Exploring the content and delivery of relationship skills education programmes for adolescents: a systematic review

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews published research and gray literature on education programmes which aim to teach young people aged between 11 and 18 skills to develop and maintain healthy intimate relationships. Programmes focussing solely on sexual (risky) behaviour, HIV prevention or partner violence were not the focus of this review and thus excluded. Systematic searches were conducted and 76 English language programmes were reviewed, with 17 identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. Characteristics of the included programmes (aims, target audience, content and delivery method) are described. Most programmes were designed to be delivered in school by a teacher covering a broad age range (5 years or more) and focused on the intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions of relationships reflecting adult therapeutic relationship educational models. Future research should focus on further developing and evaluating the content and delivery of relationship skills education programmes grounded in young people’s social and cultural context within a framework of human rights.

KEYWORDS:

• Relationship skills
• programmes
• relationships and sex education
• systematic review
• secondary school students

Acknowledgments

Our thanks go to Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia VLO who funded this research, members of the Evidence Synthesis Team at the University of Exeter Medical School who advised the design of the search strategy, and Abigail Woodley for assistance in running the database searches. The authors thank Ebony Tregent and Tom Reed for assisting the research team with the online search for programme content.

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and associated online supplementary material.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by an alumnus donation to the University of Exeter from Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia VLO. The funder did not have any involvement in the study or write-up and the views expressed herein are those of the authors only.