AWARENESS AND ATTITUDES OF ADOLESCENTS TOWARDS PUBERTY IN USELU SECONDARY SCHOOL, BENIN CITY

ABSTRACT

This study is a descriptive survey design and was conducted among adolescent students in Uselu Senior Secondary School, Uselu, Egor Local Government Area, Benin City. In this study, the level of awareness of adolescents towards puberty as well as attitude of adolescents towards puberty was assessed using structured questionnaires designed by the researcher. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting a sample of 617 adolescent students in Uselu Senior Secondary School. The research instrument used in this study was validated by the researcher’s supervisor and yielded a reliability score of 0.77 during a pilot study conducted. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages, means, and standard deviation were used to analyze the data obtained. The study findings revealed that 60% of adolescents are aware of physical changes in puberty. Majority of adolescents were found to exhibit negative attitude towards the physical changes in puberty. An association between adolescents’ awareness of physical changes in puberty and their attitudes towards puberty was however found to exist. The study therefore concluded that a good proportion of adolescents appear to be in need for counselling and support so as to be able to cope with bodily as well as psychological changes of adolescence. Based on the study findings, the study thus recommends that there is need to organize individual counselling and group work to create the awareness on physiological changes during puberty among school going adolescents. Also, Parents/Guardians can provide emotional support and assurance, emphasize the pragmatics of physical changes, and provide information about how it will actually feel, emphasizing positively their own first experiences with puberty.

Keywords: adolescence, physical changes, puberty