Adolescents’ and Parents’ Knowledge of Laws Pertaining to Adolescent Sexual Behavior: The Role of Perceived Policy Fairness on Adolescents’ Willingness to Violate the Law

Abstract

This study evaluated 190 adolescent–parent dyads from two US sites (CA and TX) about their awareness of and attitudes toward adolescent sexting and age of sexual consent policies. Findings indicate (a) poor policy awareness among adolescents and parents, particularly for the Texas sample, (b) positive associations between parent and adolescent awareness, (c) site differences in fairness ratings, and (d) a negative association between adolescents’ fairness ratings and their willingness to violate the policies. We recommend greater efforts toward policy education, given the lack of awareness in the present sample, and consideration for the developmental appropriateness of policies.