A Parent-Child Program to Prevent Adolescent Pregnancy

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project will develop and evaluate a theoretically-based interactive multi-media program for use by parents and their adolescent children (10-14 years of age) to prevent adolescent pregnancy. The program will have behaviorally focused communication skills training and educational content that is both tailored and targeted to the user. It will be tailored by parental values regarding adolescent sexual behavior (i.e., (a) delay sexual involvement (DSI) and provide the child with education about contraceptives and sexually transmitted infections (STI), (b) DSI with no contraceptive/STI education, or (c) abstinence with no contraceptive/STI education). In addition, program content will be targeted by (a) parental race/ethnicity (i.e., African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic), (c) parental gender, and (d) gender of the child. When complete, this comprehensive program will include a component for use by the parent, and another for use by the parent and child together. The program will be designed to effectively address the knowledge deficits of both parents and their children, and provide training and modeling in effective communication between the parent and child that are consistent with the parent's values regarding adolescent sexual behavior. The program will be developed in CD-ROM, Internet/intranet, DVD and VHS videotape formats. It will be appropriate for use in a broad range of settings (e.g., homes, worksites, health and community organizations). The Phase I prototype will target African American mothers of daughters (the subgroup at highest risk for adolescent unintended pregnancy) who value DSI, but want contraceptive/STI education. It will be evaluated in a randomized trial at 2 urban community centers.