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Parent‐Based Adolescent Sexual Health Interventions And Effect on Communication Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analyses
Author(s) -
Santa Maria Diane,
Markham Christine,
Bluethmann Shirley,
Mullen Patricia Dolan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
perspectives on sexual and reproductive health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.818
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1931-2393
pISSN - 1538-6341
DOI - 10.1363/47e2415
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , context (archaeology) , intervention (counseling) , meta analysis , reproductive health , health communication , clinical psychology , grandparent , medicine , psychology , developmental psychology , nursing , population , environmental health , paleontology , communication , biology
CONTEXT Parent‐based adolescent sexual health interventions aim to reduce sexual risk behaviors by bolstering parental protective behaviors. Few studies of theory use, methods, applications, delivery and outcomes of parent‐based interventions have been conducted. METHODS A systematic search of databases for the period 1998–2013 identified 28 published trials of U.S. parent‐based interventions to examine theory use, setting, reach, delivery mode, dose and effects on parent–child communication. Established coding schemes were used to assess use of theory and describe methods employed to achieve behavioral change; intervention effects were explored in meta‐analyses. RESULTS Most interventions were conducted with minority parents in group sessions or via self‐paced activities; interventions averaged seven hours, and most used theory extensively. Meta‐analyses found improvements in sexual health communication: Analysis of 11 controlled trials indicated a medium effect on increasing communication (Cohen's d, 0.5), and analysis of nine trials found a large effect on increasing parental comfort with communication (0.7); effects were positive regardless of delivery mode or intervention dose. Intervention participants were 68% more likely than controls to report increased communication and 75% more likely to report increased comfort. CONCLUSIONS These findings point to gaps in the range of programs examined in published trials—for example, interventions for parents of sexual minority youth, programs for custodial grandparents and faith‐based services. Yet they provide support for the effectiveness of parent‐based interventions in improving communication. Innovative delivery approaches could extend programs’ reach, and further research on sexual health outcomes would facilitate the meta‐analysis of intervention effectiveness in improving adolescent sexual health behaviors.