Building readiness through connection
A school–family–community framework for adolescent sexual-risk prevention in Northern Thailand
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21323754 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Siwaporn Mahathamnuchock (0000-0003-2559-5664, Mae Hong Son College, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Mae Hong Son, Thailand, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-06 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Health Education Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0017-8969 • E-ISSN: 1748-8176 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00178969261433803 |
| OpenAlex | W7150766173 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 25 |
Background: Adolescents and young people in Mae Hong Son Province, a multiethnic and multilingual border region of Northern Thailand, display a gap between sexual health knowledge and preventive practices. Although sexuality education is nationally promoted, its local enactment is shaped by cultural norms, linguistic diversity, and limited coordination between schools, families, and communities. This study explored how key stakeholders perceive the roles of these systems in shaping adolescents’ preventive readiness. Methods: This qualitative study used thematic analysis to interpret data from focus group discussions with 34 adult stakeholders—teachers, parents, community health volunteers, and community leaders—linked to three lower secondary schools and two surrounding communities. Results: Six interrelated themes were developed across school, family, and community domains. Stakeholders perceived adolescents and young people as having basic awareness of sexual health risks but limited ability to apply this knowledge in everyday contexts. Preventive readiness was influenced by culturally mediated family communication, didactic school-based sexuality education, and community involvement that was episodic rather than sustained. Across themes, preventive readiness was understood as relational and context-dependent rather than an individual psychological attribute. Conclusion: Strengthening adolescent sexual-risk prevention in multiethnic settings requires culturally responsive pedagogy, improved family–school communication, and sustained community engagement. A School–Family–Community framework is proposed as an interpretive lens to guide future research and context-sensitive programme design
Adolescent health · Community health · Community-based participatory research · Focus group · Human sexuality · Qualitative research · Reproductive health · Sexuality education · Stakeholder · Thematic analysis · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Child Abuse and Trauma · School Health and Nursing Education
Bridging knowledge and practice
Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis
Implementation of Sexual and Reproductive Health Education Policy in Schools in Asia and Africa
Picturing sexuality education in Thailand
Factors associated with risky sexual behaviors among undergraduate students in Thailand
The impact of an innovative community-based peer-led intervention on uptake and coverage of sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young people 15–24 years old
Knowledge, attitude and practice towards risky sexual behaviors among secondary and preparatory students of Metu town, south western Ethiopia
Developing Sexual Self-Efficacy Beliefs During Adolescence
Linking Parent-Adolescent Congruence in Perceived Parental Emotional Support to Adolescent Developmental Outcomes
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Social Cognitive Theory
Thematic Analysis
| Highly cited | No |
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