Effectiveness of Parent-Adolescent Communication (PAC) Programme: Helping Parents to Respond to Adolescent Drugs Use

It is acknowledged that parent-adolescent communication training programmes around alcohol and other
drugs appear to be effective in assisting parents to respond to the demands place on them by the increased
number of adolescents using and abusing drugs and related harms. In response to the need identified by
Rubavu Youth Friendly Center (RYFC), for research into the role of parent in addressing drugs among the
adolescents, this study investigated parent and adolescent perceptions of effectiveness of parent-adolescent
communication training programme offered by Imbuto Foundation in collaboration with RYFC in Rubavu
district, Rwanda to equip them to deal with issues arising from having children at risk of drugs abuse in their
families. A qualitative research design was followed to purposively select one site of PAC evaluation who had
attended the PAC training to participate in focus groups to explore the phenomenon of parenting practices
including communicating about drugs. The findings that emerged from the thematic data analysis provided
supportive evidence that current parenting approaches in this regard are not perceived to be effective. The
results are used to suggest guidelines for alternative approach to the forms of parent-adolescent
communication (PAC) training that is more likely to be sustainable, culturally appropriate and suited to the
context.