Journal List > Korean J Women Health Nurs > v.21(1) > 1089500

Kim and Park: Relationships among Parent-child Communication, Self-esteem and Sexual Assertiveness for Male and Female University Students: Gender Difference

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare the relationships among parent-child communication, self-esteem and sexual assertiveness for male and female university students.

Methods

This descriptive study used a comparative survey design that utilized self-report questionnaires. A total of 470 participants were male and female university students in B metropolitan city.

Results

The degree of open communication use was higher for female students in comparison to male students, There were no differences in dysfunctional communication for both the father-child communication. There were no differences between males and females for the mother-child communication either. The degree of self-esteem was higher for male students in comparison to the female students. The degree of sexual assertiveness was higher for female students in comparison to the male students. The grade, religion, major, allowance source, marital status of parents, and relationship experience with opposite sex were influencing factors for the male students’ sexual assertiveness whereas the individual's major and physical contact were influencing factors for the female students.

Conclusion

Self-esteem and mother-child open communication were influencing factors of sexual assertiveness. Thus, the nursing intervention based on the influencing factors is needed in order for male and female students to express sexual assertiveness.

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Table 1.
Comparison of General Characteristics by Gender (N=470)
Characteristics Categories Male (n=252) Female (n=218) x2 p
n (%) n (%)
Age (year) 18~19 40 (15.9) 47 (21.6) 52.90 < .001
  20~21 66 (26.1) 74 (33.9)    
  22~23 70 (27.8) 78 (35.8)    
  >24 76 (30.2) 19 (8.7)    
Grade 1 53 (21.0) 50 (22.9) 2.47 .481
  2 79(31.3) 58 (26.6)    
  3 75 (29.8) 61 (28.0)    
  4 45 (17.9) 49 (22.5)    
Religion Yes 117 (46.4) 100 (45.9) 0.15 .904
  No 135 (53.6) 118 (54.1)    
Major Humanities/social science 132 (52.4) 67 (30.7) 62.49 < .001
  Natural science/engineering 80(31.7) 144 (66.1)    
  Arts/physical education 27 (10.7) 2 (0.1)    
  Theology 13 (5.2) 5 (2.3)    
Residence With family 110 (43.6) 115 (52.8) 27.86 < .001
  Live alone 105 (41.7) 44 (20 2)    
  Dormitory/live with others 37 (14.7) 59 (27.0)    
Monthly allowance (10,000 won) 30~50 164 (65.1) 122 (56.0) 9.89 .007
  <30 60 (23.8) 80 (36.7)    
  >50 28(11.1) 16 (7.3)    
Financial sources Parents 132 (52.4) 148 (67.9) 11.69 .003
  Part-time work+parents 92 (36.5) 53 (24.3)    
  Part-time work 28 (11.1) 17 (7.8)    
Perceived sexual attitude of parents Average 153 (60.7) 126 (57.8) 25.84 < .001
  Open 64 (25.4) 26 (11.9)    
  Closed 35 (13.9) 66 (30.3)    
Birth order Youngest 96 (38.1) 68 (31.2) 2.69 .442
  Eldest 87 (34.5) 85 (39.0)    
  Middle 43 (17.1) 43 (19.7)    
  Only child 26 (10.3) 22 (10.1)    
Sibling No 26 (10.3) 28 (12.8) 2.75 .431
  Yes 226 (89.7) 190 (87.2)    
Father's age (year) (n=462) <50 33 (13.1) 30 (13.8) 0.77 .962
  50~60 205 (81.2) 173 (79.5)    
  > 60 12 (4.8) 10 (4.7)    
Mother's age (year) (n=464) < 50 98 (39.3) 99 (45.8) 2.64 .267
  50~60 146 (58.6) 115 (53.2)    
  > 60 5 (2.1) 2 (9.0)    
Father's occupation (n=462) No 6 (2.4) 3 (1.4) 27.25 .951
  Yes 244 (97.6) 210 (98.6)    
Job category (n=244) Professionals 33 (13.1) 29 (13.8) 5.53 1.37
  Office workers 97 (38.5) 84 (40.0)    
  Production, sales workers 69 (27.5) 43 (20.4)    
  Business owners 45 (17.9) 54 (25.8)    
Mother's occupation (n=464) No 85 (34.1) 81 (37.5) 60.73 .024
  Yes 164 (65.9) 135 (62.5)    
Job category (n=164) Professionals 21 (8.3) 24 (11.0) 11.47 .009
  Office workers 43 (17.0) 45 (20.6)    
  Production, Sales workers 76 (30.2) 37 (17.0)    
  Business owners 24 (9.5) 29 (13.4)    
Marital status of parents Married 235 (93.2) 200 (91.7) 3.30 .508
  Divorced/separated 12 (4.8) 10 (4.6)    
  Widowed 5 (2.0) 8 (3.7)    
Dating experience No 15 (6.0) 23 (10.6) 7.22 .125
  1 77 (30.6) 52 (23.9)    
  2~3 90 (35.7) 92 (42 1)    
  >4 70 (27.7) 51 (23.4)    
Physical contact during dating No 2 (0.8) 4(2.1) 1.13 .286
  Yes 235 (99.2) 191 (97.9)    
Type of physical contact (n235) Light physical contact 14 (6.0) 18 (9.4) 57.05 < .001
  Hug, kiss, caress 52 (22.1) 112 (58.7)    
  Sexual intercourse 169 (71.9) 61 (31.9)    
Military status Fulfilled 149 (59.1) -    
  Unfilled, exempted 103 (40.9)   -  
Table 2.
Comparison of Sexual Assertiveness by Gender(N=470)
Characteristics Categories Male (n=252) t or F (p)Scheffé Female (n=218) t or F (p)Scheffé
M±SD M±SD
Age (year) 18~19 38.95±11.84 2.64 53.65±6.69 2.45
  20~21 43.75±9.80 (.050) 52.52±5.31 (.064)
  22~23 41.60±9.42   51.01±4.84  
  ≥24 39.94±9.42   51.31±6.53  
Grade 1a 38.64±11.08 3.57 53.92±6.48 2.70
  2b 43.73±9.86 (.015) 51.68±6.00 (.060)
  3c 41.61±8.54 a<b 50.96±4.10  
  4d 39.33±9.85   52.24±5.73  
Religion Yes 38.37±9.04 4.43 52.64±5.50 -1.24
  No 43.73±9.99 (<.001) 51.68±5.71 (.745)
Major Humanities/social sciencea 39.78±10.73 4.28 50.13±4.11 5.19
  Natural science/engineeringb 42.11±8.30 (.006) 53.12±6.05 (.002)
  Arts/physical educationc 41.92±8.71 a<d 52.20±5.54 a<b
  Theologyd 49.38±8.86   46.50±2.12  
Residence With family 40.37±9.51 0.79 52.40±5.94 0.46
  Live alone 42.05±9.98 (.454) 51.45±5.38 (.636)
  Dormitory/live with others 41.54±10.93   52.06±5.34  
Monthly allowance 30~50 40.85±9.19 1.73 52.09±5.28 0.02
(10,000 won) <30 43.16±10.97 (.179) 52.20±6.09 (.983)
  >50 39.42±11.29   51.93±6.54  
Financial sources Parentsa 42.95±9.63 5.60 51.93±5.53 1.28
  Part-time work+parentsb 38.56±9.38 (.004) 53.07±5.45 (.279)
  Part-time work+parentsPart-time workc 38.56±9.3842.00±11.31 (.004)b<a 53.07±5.4550.82±7.20 (.279)
Perceived sexual Average 41.08±9.78 2.72 52.26±5.54 0.09
attitude of parents Open 43.10±9.69 (.670) 52.03±5.02 (.910)
attitude of parents OpenClosed 43.10±9.6938.40±10.39 (.670) 52.03±5.0251.89±6.17 (.910)
Birth order Youngest 40.36±9.64 1.66 53.22±5.81 2.20
  Eldest 40.04±11.7 (.175) 50.74±5.76 (.089)
  Middle 43.00±9.41   51.94±5.62  
  Only child 39.69±8.96   51.13±4.35  
Sibling No 39.34±8.84 1.03 51.35±5.41 0.76
  Yes 41.46±10.02 (.311) 52.23±5.70 (.483)
Father's age (year) <50 40.57±10.25 0.11 55.30±4.58 0.11
(n=462) 50~60 41.26±9.72 (.898) 51.54±5.60 (.898)
  ≥60 42.00±12.73   52.90±6.47  
Mother's age (year) <50 41.52±10.60 0.03 52.83±5.74 0.02
(n=464) 50~60 41.23±9.35 (.972) 51.60±5.57 (.972)
  ≥60 41.80±11.90   4.70±4.24  
Father's occupation No 44.00±9.73 0.69 54.66±4.04 0.78
(n=462) Yes 41.13±9.92 (.530) 52.10±5.66 (.403)
Job category Professionals 41.69±10.26   52.58±7.21  
(n=244) Office workers 41.90±9.14   52.61±4.91  
  Production, sales workers 40.81±10.45   50.51±5.53  
  Business owners 39.57±10.58   52.31±5.84  
Mother's occupation No 41.47±8.96 0.12 51.77±5.28 -0.69
(n=464) Yes 41.30±10.35 (.060) 52.33±5.91 (.261)
Job category Professionals 44.28±10.48   55.00±6.40  
(n=164) Office workers 40.58±10.52   51.31±6.10  
  Production, sales workers 41.27±10.42   50.37±5.48  
  Business owners 40.08±9.85   54.20±4.25  
Marital status of Marriedab 41.71±9.70 4.25 52.10±5.70 0.55
parents Divorced/separatedb 33.66±10.62 (.015) 52.70±5.07 (.947)
  Widowedc 37.40±11.97 b<a 52.00±5.97  
Dating experience Noa 46.4±12.04 5.41 54.50±5.98 1.11
Dating experience No1b 46.4±12.0443.83±9.46 5.41(.001) 54.50±5.9852.25±4.87 1.11(.344)
  2~3c 38.73±9.69 c<a, b 52.44±5.31  
  ≥4d 40.52±9.28   50.94±6.75  
Physical contact No 40.00±2.82 -0.13 54.50±7.18 0.90
during dating Yes 40.92±9.74 (.893) 51.94±5.60 (.642)
Type of physical Light physical contacta 40.00±2.82 9.69 55.05±6.87 10.28
contact (n=235) Hug, kiss, caressbc 46.50±8.93 (<.001) 52.74±5.08 (<.001)
  Sexual intercoursec 39.25±9.65 c<a, b 49.57±5.32 c<a
Military status Fulfilled 40.55±9.23 -1.36 -  
  Unfilled, exempted 42.29±10.83 (0.06) -  
Table 3.
Comparison of Parent-child Communication, Self-esteem and Sexual Assertiveness by Gender (N=470)
Variables Male (n=252) Female (n=218) t p
M±SD M±SD
Father-child communication        
Open communication 33.12±8.34 35.65±7.32 -3.43 .001
Dysfunction communication 24.53±6.06 23.72±5.34 1.51 .131
Mother-child communication        
Open communication 37.96±8.38 38.52±6.84 -0.78 .435
Dysfunction communication 23.99±6.24 23.43±5.45 1.01 .313
Self-esteem 32.53±4.05 31.75±3.33 2.65 .008
Sexual assertiveness 41.24±9.91 52.12±5.66 -14.30 <.001
Table 4.
Relationships among Parent-child Communication, Self-esteem and Sexual Assertiveness according to Gender (N=470
Variables Self-esteem Sexual assertiveness
Male (n=252) Female (n=218) Male (n=252) Female (n=218)
r p r p r p r p
Father-child communication                
Open communication .46 <.001 .29 <.001 .42 <.001 .21 <.001
Dysfunction communication -.43 <.001 -26 <.001 -.31 <.001 -.26 <.001
Mother-child communication                
Open communication .40 <.001 .29 <.001 .50 <.001 .25 <.001
Dysfunction communication -.42 <.001 -.19 <.001 -.41 <.001 -.19 <.001
Self-esteem 1   1   .43 <.001 .37 <.001
Table 5.
Factors predicting Sexual Assertiveness according to Gender (N=470)
Gender Variables β t p Adjusted R2
Male (n=252) Mother-child open communication .54 4.83 <.001 .25
  Self-esteem .26 4.66 <.001 .29
  Father-child dysfunction communication -.53 -4.84 <.001 .34
  Religion (1=no) -.16 -3.12 .002 .36
  Mother-child dysfunction communication -.30 -2.60 .010 .38
Female (n=218) Self-esteem .31 4.91 <.001 .13
  Mother-child open communication .18 2.86 .005 .16
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