Improving parent’s skills and practices in talking with their children about sex: A quasi-experimental evaluation of social marketing activities in Thailand

ABSTRACT

This study aims to evaluate the effect of social marketing activities under a campaign implemented in Thailand to improve knowledge and attitude skills and practices of parents to discuss sex with the youth in their care. The target population was Thai parents or guardians with a child or youth in their care aged 7 to 18 years. The research design is a quasi-experimental study using the Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) technique. The matching strategy is an attempt to control for characteristics of the parents and exposure to the social marketing activities. The resulting weighted sample from a survey—conducted in five provinces of the country in 2016—consisted of 1,329 persons. Multiple linear regression analysis found that the social marketing activities of the campaign had a significantly positive influence on parents/guardians’ knowledge and attitude skills (KAS) and practices (Practice) in talking with children about sex. The statistical analysis confirmed that above the line (ATL) social marketing activities improved KAS of parents/guardians exposed to the campaign (when compared with those who were not exposed). Similarly, the analysis found that below the line (BTL) social marketing activities improved both KAS and Practice of parents/guardians at a higher level than ATL activities alone. Parents/guardians who were exposed to both ATL and BTL had better KAS and Practice than those exposed to only ATL or BTL alone.

KEYWORDS:

• parent-child communication
• sex education
• social marketing activities
• Thailand

Acknowledgments

The data for this research study came from the project titled “A survey on the exposure of Thai parents/guardians to the social marketing campaign – Golden Opportunity: Talking with Your Child about Sex-”. The authors would like to thank the Social Marketing Division of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (THPF) for the kind permission to use the dataset.

Ethical considerations

This study has received an ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Institute for Social and Population Research (IPSR) Mahidol University (IRB Number: IRB0001007; COE. No. 2017/12-301). Before being interviewed, all parents/guardians were informed about the study’s objectives, their roles and rights to answer or not to answer the question and that they could stop the interview at any time, and confidentiality of the personal data and way that findings are presented. The interview was conducted only after informed consent was provided by parents/guardians.

Notes

1. For additional information on the CEM technique for a quasi-experimental evaluation study see Firestone R. (2015). Evaluating Program Effectiveness: Key Concepts and How to Use Coarsened Exact Matching. Washington, DC: Population Services International (PSI) Online: http://www.psi.org/publication/evaluating-program-effectiveness-key-concepts-and-how-to-use-coarsened-exact-matching

2. The questionnaire is in Thai, included in the handbook titled “Talking with Children about Sex” developed by the THPF: [http://www.thaihealth.or.th/contact/getfile_books.php?e_id=462 accessed on January 5, 2020]