Sex and the working mother: adolescent sexuality, sex role typing and family background
Fingerman, K.L.
Adolescence 24(93): 1-18
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-8449 PMID: 2728962 Document Number: 338830
The relationship between family background, sexual behavior, and sex role typing was examined in 44 female and 47 male 15- to 17-year-old subjects at a New England preparatory school using verbal recall, self-report, and background information. Mother's profession was the best correlate of adolescent sexual behavior. The Spence Personal Attributes scale was correlated with sexual behavior in females and the Essay Recall measure was correlated with sexual behavior for males. The most robust result is a negative relationship between the traditionality of the mother's vocation and her adolescent's sexual behavior. Sexually active adolescents appear to come from family backgrounds wherein liberal sex role ideals are espoused. Daughters of working women conceive of the ideal women in our society as being described by the potency, activity, and independence adjectives traditionally associated with men. Adolescents whose mothers are in nontraditional professions are less traditionally sex typed. Liberal sexual behavior is concurrent with liberal sex role attitudes. In short, the more liberal mother produces the more liberal male and female offspring.