EFFECT OF PARENTS TRAINING ON PARENTS KNOWLEDGE  AND ATTITUDE ABOUT ADOLESCENT SEXUALITY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background of the study

Sexuality is a natural aspect of human life. It begins in childhood and progresses rapidly through adolescence. Young people strengthen their bodies and minds during puberty. When they undergo more adult-like romantic feelings and play with more, they begin to explain their gender roles and begin clarifying their sexual orientations and identities. creation of sexuality It begins in childhood and progresses quickly through adolescence.have had sexual intercourse[brotto, 2007]. In Nigeria, one in three adolescents in slums have ever had sexual intercourse and the proportion is heavily skewed towards those who are not in school. Also, one-third of the adolescents who had ever had sexual intercourse reported that their first sexual intercourse was unplanned [Esantsi, 2015]. Although data from the 2014 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey is censored, it was evident that a greater proportion of adolescents in rural areas had ever had sexual intercourse as compared to the adolescents living in urban areas [Gss, 2015]. Thus, adolescent sexual and reproductive health issues are prevalent in Nigeria, and the majority of adolescent sexual intercourse has occurred [brotto, 2007].towards those who are not in school [Thus, adolescent sexual and reproductive health issues are prevalent in Nigeria and may often go unreported by adolescents. This poses several challenges to parents, teachers, and healthcare providers and to the adolescents themselves. This has fueled controversies regarding how best to educate adolescents about sex in order to prevent unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). According to(Arnett, 2003)Adolescence is a period of healthy life, including sexual life, but many adolescents are less informed about their sexual and reproductive health by their parents. Several studies indicate that sex education should not be left to parents alone, but should also involve schools, communities and the media [schuster, 2008]. A study of parents regarding sex education of adolescents in New Brunswick, Canada, found that 95% agreed that the responsibility for sex education should be shared by the school and the home [weaver, 2002]. The researchers pointed out that school and community values may differ and that the best sexual health should start at home. The study further noted that adolescents may experience disapproval or even unfriendliness and bad approaches from adults in their attempt to obtain the reproductive information they need [weaver,2002]. (Sedge et al.2007) noted that while the value of sex education is acknowledged, the intervention is opposed in many African societies, including Nigeria, particularly due to the argument that early exposure to knowledge about sexuality and reproductive health could do more harm to adolescents than helping them to overcome problems they faced in growing up. This indicates that socio-cultural factors must be acknowledged in adolescent sexual and reproductive health education. (Ankomah, 2001) established that sex education lessons were mainly provided during initiation rites and ceremonies to provide girls with information mainly on how to ‘sleep’ with their husbands, menstrual taboos, how to recognize pregnancy and maintain personal hygiene by recognized older women who serve as custodians of instructions on motherhood.  Sex education, which is generally a school-based programme taught by teachers, has been demonstrated to be useful to adolescents and has helped to delay sexual activity among adolescents [schaalma,2004]. Yet, many adolescents rely on their peers for information about sex that may be inaccurate. Adolescents need the facts and correct information on their sexual and reproductive health. Parents as primary educators could be the key people in decreasing adolescents’ sexual-risk taking by parent-adolescent communication about sex but many parents lack the skills [lefkowitz, 2003]. Thus, parents must be empowered with the necessary skills to talk to their children about sexual and reproductive health issues. This study seeks to assess the effect of training of parents knowledge  and attitude about   adolescent sexuality  in Okpanam in Oshimili North local government area of delta state .

1.2  Statement of research problem

the issue of  parental knowledge  about an adolescent sexuality have come a long way and have been under debate on who should educate a child about sexual education. It has been shown that majority of adolescent who are not privy to sex education end up having unwanted pregnancy , but it does not mean that adolescent who who are privy to sex education also do not get unwanted pregnancies. Our socio - cultural beliefs have contributed to the reason why sexual education is not taught to adolescent as they believe that exposing an adolescent early to sexual related issues will cause more harm than good to the child. All this and more will be studied in this research work.

1.3  Objectives of the study

l  to find out the effect of parental training and attitude on sex education lecture to adolescent

l  To find out if these training affect adolescents sexuality positively or negatively

l  To find out ways the society can accept early sexual education to adolescents and also improve on how this education will be taught

1.4  Research questions

1.        Do you think parental training and attitude on sexual education affects adolescent?

2.        Do you think these attitudes have a positive or negative effect on adolescent?

3.        Do you think the society can accept early sexual education to adolescent?

1.5  Significance of the study

This study is significant because it assess the effect of parents training on parents knowledge  and about adolescent sexuality.

The findings of this research work will undoubtedly provide the much needed information to government organizations, marriage counselors,  schools, parents, NGOS, and academia

1.6  Scope of the study

This study intends to assess the effect of parent training on parents knowledge and attitude about adolescent sexuality.hence, this study will be delimited to teachers and parents in okpanam in oshimili North local government of delta state.

1.7  Limitations of the study

This study was constrained by a number of factors which are as follows:

 Financial constraint is inevitable considering the present economic situations. Due to lack of finance at the researchers disposal to get materials and in printing of questionnaires. it was not possible to visit some of the communities that have been plagued by bandit activities.

 In developing countries like Nigeria, there is the problem of insufficient data.

Time factor: time factor pose another constraint since having to shuttle between writing of the research and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the researcher   

1.8  Operational definition of terms

Effect:  a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.

Parent:this is  persons father or mother

Knowledge: facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education;

Adolescent:  a young person in the process of developing from a child into an adult.

Sexuality: is about your sexual feelings, thoughts, attractions and behaviours towards other people. 

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