EFFECTS OF GENDER AND PARENTING STYLES ON PROMISCUOUS BEHAVIOUR AMONG ADOLESCENTS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Adolescents with hearing impairment have sexual and reproductive health needs like their normal counterparts. However, reports have shown that many adolescents with hearing impairment in Ibadan often engage in promiscuous behaviour which is inimical to their health. Previous studies focused on factors predisposing adolescents with hearing impairment to promiscuous behaviour with little consideration to curb this behaviour. The pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design with a 3x2x2 factorial matrix was adopted. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the three integrated secondary schools. Seventy-two (43 males and 29 females) Senior Secondary School I and II adolescents with hearing impairment were selected using purposive sampling technique. The school health record was used to screen the participants. Participants were randomly assigned to Sexuality education training (49), Assertiveness skill training (14) and the control (9) groups. The instruments used for data collection were Adolescent Sexual Behaviour Inventory, Sexual Assertiveness Scale and Promiscuous Behaviour Scale. Data was analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at .05 level of significance. The results showed that gender had a significant main effect on promiscuous behaviour among adolescents with hearing impairment (F (1.70) = 8.27, partial η2 =0.12), while Parenting style had a significant main effect on promiscuous behaviour of adolescents with hearing impairment (F (1, 70) = 4.25, partial η2 =0.07). the result also showed that there was no significant difference between parenting styles and gender in relation to promiscuous behaviour of Adolescents with hearing impairment. Sexuality education and assertiveness skill training were effective in reducing promiscuous behaviour among adolescents with hearing impairment in secondary schools in Ibadan, Oyo State. Teachers, special educators, guidance counselors and other stakeholders should adopt both strategies for reduction of promiscuous behaviour among adolescents with hearing impairment. \n \n Article visualizations: