlin R Haupt  1 , Claire D Stout  1 , Journey Simmons  1 , Kimberly M Nelson  1   2
Affiliations

Differences in the sexual health information parents/guardians give their adolescent sexual minority sons by outness

Kaitlin R Haupt et al. J LGBT Youth. 2024.

Abstract

Introduction: Parents and guardians are a potentially valuable source of sexual health information for adolescent sexual minority males (ASMM). The current study examines what sexual health topics ASMM report discussing with a parent/guardian and whether topics differ by outness about sexual attraction to other males.

Methods: ASMM (N=154; ages 14-17) in the United States completed the baseline of an online sexual health intervention pilot in 2020. They reported which of twelve sexual health topics they discussed with a parent/guardian and if they had disclosed their sexual attraction to other males. Associations between topics discussed and outness to a parent/guardian were examined with Firth logistic regression.

Results: Eighty-eight (57%) participants reported being out to a parent/guardian. Six sexual health topics were significantly more likely to be discussed if participants were out. The three categories with the largest differences by outness were how to: discuss with a partner what they would not like to do sexually (aOR = 7.0, 95% CI: 2.0-24.6), use condoms (aOR = 5.9, 95% CI: 2.3-15.1), and prevent HIV/AIDS (aOR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.4-8.7).

Conclusions: Interventions on parental/guardian provision of sexual health information are needed to ensure ASMM receive relevant sexual health knowledge.

Keywords: ASMM; YMSM; adolescent; outness; parents; sex education; sexual minority.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations Disclosure statement: The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

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