The Relationship between Parenting Styles and Sexual Well-Being in Canadian Emerging Adults

Previous research on parental influences on sexuality has found that parenting styles influence contraceptive use and risky sexual behaviours. However, no studies have examined the effect of parenting styles on the sexual well-being (SWB) of emerging adults more broadly. The aim of the study was to examine the SWB of emerging adults and to explore the relationship between parenting styles and SWB in emerging adulthood.

A sample of 152 Canadian emerging adults 18 to 25 years of age completed an online survey administered via social media from January to February 2021. Participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and measures of parenting styles, parent-child sexual communication, and SWB.

Emerging adults were found to have healthy sexual well-being (e.g., high sexual satisfaction, low sexual distress). Authoritative parenting was associated with more positive, higher quality parent-child sexual communication, and more positive sexual well-being in emerging adults compared to other parenting styles.

Although more research on this topic is needed, results indicate that parenting styles can affect the sexual development of emerging adults beyond sexual risk. Therefore, parental figures need to be actively involved in educating their children about sexuality and should provide enough support to foster positive sexual development in emerging adulthood.