Date Approved

2019

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department or School

Communication, Media and Theatre Arts

Committee Member

Dennis O’Grady, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Doris Fields, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Ray Quiel, M.A.

Abstract

Communication of sexual information from child to parent is an area of communication that remains understudied. During the winter of 2018, a researcher conducted in-depth retrospective interviews with emerging adults from the ages of 18 to 22 to determine what adolescents share with their parents about their sexual beliefs and experiences. Communication privacy management theory was used as a framework for analyzing how and why adolescents shared sexual information and beliefs with their parents. The researcher found a better understanding of the process a child goes through when deciding if they should disclose their sexual beliefs and experiences with their parent. The researcher also found that individuals are likely to have moderate boundary permeability when it comes to discussing their sexual beliefs and experiences whether it is with family members or non-family members.

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