Racial/ethnic Differences in Mother-daughter Communication About Sex

White, Black, Latina, and Asian mothers (n = 6929) were compared on aspects of mother-daughter communication about sex. Non-Whites reported higher discomfort. Latinas and Asians were least likely to have discussed sex but most likely to know daughters’ sexual status. The converse was observed for Black mothers. Research on the influence of ethnicity on adolescent sexual behavior may inform the design of more effective interventions to reduce sexual risk behavior.