Association of perceived parental attitudes towards premarital sex with initiation of sexual intercourse in adolescence.

To assess the association between perceived parental disapproval of premarital sex, quality of the parent-daughter relationship, and initiation of sexual intercourse, a sample of 614 economically deprived female students in Chile were tested. The perception of disapproval of premarital sex by the mother along with a good mother-daughter relationship appears to constitute a buffer against early initiation of sexual activity in adolescence. Results are consistent with findings reported in studies conducted in the USA.