Beliefs of grade six learners' regarding adolescent pregnancy and sex.
Escalating adolescent pregnancy and risky sexual behaviour is becoming more common amongst young adolescents and especially amongst black adolescents in South Africa. Statistics confirm that South African adolescents as young as fourteen are already sexually active and become pregnant. The decision to become sexually active with resulting adolescent pregnancy whether planned or not, are directly influenced by the teenager's beliefs. A person's beliefs consist of a person' own individual beliefs or attitude as well as what the individual subjective norm which the individual perceive as other people's beliefs regarding the same object of reason. The aim of the study was to describe the attitude of black grade six learners under the age of fourteen, towards adolescent pregnancy and sex. A quantitative descriptive research design was used. Results were clustered according to demographic variables as well as beliefs that consist of attitude and subjective norm. Findings provided insight into the beliefs of grade six learners regarding sex and adulthood, the roll of peer pressure, relationships of adolescent parents, social interaction of teenage parents, ability of adolescent parent's ability to provide in the needs of the baby, the adequacy of a child support grant to raise a baby as well as the levels of education of adolescent parents. This article provide a detailed reflection on these results and propose off a doll parenting intervention strategy as means of modification of attitude and subjective norms of grade six learners in order to alter sexual behaviour.
Grobler
C
C
School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein. groblerc.md@mail.uovs.ac.za
Botma
Y
Y
Jacobs
A C
AC
Nel
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012736:Sex Education; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012945:Social Values; D013019:South Africa