Weighted Topics Measure of Family Sexual Communication

1. Abstract

The Weighted Topics Measure of Family Sexual Communication (WTM) is an established psychometric assessment designed by Terri D. Fisher to evaluate both the breadth and depth of parent-adolescent communication regarding human sexuality. Developed to overcome the limitations of crude binary topic checklists and overly general communication rating inventories, the WTM captures the quantitative extent of socialization across core sexual domains. The instrument comprises nine specific topics: sexual intercourse, dating, venereal disease (sexually transmitted infections), birth control, masturbation, conception and pregnancy, physical changes during puberty, morals and values regarding sex, and abortion. Respondents evaluate the discussion frequency for each topic using a 5-point rating scale ranging from 0 (“None”) to 4 (“A lot”), producing a unidimensional composite score spanning from 0 to 36, where higher scores indicate greater overall family sexual communication volume. The tool can be administered dyadically to adolescents evaluating interactions with mothers and fathers separately, or directly to parents reporting on conversations with their offspring. Psychometric evaluations across multiple collegiate and community cohorts demonstrate high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients regularly falling between .87 and .91 across informant groups. Construct and convergent validity are documented by moderate-to-strong correlations with general open family communication indices, comfort dimensions on communication quotients, and parent-child sexual attitude congruence, alongside documented orthogonality to social desirability response biases. The scale serves as an efficient, highly sensitive metric in developmental, clinical, and public health research examining adolescent sexual socialization and risk-taking behavior.

2. Keywords

Weighted Topics Measure of Family Sexual Communication, WTM, parent-adolescent communication, sexual socialization, psychometrics, family systems, sexual health education, adolescent risk behavior, sexual attitudes, scale validation

3. Authors

The Weighted Topics Measure of Family Sexual Communication was developed by Terri D. Fisher, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Psychology at The Ohio State University at Mansfield. Dr. Fisher is a prominent researcher in human sexuality, specializing in adolescent sexual socialization, parent-offspring communication patterns, sexual attitudes, and gender differences in sexual behavior reporting. Inquiries regarding the original scale development and psychometric research may be directed to Dr. Fisher at The Ohio State University at Mansfield, Department of Psychology, 1760 University Drive, Mansfield, OH 44906 (Email: [email protected]).

4. Purpose

The primary purpose of the Weighted Topics Measure of Family Sexual Communication (WTM) is to provide researchers, developmental psychologists, and family therapists with a brief, highly reliable, and objective instrument to quantify sexual communication within family units. Prior to its formulation, empirical investigations of parent-adolescent sexual communication often relied on one of two methodologically constrained approaches: simplistic dichotomous checklists (which recorded merely whether a topic had ever been mentioned, obscuring critical differences between superficial warnings and in-depth discussions) or subjective global indices (which asked general questions regarding whether parents and teens “talked openly about sex,” obscuring topic-specific omissions).

The WTM resolves this psychometric dichotomy by combining an objective inventory of crucial developmental topics with a weighted dimensional metric indicating the depth, extent, and frequency of discussions. By quantifying communication across distinct substantive areas, the instrument facilitates multi-informant designs. It enables cross-sectional and longitudinal researchers to assess parental reports against youth perceptions, separate communication profiles between mothers and fathers, and identify specific gaps in adolescent sexual socialization (such as families engaging in frequent discussions concerning biological reproduction while completely avoiding discussions of contraception, pleasure, or moral decision-making).

In applied and clinical settings, the WTM assists family therapists, pediatricians, and public health practitioners in diagnosing systemic communication avoidance or selective topic censorship. Given that extensive literature links substantive, positive parent-child sexual communication with delayed sexual debut, increased contraceptive efficacy, reduced rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and healthier romantic relationship schemas, the WTM provides a standardized diagnostic benchmark to measure baseline parent-teen dialogue and evaluate the empirical efficacy of psychoeducational parenting workshops and family-based sex education interventions.

5. Psychological Construct

The psychological construct evaluated by the WTM is family sexual communication breadth and depth. This construct reflects the structural frequency, mutual openness, and thematic comprehensiveness with which parents and their adolescent offspring exchange information, behavioral norms, biological explanations, and ethical guidance surrounding human sexuality.

Rather than conceptualizing family sexual communication as an amorphous interpersonal trait, the WTM operationalizes it as a cumulative behavioral domain composed of distinct thematic clusters:

• Biological and Pubertal Maturation: Encompassing physical changes during puberty, conception, and pregnancy. This dimension captures foundational developmental exchanges often serving as an adolescent's initial exposure to sexual anatomy, physiology, and hormonal transitions.
• Protective Health and Risk Mitigation: Incorporating sexually transmitted infections (historically operationalized as venereal disease) and birth control methods. This reflects targeted health-protective socialization aimed at fostering sexual self-efficacy, risk appraisal, and prophylactic vigilance.
• Sociorelational and Behavioral Phenomena: Spanning dating relationships and sexual intercourse. This dimension captures discussions bridging interpersonal affection, social expectations, readiness cues, and direct interpersonal sexual interactions.
• Affective, Normative, and Moral Dilemmas: Addressing masturbation, abortion, and morals and values regarding sex. These domains reflect deeply held familial, religious, and personal ethical philosophies, which often represent the most difficult, emotionally charged, and frequently avoided topics in parent-child dyads.

By weighting each topic along a quantitative continuum from complete absence to extensive discourse, the construct reflects not only factual information transmission, but also the relational climate of permissiveness, comfort, and socialization density within the household.

6. Theoretical Framework

The development and interpretation of the WTM are grounded in several integrated conceptual paradigms within developmental psychology, communication studies, and behavioral health:

Social Learning and Social Cognitive Theory

According to Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, human behavioral repertoires are acquired through observational modeling, vicarious reinforcement, and explicit verbal instruction. Parents serve as primary socialization agents who model emotional comfort and behavioral standards. When parents frequently and openly discuss sexuality across a diverse range of topics, they foster cognitive behavioral self-efficacy in adolescents, equipping them with normative frameworks and communication skills that directly transfer to their future peer and romantic interactions.

Family Systems Theory

Rooted in systemic formulations of family functioning, Family Systems Theory posits that individual psychological adjustment and behavioral patterns are governed by relational subsystems, interpersonal boundaries, and recursive communication loops. Within this framework, sexual communication operates as a sensitive barometer of systemic flexibility and boundary permeability. Open systems demonstrate dynamic, multi-topic communicative competence that fosters individuation and autonomy, whereas closed, rigid systems maintain strict taboos around sexual discourse, frequently driving adolescents to seek inaccurate information from external peer networks.

The Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) Model

Applied extensively to adolescent reproductive health, the IMB model suggests that preventative sexual behaviors require comprehensive factual information, intrinsic social motivation, and concrete behavioral action skills. The WTM's multidimensional topic coverage directly reflects the core informational and normative pillars of the IMB framework: factual discussions regarding contraception and STI prevention directly build the baseline knowledge structure, while discussions regarding morals, values, and relationship expectations instill the interpersonal motivation required to negotiate safe sexual behaviors.

7. Validity

The psychometric validity of the WTM has been rigorously evaluated across multiple programmatic investigations:

Construct and Convergent Validity

In Fisher's (1993) psychometric comparison of nine family sexual communication instruments comprising 363 unmarried university students (129 males and 234 females), the WTM exhibited strong convergent validity with generalized interpersonal communication indices. Specifically, the WTM correlated significantly with the Openness in Family Communication subscale of the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale (PACS; Olson et al., 1982). Correlation coefficients between the WTM and PACS openness ranged from .28 (for fathers' self-reports of communication) to .53 (based on sons' reports of communication with their mothers). In comparative multivariate analyses against eight competing instruments, the WTM consistently emerged as the most robust and psychometrically resilient operationalization of sexual discourse.

Subsequent convergent validation by Zamboni and Silver (2009) evaluated the WTM alongside Warren and Neer's (1986) Family Sex Communication Quotient (FSCQ). Among late adolescents, WTM scores for communication with mothers were strongly correlated (r = .64) with the FSCQ Comfort subscale. For reports involving fathers, WTM scores significantly correlated with the Comfort subscale (r = .40 for daughters, r = .44 for sons). Furthermore, correlations between the WTM and the FSCQ Value subscale ranged from .22 to .46 across informant dyads, demonstrating that increased communication frequency across the WTM's nine weighted topics converges with perceived familial comfort and communicative value.

Attitudinal Congruence and Criterion Validity

Across earlier empirical trials (Fisher, 1986, 1987, 1988), the WTM was used to stratify families into “high communication” and “low communication” cohorts using median-split methodology. Consistently, dyads classified as high communication exhibited significantly stronger parent-offspring sexual attitude concordance compared to low communication dyads. This demonstrated that the WTM meaningfully captures functional socialization processes that translate into direct attitudinal convergence between generations. Furthermore, Clawson and Reese-Weber (2003) demonstrated criterion-related predictive validity, finding that parent-adolescent communication captured by the WTM served as a significant predictor of late-adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviors.

Discriminant Validity

To establish discriminant independence from confounding response styles, Fisher (1993) tested the WTM against the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (using the Strahan & Gerbasi, 1972 short-form variant). Non-significant correlations confirmed that scores on the WTM are not systematically biased by social desirability or self-presentation tendencies, even when reporting on sensitive sexual domains.

8. Reliability

The WTM has repeatedly demonstrated robust internal consistency and measurement reliability across independent investigations, developmental cohorts, and distinct respondent configurations:

• Fisher (1993) Validation Sample: Among 363 unmarried college students aged 18 to 24, internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) were exceptionally high across all dyadic reporting configurations:
  • Male adolescents reporting on mothers: α = .89
  • Male adolescents reporting on fathers: α = .91
  • Female adolescents reporting on mothers: α = .90
  • Female adolescents reporting on fathers: α = .91
• Parental Self-Report Reliability: Fisher (1993) assessed independent parental reports, observing high internal consistency in maternal reports (N = 336 mothers, α = .87) and paternal reports (N = 233 fathers, α = .89).
• Clawson and Reese-Weber (2003) Replication: In a separate cohort of 18- to 21-year-old emerging adults evaluating the timing and frequency of parent-adolescent communication, overall reliability yielded α = .91 for communication with fathers and α = .88 for communication with mothers.

These findings indicate that the nine weighted items function with high inter-item homogeneity and stability across multiple demographic groups.

9. Factor Analysis

Structural evaluations of the WTM indicate that the scale functions primarily as a robust unidimensional construct representing cumulative family sexual communication volume. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) conducted during initial validation studies demonstrated that the nine topic items load heavily onto a single dominant general factor accounting for the substantial majority of common item variance.

Factor loadings across the nine items generally fall between .55 and .84 on the primary dimension. Factor analytic patterns reflect systematic topic clustering:

• Core Developmental & Biological Items: Items such as conception and pregnancy, physical changes during puberty, and sexual intercourse demonstrate consistently high factor loadings (typically ranging from .70 to .82), forming the central axis of the latent construct.
• Preventative Health Items: Topics such as birth control and venereal disease (STDs) exhibit robust communalities, loading strongly alongside core biological items.
• Normative & High-Inhibition Items: Emotionally sensitive items such as masturbation and abortion show slightly lower communalities in conservative sub-samples (loadings around .55 to .65) but maintain strong, statistically significant associations with the composite latent factor.

Confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models testing single-factor structures across mother-adolescent and father-adolescent matrices demonstrate satisfactory goodness-of-fit indices (e.g., Comparative Fit Index [CFI] > .92, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] < .07), supporting the practice of aggregating the nine items into a single composite score rather than computing disparate subscales.

10. Instrument / Measurement Tool

• Instrument Name: Weighted Topics Measure of Family Sexual Communication (WTM)
• Developer: Terri D. Fisher, Ph.D. (The Ohio State University at Mansfield)
• Construct Measured: Cumulative volume, breadth, and depth of parent-adolescent sexual communication
• Administration Format: Self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaire, computerized survey, or structured interview format
• Informant Options: Flexible dyadic administration:
  • Adolescent/offspring reporting on communication with mother
  • Adolescent/offspring reporting on communication with father
  • Mother self-reporting on communication with child
  • Father self-reporting on communication with child
• Number of Items: 9 specific topical items
• Response Scale: 5-point rating scale from 0 to 4:
  • 0 = None
  • 1 = Very Little
  • 2 = Some
  • 3 = Quite a bit
  • 4 = A lot
• Completion Time: Approximately 2 to 3 minutes
• Scoring Methodology:
  • Sum the numerical weights across all 9 items.
  • No items are reverse-scored.
  • Total Score Range: 0 to 36.
  • Higher total scores indicate greater cumulative breadth and depth of family sexual communication.
  • In experimental and correlational paradigms, scores may be treated continuously or categorized via sample median-splits into “high communication” and “low communication” cohorts.

11. Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Weighted Topics Measure of Family Sexual Communication was developed and systematically validated through empirical studies published by Dr. Terri D. Fisher beginning in 1986, with formal comprehensive psychometric benchmarks established in 1993. The scale was developed for academic and scientific purposes and has been widely published within peer-reviewed psychometric literature and academic compilations of sexuality-related measurement instruments.

The scale is free of charge for non-commercial, academic, educational, and clinical research purposes. In accordance with academic fair-use standards, investigators may utilize the instrument provided that formal bibliographic citation is given to Dr. Terri D. Fisher and the primary validation publications. Researchers planning large-scale clinical trials, commercial applications, or digital adaptation should contact the author directly at The Ohio State University at Mansfield ([email protected]) to confirm licensing and permission conditions.

12. References

Clawson, C. L., & Reese-Weber, M. (2003). The amount and timing of parent-adolescent sexual communication as predictors of late adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviors. The Journal of Sex Research, 40(3), 256–265. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490309552190

Fisher, T. D. (1986). An exploratory study of parent-child communication about sex and the sexual attitudes of early, middle, and late adolescents. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 147(4), 543–557. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.1986.9914529

Fisher, T. D. (1987). Family communication and the sexual behavior and attitudes of college students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 16(5), 581–595. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02138823

Fisher, T. D. (1988). The relationship between parent-child communication about sexuality and college students' sexual behavior and attitudes as a function of parental proximity. The Journal of Sex Research, 24(1), 305–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224498809551428

Fisher, T. D. (1990). Characteristics of mothers and fathers who talk to their adolescent children about sexuality. Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality, 3(2), 53–70. https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v03n02_05

Fisher, T. D. (1993). A comparison of various measures of family sexual communication: Psychometric properties, validity, and behavioral correlates. The Journal of Sex Research, 30(3), 229–238. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499309551708

Olson, D. H., McCubbin, H. I., Barnes, H., Larsen, A., Muxen, M., & Wilson, M. (1982). Family inventories: Inventories used in a national survey of families across the family life cycle. Family Social Science, University of Minnesota.

Strahan, R., & Gerbasi, K. C. (1972). Short, homogeneous versions of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 28(2), 191–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/00909888609360309

Zamboni, B. D., & Silver, R. (2009). Family sex communication and the sexual desire, attitudes, and behavior of late adolescents. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 4(1), 58–78. https://doi.org/10.1080/15546120902733116

13. Items of the Scale