| Summary, etc. |
There has been scant research on the communication about sex within the Filipino family despite the universality of the problem of teen pregnancy, unplanned parenthood, abortion, HIV or STD victims, among others. This study strongly believes that parent-teen communication about coitus can provide the anesthetic medication to our country's growing social problems. That is why, it is intended in the study to capture the nature of communication about coitus within the Filipino family, its hindrances, outcomes, and the mechanisms on how to overcome the hurdles of a direct parent-teen communication about sex. Twelve case subjects in Davao City, particularly the mother, father, and adolescent children of both gender, were interviewed. All of them either belong to the upper or middle class. It has been found out that communication about sex does transpire within the Filipino household despite the preconceived notion that Filipino parents are naturally shy. Nevertheless, it is a communication style that can be direct, indirect, or a combination of both. Among the factors that have been derived to cast an influence on the communication style of the parents include the following: economic function, gender, parenting attitude, general values, religious values, parent-teen relationship, and parental orientation on premarital sex. These variables function in interacting and interlocking manner for parents to generate a particular communication style about sex. Another cause for the not so apparent communication about sex within the Filipino family is that it diverges in forms and in degrees. The forms of communication can be viewing, tell tale, social role modeling, and formal forum approaches which continuum is structured from being unintended to an intended mechanism of communication. Communication about sex also varies in degrees, determined through the most practiced means by Filipino parents, The first degree is consequential which many parents have done at least once in their children's lives because it merely involves telling children about the consequences of sex. The next is proscription which pertains to parents openly discouraging their children from indulging in premarital sex. The last degree is explanation which involves detailed communication about the physiology of sex, healthy alternatives on sex, among others. Parents must realize that they have to overcome their reservations to talk about sex to their children because the earlier and the more sex and its related topics are directly communicated with children the lesser curiosity and malice the latter will have on sex and the more likelihood that they will differ or avoid premarital coitus engagement. |
