Social intervention framework regarding ecological factors pertaining to academic achievement of pregnant teenagers in Nigeria / Otegbayo Bolajoko Elizabeth

Otegbayo Bolajoko , Elizabeth (2023) Social intervention framework regarding ecological factors pertaining to academic achievement of pregnant teenagers in Nigeria / Otegbayo Bolajoko Elizabeth. PhD thesis, Universiti Malaya.

	PDF (The Candidate's Agreement) Restricted to Repository staff only Download (212Kb)
	PDF (Thesis PhD) Download (2333Kb)

Abstract

Adolescent pregnancy is one of the major causes of school dropout among pregnant teenagers in Nigeria. Despite the numerous studies that have been conducted on the issue and the policies that have been developed on the issue, more and more adolescent girls are vulnerable to unwanted pregnancies. In addition, there are no comprehensive intervention measures to support pregnant adolescents of school age, which is believed to increase the educational deficit of pregnant adolescents and the female population in Nigeria. For this reason, it is important to develop a social intervention framework that can help improve the academic performance of pregnant adolescents and reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies in Nigeria. To develop a social intervention framework, it is therefore important to examine the relationship between environmental factors and adolescent girls' school performance. This can help to identify the key ecological factors that influence the academic success of pregnant female students in Nigeria. The main objective of this study was therefore to develop an intervention framework that can be used to improve the academic performance of pregnant female students and minimise the consequences of unwanted pregnancies among adolescent girls. To achieve this goal, the study examined the respondents' level of ecological factors and explored the relationship between ecological factors (sexual and reproductive health knowledge, sexual attitudes, substance abuse, alcohol abuse, peer attachment, parental attachment, living environment, neighbourhood, cultural values, and religious beliefs) and the academic performance of pregnant teenagers. Subsequently, the results of the study were used as the basis for developing a holistic social intervention framework for pregnant school-age teenagers. This was a cross-sectional study of pregnant teenagers aged 15-19 years who were enrolled in school. Data for the study were collected using a structured, self-completed questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was used to examine the ecological status and academic achievement of the participants and structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to assess the relationship between ecological factors and academic achievements. The results showed that the level of most of the ecological factors examined in this study was risky. It was found that 49.3% of the respondents had inadequate sexual reproductive health knowledge and awareness and 60% of the respondents had poor sexual attitude. In addition, 21% showed high risk for drugs and 38.3% showed high risk for alcohol abuse. Meanwhile, 32.8% had low attachment with peers and 38% had low attachment with parents. Further, 57.3% lived in a substandard housing environment and 71.3% reported living in a poor neighbourhood. In addition, 57.3% were not practicing good cultural values and 28.7% had a negative religious belief. In terms of academic performance, 38% of the respondents had a CGPA of less than 2.5, 36% had a CGPA between 2.5-3.5 and 25% had a CGPA above 3.5. In addition, the result of the SEM analysis (relationship between environmental factors and academic performance) showed that knowledge of sexual and reproductive health (β =0.204, p < 0.001), sexual attitude (β =0.055, p < 0.091), alcohol abuse (β =-0.084, p=0.029), substance abuse (β=-0.086, p0.008), parental attachment (β =0.195, p < 0.001) and peer attachment (β =0.152, p < 0.001), religious belief (β =0.173, p < 0.001), cultural value (β=-0.352, p < 0.001), housing environment (β =0.135, p < 0.006) and neighbourhood (β =0.368, p < 0.001) had significant association with academic achievements of pregnant respondents. Thus, the analysis of variance revealed that 63.9% of the pregnant respondents' academic achievements depended on all the ecological factors examined in this study. Based on these findings, the study developed a social intervention framework for ecological factors as a recommendation for developing intervention program to improve the academic achievement of pregnant teenage students. The social intervention framework was developed using the six steps of the Quality Intervention Development Framework (6SQuID). Guided by research findings, this social intervention framework is designed to help identify key areas that influence the academic achievement of pregnant teens. This framework can help researchers, policymakers, and other key stakeholders develop intervention programs that can promote academic achievement and curb school dropout and the consequences of teen pregnancy. It can be used with pregnant and non-pregnant adolescents, parents, and peers. It includes a range of intervention programmes that can promote lifestyle change, effective communication, buffering negative cultural norms and improving sexual and reproductive health literacy. In summary, these findings can serve as a basis for decision-making and formulating strategies that benefit pregnant teenagers by improving their academic performance.

Actions (For repository staff only : Login required)