Perceptions of Self as Influencers of Sexual Debut among Secondary School Students in South Western Kenya | Chapter 14 | New Horizons in Medicine and Medical Research Vol. 10

 The goal of this study is to use the theory of reasoned action to examine how social constructions influence self-perceptions that may lead to sexual debut among in-school teenagers in Nyamira County. An early sexual debut is linked to mental discomfort.

The researchers used a mixed-methods approach to data collecting, which included both quantitative and qualitative data. The study was place in Nyamira County, which is located in Kenya's southwest. A total of 400 secondary school students aged 14 to 18 were recruited for this study.

Students at mixed-day secondary schools and single-sex secondary schools had equal levels of self-esteem. There was no relationship found between self-perception and ever having sex among in-school teens, regardless of the kind of school (day or boarding) or gender of the students. In FGDs and case narratives, students acknowledged that one's mental condition had a role in initiating sex. In Nyamira County, self-esteem enhancers are unlikely to prevent sexual debut among in-school teenagers. Other determinants of sexual debut must be explored in order to address the impact of sexual debut among in-school youth in the county.

Author(S) Details

D. K. Ondieki
African Women’s Studies Center, College of Humanities and Socal Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

D. O. Omia
Institute of Anthropology, Gender and African Studies, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

W. Gichuhi
Population Studies and Research Institute, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

C. M. A. Otieno
African Women’s Studies Center, College of Humanities and Socal Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

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