This paper explores how parental attitudes about adolescent dating violence impact the parent-son relationship, and whether perceptions of whether their sons could engage in DV are associated with parent-son engagement in conversation about sensitive topics.
The negative consequences of dating violence (DV) in adolescence have been well documented, and family involvement in early prevention efforts is crucial (Taquette & Monteiro, 2019). Parent comfort discussing DV with their adolescents has been found to foster preventative conversations (Edwards et al., 2022); however, less is known about how parental attitudes about DV and perceptions of whether their son could engage in DV are associated with parent engagement in these conversations. The present study included baseline data from a larger study with parents and their adolescent sons (M = 13.02, SD = 0.69; n = 107) participating in a randomized controlled trial of an online DV prevention program. Secondary analyses examined parent perceptions of whether their son could be a victim and/or perpetrator of DV, and parent comfort discussing sensitive topics with their son moderated the relationship between parent attitudes about DV and parent–adolescent open communication about relationships and sex. Results revealed that parent comfort discussing sensitive topics significantly moderated the relationship between parent attitudes about DV and open communication. Specifically, parents who endorsed attitudes more normalizing of DV and high comfort discussing sensitive topics had adolescents who reported the highest level of open communication compared to adolescents whose parents reported low comfort discussing sensitive topics regardless of their attitudes of DV. Interventions focused on enhancing parent comfort engaging in sensitive discussions with their adolescents may support the development of healthy relationships and reduce rates of DV. (Published Abstract Provided)