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Journal of Health Psychology
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`What, Me Worry?'

Parents' Reasons for Worry and Nonworry about Adolescent Risk for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)

Lynne A. Sturm

Riley Child Development Center & Indiana University School of Medicine, USA, lsturm{at}iupui.edu

Rose M. Mays

School of Nursing, Indiana University, USA

Beth Juliar

Indiana University School of Medicine, USA

Rita M. Bair

Indiana University School of Medicine, USA

Susan Perkins

Indiana University School of Medicine, USA

Gregory D. Zimet

Indiana University School of Medicine, USA

Little is known about the bases of parental worry about adolescents' risk for acquiring a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Parents (N = 247) of adolescents 12—17 years endorsed reasons that explained their worry or nonworry. Parents' past experience of an STI, perception of the child's sexual activity, and racial self-identification were predictors of worry. Cluster analyses identified five groups of worriers and four groups of nonworriers. Worriers tended to select reasons reflecting an external parental locus of control or child-specific reasons. Nonworriers endorsed reasons consistent with internal parental locus of control. Findings suggest that preventive health communication should be tailored to parents' perceptions of risk and protective factors.

Key Words: adolescents • attitudes • parents • risk perception • sexually transmitted infections (STI)

Journal of Health Psychology, Vol. 13, No. 8, 1060-1071 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1359105308097971
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