The Effect of Mothers’ Group Counseling on the Health‑Promoting Behaviors of Adolescent Girls

Introduction: Promoting adolescents’ healthy behaviors through different strategies is essential to prevent the risks of adulthood chronic problems. This study aimed to investigate the effect of mothers’ group counseling on the health-promoting behaviors of high school adolescent girls in Qazvin city, Iran. Methods: This single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted in Qazvin, Iran. Participants were 100 guidance school female students and their mothers who were selected through multistage random sampling. The demographic data form and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile were used for data collection before and 2 months after the intervention. The intervention was conducted in four sessions lasting for 90–60 min. Results: There was no improvement in the mean score of health-promoting behaviors before the intervention in the control group (27 ± 20.313) and the intervention group (23.54 ± 138.86), but after the intervention in the intervention group, a significant improvement was observed with a mean difference of 12.90 in the intervention group whereas 5.26 in the control group. The highest increase was in stress and nutrition control with a mean difference of 3.06 and 2.74, respectively. The ANCOVA test also confirmed the effectiveness of education (P = 0.03, F = 4.43). Conclusion: Mothers’ group counseling can improve adolescent health-promoting behaviors. Considering the importance of the role of mothers in protecting and promoting the health of adolescent girls, it is essential that maternal education and counseling are prioritized to increase the healthy behaviors of adolescent girls.