ABSTRACT
Parents have a pervasive influence on the daily lives of children and adolescents, including sexual development and behavior. Parents may affect sexual behavior through the models they provide, direct messages, and parenting and communication styles. One of the principal ways in which parents affect sexual development is by acting as conduits of cultural values, which may be influenced by race/ethnicity, national origin, and religious background. Parents also have a direct interest in healthy sexual development of children, though parental definitions of appropriate sexual behavior may differ from provider understanding and priorities. Understanding the role of families in child and adolescent sexual development and working collaboratively with them are critical to successful practice of pediatric gynecology.
