Abstract
The present study explores whether gender and maternal attachment moderate the relationship between television viewing and adolescents’ sexual and gender stereotypical attitudes. A quantitative survey was conducted among 1,026 Belgian adolescents in a targeted sample of nine schools (Mean age = 16.3). Findings show that greater exposure to television among boys and lower maternal attachment among boys and girls is associated with more liberal and stereotypical sexual attitudes. While maternal attachment has a buffering effect on the relationship between television viewing and sexual attitudes among girls, maternal attachment has a risk-increasing effect among boys. Further research is needed to explore more fully the emergence of gender differences in the influence of maternal attachment and television viewing on adolescents’ sexual development.
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Laura Vandenbosch is a doctoral candidate of the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research (FWO).
Appendix
Appendix
English Translation of Scales and Index Items Used
Scale measuring recreational attitudes toward sex.
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1.
I do not need to be committed to a person to have sex with him/her
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2.
It’s OK to have ongoing sexual relationships with more than one person at a time
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3.
It is possible to enjoy sex with a person and not like that person very much
Scale measuring gender stereotypical attitude.
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1.
Boys are always in the mood for sex.
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2.
A man never really wants “only” a hug or caress
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3.
Most boys yearn for spontaneous sex, no strings attached
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4.
Most boys are in a state of constant desire
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5.
A satisfying sexual experience for a man does not really require much talking beforehand
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6.
Boys can force girls to have sex
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7.
Girls only want real macho guys
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8.
A real man can get every girl he wants
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9.
Girls like boys with whom they can have a good conversation
Overall amount of television viewing.
Scale measuring maternal attachment.
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1.
My mother respects my feeling
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2.
I feel my mother does a good job as my mother
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3.
I wish I had a different mother
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4.
My mother accepts me as I am
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5.
I like to get my mother’s point of view on things I’m concerned about
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6.
I feel it’s no use letting my feelings show around my mother
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7.
My mother can tell when I’m upset about something
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8.
Talking over my problems with my mother makes me feel ashamed or foolish
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9.
My mother expects too much from me
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10.
I get upset easily around my mother
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11.
I get upset a lot more than my mother knows about
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12.
When we discuss things, my mother cares about my point of view
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13.
My mother trusts my judgment
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14.
My mother has her own problems, so I don’t bother her with mine
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15.
My mother helps me to understand myself better
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16.
I tell my mother about my problems and troubles
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17.
I feel angry with my mother
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18.
I don’t get much attention from my mother
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19.
My mother helps me to talk about my difficulties
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20.
My mother understands me
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21.
When I am angry about something, my mother tries to be understanding
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22.
I trust my mother
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23.
My mother doesn’t understand what I’m going through these days
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24.
I can count on my mother when I need to get something off my chest
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25.
If my mother knows something is bothering me, she asks me about it
Original Language for All Items of the Questionnaire
Scale measuring recreational attitudes toward sex.
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1.
Gewone seks zonder in een relatie te zitten is perfect aanvaardbaar
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2.
Het is geen problem om met iemand seks te hebben terwijl je nog met iemand anders een relatie hebt
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3.
Van seks genieten zonder die persoon echt graag te hebben, kan volgens mij
Scale measuring gender stereotypical attitude.
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1.
Jongens hebben altijd zin in seks
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2.
Een man wil eigenlijk nooit alleen maar een knuffel of kus, hij wil altijd meer
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3.
De meeste jongens smachten naar pure, spontane seks zonder veel emotionele betrokkenheid
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4.
De meeste jongens zijn altijd bereid om seks te hebben
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5.
Voor een man hoeft er op voorhand niet veel gepraat te worden voor goede seks
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6.
Jongens mogen meisjes een beetje dwingen om seks te hebben
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7.
Meisjes willen alleen echte macho’s
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8.
Een echte man kan elk meisje in zijn bed krijgen
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9.
Meisjes hebben graag dat je met een jongens goed kan praten.
Overall amount of television viewing.
Scale measuring maternal attachment.
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1.
Mijn moeder respecteert wat ik voel
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2.
Ik vind mijn moeder een goede moeder
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3.
Ik wou dat ik een andere moeder had
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4.
Mijn moeder neemt me zoals ik ben
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5.
Ik wil weten wat mijn moeder denkt van dingen waarover ik me zorgen maak
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6.
Het heeft geen zin dat ik mijn gevoelens toon in het bijzijn van mijn moeder
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7.
Mijn moeder ziet het als ik me wat in de war voel
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8.
Als ik met mijn moeder over problemen praat, voel ik me belachelijk of beschaamd
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9.
Mijn moeder verwacht te veel van mij
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10.
Als mijn moeder in de buurt is, raak ik gemakkelijk over mijn toeren
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11.
Ik raak vaker over mijn toeren dan dat mijn moeder weet
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12.
Als wij over iets babbelen, is mijn moeder geïnteresseerd in mijn standpunt
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13.
Mijn moeder vertrouwt op mijn inschatting van sommige dingen
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14.
Mijn moeder heeft haar eigen problemen, dus ik val haar niet lastig met mijn problemen
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15.
Dankzij mijn moeder begrijp ik beter hoe ikzelf in elkaar zit
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16.
Ik vertel mijn moeder mijn problemen en zorgen
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17.
Ik ben kwaad op mijn moeder
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18.
Ik krijg niet veel aandacht van mijn moeder
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19.
Mijn moeder steunt me om te praten over mijn problemen
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20.
Mijn moeder begrijpt me
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21.
Als ik over iets kwaad ben, probeert mijn moeder begripvol te zijn
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22.
Ik vertrouw mijn moeder
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23.
Mijn moeder begrijpt wat ik nu meemaak
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24.
Ik kan op mijn moeder rekenen als ik mijn hart eens wil luchten
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25.
Als mijn moeder merkt dat iets me dwarszit, vraagt ze me wat er scheelt
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Vandenbosch, L., Eggermont, S. Maternal Attachment and Television Viewing in Adolescents’ Sexual Socialization: Differential Associations Across Gender. Sex Roles 66, 38–52 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-0075-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-0075-5