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African American Grandfamilies’ Attitudes and Feelings About Sexual Communication: Focus Group Results

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: Little attention has been given to the responsibilities that African American grandparent caregivers face when they assume the role of raising their grandchildren. One particularly challenging task of grandparent caregivers is communicating with their grandchildren about sexuality issues. This study therefore examined the sexual communications and attitudes and feelings toward these communications between African American grandparent caregivers and their adolescent grandchildren (11-13 years of age). Focus group methodology was used to generate data about the grandparent/grandchild sexuality communication process and attitudes and feelings toward that process. The sample included 40 dyads of African American grandparents/grandchildren, for a total of 80 participants. Grandparents as well as their adolescent grandchildren desired open communication about sexuality issues, said that societal pressure makes sexual encounters hard to resist, and felt that they needed assistance with the sexuality communication process. Nurses can build upon the study's results to assist African American grandparents and their adolescent grandchildren with sexual communication.

Source: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care

DOI: 10.1016/j.jana.2008.10.007

Authors: Judith B. Cornelius, Sara LeGrand, Loretta Sweet Jemmott

Institutions: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of Pennsylvania

Language: English

Topic: Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: University of Pennsylvania, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research