The Relationship Between Some Selected Psychosocial Variables And Intention To Abstain From Sex Among Secondary School Adolescents In Tanzania

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship that exists between some selected psychosocial variables and intention to abstain from sex among secondary school adolescents in Dodoma region, Tanzania. Particularly, the study investigated the likely relationship that might exist between intention to abstain from sex among adolescent secondary school students and the four psychosocial variables (sexual education knowledge, perceived attitudes, perceived social norms and perceived behavioural control). A total sample of 384 secondary school adolescents, of whom 205 were girls and 179 boys from secondary schools in Dodoma Municipality and Chamwino district participated in the study. The study used cross sectional survey and a correlational research design. Questionnaire was the main data collection instrument which had six samples of questions each measuring the study variables which included some demographic characteristics of the respondents and the sample of psychosocial variables like: sexual education knowledge, perceived attitudes, perceived social norms and perceived behavioural control and adolescents‟ intention to abstain from sex. It was hypothesized that, there would be no significant relationship between these psychosocial variables and adolescents‟ intention to abstain from sex at secondary school level. The findings revealed that, the strongest predictor variable of intention to abstain from sex was perceived behavioral control (r = .28**, n =383. p < .01) among the four psychosocial variables. Also, it was revealed that perceived behavioral control, school location and sex of respondent had a unique contribution of the variance to adolescents‟ intention to abstain from sex when all other variables in the model were controlled for {7.5% (β = .237), 4.2% (β = -.194) and 2.7% (β = -.102) respectively}. It was recommended that seminars on adolescents‟ health related issues should be an ongoing process so as to encourage behavioural outcomes which promote good health and academic performance among learners. Also, it was recommended that more studies should be conducted using different methodological instruments to supplement the current questionnaire instrument that was used in the study.