Effectiveness of the Dual Approach Program to promote sexual abstinence in Thai early female adolescents and improve parent-daughter sexual communication

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of abstinence-based sexual education programs delivered in parallel to Thai parents and their early adolescent daughters to promote sexual abstinence and improve communication regarding sexual topics between them and their parents. Design/methodology/approach A quasi-experimental design included groups of parent/daughter dyads; Group 1 (controls) (n=40), Group 2 Adolescent Program (n=40) and Group 3 Adolescent Parent Program (APP) (n=42). Outcome measures included parent–adolescent communications and adolescents’ sexual abstinence cognitions and intent to abstain from sexual behaviors, measured at five and nine weeks post-programs. Findings Generalized estimating equation analyses indicated that the dual program (APP) was more effective in increasing parental communication with their daughters compared with Group 1 (p-value<0.05) and only the daughters in the APP program reported more positive subjective norms, sense of perceived behavioral control and intent to abstain than did Group 1 (p-value<0.05). Originality/value The overarching goal of supporting the development of family environments where female adolescents are able to talk about sexuality is essential for adolescent sexual health promotion. The data provide further evidence that a dual program with simultaneous parent and female adolescent interactive activities over three sessions is superior compared with programs that target either the parents or the adolescents only. Hence, further replication with more parent–daughter dyads and then within more diverse cultures and populations is warranted. Developing and testing a similarly structured program for parents and sons is also required.

Knowledge of safe sex and sexually transmitted infections among high school students, Vientiane Prefecture, Lao PDR

“…The study showed factors associated with higher knowledge of safe sex were living with people other than parents, studying family planning and belonging to a religion that accepted the use of birth control. While parents may be an important source of information on sexual and reproductive health at some stages of adolescence, living more independently may reflect other opportunities for gaining knowledge and experience in these matters [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41].…”

Knowledge of and attitudes towards abortion among adolescents in Lao PDR

“…Adolescents may not be able to discern accurate from inaccurate information or safe or unsafe practices [ 30 ]. Communication with parents and more highly educated mothers was positively associated with attitudes towards safe abortion and confirms the importance of parent-adolescent communication regarding sexuality, reproductive health and skills development [ 32 – 35 ]. The study also affirms adolescents with sexual experience tend to hold more positive attitudes towards abortion [ 11 , 16 , 30 ].…”

Predicting Factors of Pre-coital and Sexual Behaviors among Thai Muslim Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study

“…17 Researchers in Thailand discovered that pre-coital behaviors were much higher among teenagers living in Bangkok who experienced parental disapproval of sex, exposure to pornographic media, low sexual refusal self-efficacy, and had a boy/girlfriend. 21 In northern Thailand, it was found that male adolescents were more inclined than female adolescents to participate in pre-coital behaviors and that pre-coital behaviors were significantly predicted by age, sexual refusal self-efficacy, having boyfriends or girlfriends, strict parenting style, parental support for sex, and perceived peer norms. 9 According to our previous publication, 5 Muslim adolescents had sexual experiences, 9% of whom did not use a condom, 41.3% and 54% had sexual intercourse more than once.…”