The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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A Review of Interventions With Parents to Promote the Sexual Health of Their Children

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Wight, D. and D. Fullerton (2012). "A Review of Interventions With Parents to Promote the Sexual Health of Their Children." Journal of Adolescent Health(0).

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of interventions involving parents or carers intended to improve the sexual health of their children.

Methods: Eleven databases were searched for evaluations of interventions with some parental involvement and with outcomes related to the sexual health of the parents' children. Studies had to be experimental, quasi-experimental, or of the before-and- after type. Results were analyzed in a narrative systematic review, taking account of methodological quality.

Results: We identified adequately robust evaluations of 44 programs, delivered in diverse settings. In nearly all cases, the parenting component focused on improving parent–child communication about sex. In general, where measured, parent–child interaction and adolescents' knowledge and attitudes improved, but sexual behavior outcomes only improved in approximately half the studies. Three programs in which the parenting component made up at least one- fourth of the overall program were found, through randomized controlled trials, to modify some aspect of adolescents' sexual behavior. All programs involved parents for at least 14 hours, were community-based, and encouraged delayed sex.

Conclusions: Targeted programs with intensive parental involvement can modify adolescents' sexual behavior, although the review was limited by the lack of rigorous evaluations. Few programs addressed behavioral control, parent–child connectedness, or parental modeling, all suggested by observational research.