Sexual Socialization in Families with Adolescents (SSFA) in Thailand: Scale Development and Validation

Journal of Population and Social Studies, 2017

This cross-sectional analysis examines the factors influencing sexual behaviors, no-sex experience, safe sexual behaviors and unsafe sexual behaviors among adolescents, and the degree of sexual risk behaviors among sexually experienced adolescents by using web-based questionnaires. The participants were 3,192 Thai adolescents ages 15-19 and studying at secondary and vocational schools. Data were analyzed by using multinomial logistic regression analysis and multilevel regression analysis. Among all participants, 769 adolescents reported having had sexual experience defined as sexual intercourse (prevalence=24.09). Unsafe sexual behaviors escalated with age, enrollment in vocational school, greater perceived peer approval and sexual double standards. Unsafe sexual behaviors decreased with male gender, living with both parents having a higher sexual risk behavioral attitude and sexual message communication. The results revealed that school type was the greatest predictor influencing sexual risk behaviors followed by peer approval and sexual behaviors, type of family structure, living arrangements, sex, age, sexual risk behavioral attitude, sexual double standards and sexual message communication. In today's society, external environmental factors have greater influence on sexual risk behaviors, especially school environment. And each adolescent has different contexts related to sexual behaviors. Hence, we should consider differences in individual, family and school contexts when developing an effective health system that promotes sexual health and sexual risk behavior prevention among adolescents, one that will lead to decreased negative outcomes from sexual behaviors among adolescents.

TheScientificWorldJournal, 2011

Adolescent sexuality is a relevant public health issue, as it affects risk to contract HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. The assessment of prevalence of sexual intercourse among adolescents may guide policies and programmes aimed at reducing the transmission of sexually transmitted infections among this age group. Using data from the Thailand Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) 2008, we assessed the prevalence of sexual intercourse in the last 12 months and its associated factors among adolescents (N = 2758). Overall the prevalence of sexual intercourse in the past 12 months was 11.0% (14.6% males and 7.6% females). Variables positively associated with the outcome in multivariable analysis were male gender (OR = 1.66; 95% CI 1.14-242), older age, ≥15 years (OR = 2.60, 1.80-3.74), current alcohol use (OR = 2.22, 1.46-3.36), psychosocial distress (OR = 2.11, 1.44-3.09) and among females current smoking (OR = 5.47, 1.62-18.48), lifetime drug use (AOR = 4.35, 1...

Journal of Health Communication, 2012

This study describes sexual communication among Thai parents and their teens and identifies variables related to communication about sex in urban Thai families. Data were derived from 420 families whose teenage children ages 13–14 years were randomly selected using the probability proportional to size technique. Interviews were conducted with 1 parent and 1 teenage child in each family. In-depth interviews were also conducted in 30 parents and teens drawn from the same 420 families. Results showed that parents were most likely to talk with their teens about body changes and dating; however, less discussion about sex-related issues, birth control, and HIV/AIDS occurred. More daughters than sons reported frequent discussions with their parents about sex. Parents who believed their teens had been involved in sexual activity were more likely to talk about HIV/AIDS and the difficulty of teenagers having babies, instead of talking about sexual intercourse or when to start having sex. Multiple regression analysis indicated that gender of the child (female), parental religiosity, and parental perception of teen sexual activity were significant predictors of increased sexual communication in Thai families. The findings suggest a need for approaches designed to facilitate communication skills about sex-related issues among Thai parents.

Journal of Health Research, 2021

Purpose Child-rearing promoting sexual abstinence has strongly predicted sexual abstinence in Thai female adolescents, and it requires a valid and reliable measurement. However, no such instrument exists. This study aimed to develop a child-rearing promotion of sexual abstinence scale (CPSAS) and assess its validity and reliability.Design/methodology/approach The scale development consisted of two phases; scale construction and psychometric testing. Phase I included item generation extracted from a literature review and existing measurements. Items were reviewed by five-panel experts and were then selected by considering an inter-item correlation, corrected item-total correlation, factor loading and communality value from the exploratory factor analysis (n = 299). Phase II involved confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for construct validity and scale reliability (n = 300).Findings The CPSAS, first, contained 25 items with four dimensions; assuring daughter to recognize parental love, ...

pHealth 2021

The number of young people who have had sex at an early age increases in proportion, it concerns unsafe sexual behaviors, teenage pregnancy, HIV aids and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study examines the health behaviors and factors predicting sexual risk behaviors pertaining to teenage pregnancy among adolescents in Thailand. Adolescents consulted the reproductive health center about problems with the same gender. The factors of adolescent reproductive behaviors were significantly associated with age, education level, and the perception of peer norms. Receiving social support from media information also significantly correlated with those behaviors. The results recommend that to prevent premature pregnancy, adolescents should protect themselves. Parents should take the issue of social media use by their teenagers very seriously.

The Lancet, 2006

Background In Thailand, rapid increases in economic prosperity have been accompanied by erosion of traditional cultural and religious values and by negative eff ects on sexual health of young people. We investigated knowledge, attitudes, norms, and values of teenagers, parents, teachers, and policymakers in relation to sex and sex education in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with a view to informing sex education policy.

2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate sexual risk behaviors and identify factors influencing sexual risk behaviors among early adolescents studying at primary schools in Thailand.This cross-sectional analytical research study used 3-stage cluster sampling and included 193 males and 230 females aged 10-12 years old. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The data analysis used descriptive and inferential statistics. The factors influencing sexual risk behaviors were analyzed using chi-square, binary logistic regression, and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI, AOR). The results revealed the mean age of the early adolescents was 11.03 (SD = 2.97) years, 86.3% were living with parents, and 71.6%of their parental statuses were married. A total of 71.2%, with more girls than boys (45.4 versus 25.8%) as participants, had a low level of sexual risk behavior. Variables which could significantly influence sexual risk behaviors include ge...

Nursing & Health Sciences, 2012

This qualitative study explores the perceptions of parents and adolescents toward sexual risk-taking behaviors. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 parents and 30 adolescents (aged 13-14 years) in Bangkok, and were analyzed by using coding and thematic analysis. The results showed that although parents generally believed that Thai teens begin to have sex at an early age and engage in sexual risk-taking behaviors, they trusted that their teens would follow parental guidance and rules and not engage in sexual activity at this age. Most of the Thai teens reported that their parents were not really aware of their sexual behaviors because of their tendency to keep their sexual stories secret for fear of being scolded, blamed, and punished. The teens also reported that they wanted their parents to listen, give them warmth and more freedom, and be more in touch with their activities. Parents expressed their need for knowledge and skills so that they could help guide their adolescent children to avoid sexual risk-taking behaviors. A family intervention specifically aimed at empowering Thai urban parents is needed.

The Southeast Asian …, 2010

With the influence of modernization, there is evidence of increasing Thai adolescent sexual activity. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the intimate relationships of adolescents in different social groups in northern Thailand, and to note the health implications of their behavior. Quantitative and qualitative data from more than 1,750 unmarried young people aged 17-20 years revealed that adolescents from different social and educational backgrounds had significantly different types of intimate relationships. In the Thai context, social class differences are mostly based on young people's educational backgrounds and their families' financial power. Perceptions of love and relationships were interpreted according to social strata and sex. Notably, less well-off young people were likely to engage in much riskier sexual relationships. The present study provides detailed and constructive information to help plan and improve sexual and reproductive health counselling, programs and services for young people in northern Thailand.

Journal of Health Research, 2019

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of abstinence-based sexual education programs delivered in parallel to Thai parents and their early adolescent daughters to promote sexual abstinence and improve communication regarding sexual topics between them and their parents. Design/methodology/approach A quasi-experimental design included groups of parent/daughter dyads; Group 1 (controls) (n=40), Group 2 Adolescent Program (n=40) and Group 3 Adolescent Parent Program (APP) (n=42). Outcome measures included parent–adolescent communications and adolescents’ sexual abstinence cognitions and intent to abstain from sexual behaviors, measured at five and nine weeks post-programs. Findings Generalized estimating equation analyses indicated that the dual program (APP) was more effective in increasing parental communication with their daughters compared with Group 1 (p-value<0.05) and only the daughters in the APP program reported more positive subjective norms, sen...