The long-term objective of this research project is to identify the forms of communication between adolescents and their mothers that are most effective in promoting adolescent knowledge about AIDS and self- protective behaviors. Two-hundred forty 11-15-year-old adolescents and their mothers, from economically disadvantaged Latino and Anglo families, will be videotaped during 10-minute discussions of dating and sexuality, family conflicts, and AIDS. The effects of 1) topic of conversation; 2) family ethnic and acculturation, and 3) adolescent age and gender on verbal and nonverbal communication will be specified. Concurrent relations will be determined between patterns of communication and adolescents' knowledge of AIDS and attitudes towards AIDS precautions, risk-taking and sexual behaviors, family, and peers. Adolescent-mother dyads will be followed for one to two years to evaluate the extent to which communication patterns predict to later sexual and self-protective activities of these adolescents.
| Lefkowitz, Eva S; Boone, Tanya L; Au, Terry Kit-fong et al. (2003) No sex or safe sex? Mothers' and adolescents' discussions about sexuality and AIDS/HIV. Health Educ Res 18:341-51 |
| Romo, Laura F; Lefkowitz, Eva S; Sigman, Marian et al. (2002) A longitudinal study of maternal messages about dating and sexuality and their influence on Latino adolescents. J Adolesc Health 31:59-69 |
| Lefkowitz, E S; Sigman, M; Au, T K (2000) Helping mothers discuss sexuality and AIDS with adolescents. Child Dev 71:1383-94 |
| Lefkowitz, E S; Romo, L F; Corona, R et al. (2000) How Latino American and European American adolescents discuss conflicts, sexuality, and AIDS with their mothers. Dev Psychol 36:315-25 |
| Lefkowitz, E S; Kahlbaugh, P; Au, T K et al. (1998) A longitudinal study of AIDS conversations between mothers and adolescents. AIDS Educ Prev 10:351-65 |
