Effects of a Worksite Parenting Program

Many adolescents in the U.S., even very young adolescents, are engaging in sexual risk behaviors that put them at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintended pregnancy. Studies show that parents can play a significant role in promoting healthy sexual development and risk reduction among adolescents. The UCLA/RAND Center for Adolescent Health Promotion has developed Talking Parents, Healthy Teens, a worksite-based parenting program for parents of adolescents (grades 6-10) to improve parent-adolescent communication and reduce adolescent sexual risk behaviors. We are evaluating the effectiveness of the program primarily with confidential surveys of the participants before and after the program.