Parenting Programs for Adolescent Parents: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review of Global Interventions and Evidence Gaps

Adolescent pregnancy remains a significant global public health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and is associated with health, social, and economic challenges for both mothers and children. Although parenting programs improve outcomes globally, there is a critical gap in tailored interventions for adolescent parents. This mixed methods systematic review aimed to address these gaps by conducting a global search of parenting programs designed or adapted for adolescent parents and making recommendations for future intervention development and research. The review examined participant characteristics, program characteristics and components, intervention results, and study quality. Thirty-six studies published between 2010 and 2024 were included, representing 34 unique samples. Most studies were from high-income countries, limiting generalizability, and only nine were rated as high-quality. Existing programs were almost entirely face-to-face, highlighting a gap in hybrid or app-based delivery. Additionally, there was a substantial lack of qualitative research exploring adolescent parenting needs and experiences. Overall, the findings indicate an urgent need for further development and evaluation of parenting programs for adolescents, particularly those implementable in low-resource settings, and for improved research quality to build an evidence base for effective, scalable interventions for this vulnerable population.