Interagency Youth Working Group

Parents, broadly defined as unpaid primary caregivers during a significant period in a young person’s life, play a critical role in promoting healthy behaviors among youth. Parent-child relationships influence such issues as early sexual initiation, substance use, and depression among adolescents. A growing number of programs for adolescents are working with parents. Many focus on increasing parent-youth communication, and in some cases, about sexual and reproductive health. Others seek to increase parental involvement and monitoring in youth’s lives in general.

A recent review by the World Health Organization (WHO) identified key roles parents need to play to help protect youth from unhealthy behaviors. WHO also published a review of existing projects that are working with parents (see links below). Some programs for parents show promising results in improving attitudes, increasing parent-child communication, and decreasing sexual risk-taking by youth. Yet, too few studies have been conducted to warrant firm conclusions about the most effective ways to work with parents so that health outcomes for youth are improved.

Parents can also play an important role as key stakeholders for youth programs such as peer education and school-based programs. Involving parents in aspects of these programs, such as recruitment of their children, may be a valuable way to improve program outcomes and create a more enabling environment. 

Recommended Resources 

Overviews and Literature Reviews

Broadening the Horizon: Balancing Protection and Risk for Adolescents. Research data from more than 50 countries describes the risk and protective factors, including parents, the broader community, the school environment, and peers, for adolescents as they relate to health. (World Health Organization, 2001)

Helping Parents Improve Adolescents' Health in Developing Countries (PDF, 1.1 MB). This report synthesizes a literature review of recent research on parenting of adolescents in developing countries and discussion from a technical meeting in 2006 of researchers and program representatives. It organizes the findings into five key roles for parents, which programs could target to promote and improve adolescent health. (World Health Organization, 2007)

Innovative Approaches to Increase Parent-Child Communication about Sexuality: Their Impact and Examples from the Field. This report provides research on the effectiveness of interventions in the United States designed to promote parent-child communication about sexuality. It also includes ten innovative approaches and examples from the field. (SIECUS, 2002)

Summaries of Projects in Developing Countries Assisting the Parents of Adolescents (PDF, 1.94 MB). This report summarizes 34 projects that assist parents of adolescents in promoting healthy adolescent development and preventing health risks. (World Health Organization, 2007)

YouthLens No. 25. Helping Parents Improve Adolescent Health (PDF, 179 KB). This four-page research brief summarizes the two 2007 WHO reports summarized above. (Family Health International/Interagency Youth Working Group, 2007) 

Guides and Tools

Ten Tips For Parents To Help Their Children Avoid Teen Pregnancy. A research-based list of practical tips for parents and adults to help the young people in their lives avoid pregnancy and pass safely through adolescence. (The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 2007)

Parent Power: What Parents Need to Know and Do to Help Prevent Teen Pregnancy (PDF, 373 KB). This 32-page document speaks directly to parents as to how they can make a difference to help their children delay sexual activity and avoid teen pregnancy. (The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 2003)