Yale University

An intergenerational approach to understanding Taiwanese American adolescent girls' and their mothers' perceptions about sexual health.

TitleAn intergenerational approach to understanding Taiwanese American adolescent girls' and their mothers' perceptions about sexual health.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2007
AuthorsKao, Tsui-Sui Annie, Barbara Guthrie, and Carol Loveland-Cherry
JournalJournal of family nursing
Volume13
Issue3
Pagination312-32
Date Published2007 Aug
ISSN1074-8407
KeywordsAcculturation, Adolescent, Adolescent Psychology, Adult, Anthropology, Cultural, Asian Americans, Attitude to Health, Communication, Female, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Humans, Intergenerational Relations, Michigan, Middle Aged, Mothers, Nuclear Family, Nursing Methodology Research, Perception, Safe Sex, Sex Education, Sexual Behavior, Social Values, Taboo, Taiwan
AbstractTaiwan-born mothers' perceptions of sexual health affect their Taiwanese American girls' sexual perceptions. Taiwanese American girls grow up balancing two different cultural influences (Taiwanese and American) while living in the majority society. The process of balancing two different cultures is called bi-cultural straddling. Four separate focus group interviews with two sets of mothers and daughters ( N = 20) were conducted to understand intergenerational transmission of thoughts, perceptions, values, and attitudes associated with sex-related taboos and their impact on sexual communication, safety, and sexual health of second-generation Taiwanese American girls. The findings suggest that mother-daughter relationships, particularly mothers' traditional cultural values, influence their daughters' decision-making process. A secondary finding suggests that these girls tend to experience mental strain if they decide to go against their mothers' advice. Implications are that maternal involvement should be increased and further studies conducted to understand mother-daughter relationships, their pattern of sexual-related communicating, and expectations.
DOI10.1177/0193945910382242
Alternate JournalJ Fam Nurs

External Links