Abstract

The growth of STIs, early sexual initiation, unwanted pregnancy and abortion among adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Nigeria can be attributed to inadequate communication about sexuality within the family. Adolescents’ relationship with their parents can help to shape their views in regard to their beliefs and attitudes toward sex and sex-related behaviour. Adolescents want more information about sex and sexual behaviour than they are getting. They want to learn about intercourse, condom use, birth control, abstinence, sexual morality, abortion, pregnancy, safe sex and sexual risk behaviours from their parents because they believe so much in their parents. However, a lot of parents are hesitant to talk or discuss such with their children. This situation has resulted in distorted information about sex-related matters for adolescents which is evident in the prevalence of risky sexual behaviour and its attendant negative grave consequences among adolescents. This study was an attempt to examine the influence of gender of parents on their communication styles on sexual behaviour among in-school adolescents in Ondo State, Nigeria. The sample consisted of 588 adolescents who were randomly selected based on gender and class using stratified and multi-stage random sampling techniques. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Findings revealed that the r-calculated was 0.642 while the table value was 0.195.The r-calculated 0.642 is greater than r-table value of 0.195. Hence, the null hypothesis, which says that there is no significant relationship between gender of parents and parental communication styles among in-school adolescents in Ondo state, was rejected. It means that the gender of parents significantly influenced parents’ communication styles on sexual behaviour. As the result revealed, mothers are more likely to communicate with their adolescent children than fathers. Oftentimes, mothers play the role of primary care-givers for children from infanthood. Children, thus, often tend to be attached to mothers than fathers. Based on the finding of the study, it was recommended that proper guidance programmes, especially for fathers to become more open and receptive in discussing sex-related matters with their children. Parents should endeavour to attach themselves to their children to become intimate with them from childhood as this will militate against the influence of negative peer pressure.