Samtal om blommor och bin – en het potatis eller helt naturligt? : En kvalitativ studie om hur föräldrar  i Sverige upplever och hanterar att samtal med sina barn om sex, samlevnad och sexualitet

Sammanfattning: Background: As a parent, talking about sex, relationship and sexuality might be seen upon as a sensitive matter and is sometimes a difficult subject to raise with your child. Earlier studies show that a good communication in the home environment decreases childrens sexual risk behaviours. Health care personal is lifted as important actors within the sex education for children, adolecents and their parents. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe how parents in Sweden experience and handle the conversation about sex, relationship and sexuality with their children. Method: A qualitative study with Critical Incident Technique as method was used. The 20 parents who chose to participate in the study got to answer two opened ended questions in a questionnaire. Results: The result led to three main areas; “Parents experience and motivation for conversation”, “The affirmative conversation” and last “Elements that influence a negative experience of the conversation”. Parents describe the question being lifted in the home environment in different occations. Parents own experiences effects the content in the conversation and how they interpret the conversation as a whole. An important factor for the conversations to be experienced in a positive way is an open climat and mutual trust between parent and child. Parents describe difficulties in communicating about the subject when the child does not seem receptive and don’t give any respons. When parents felt the lack of positive respons and the children dit not seem adoptive the conversation was described as negative. Conclusion: Parents describe the importance of an open climate in the home environment together with mutual trust and respect as essential conditions for a positive experience of the conversation.