Key Social Norms Take-aways Negative injunctive norms surrounding premarital sex and contraceptive use create stigma and discrimination that restrict adolescents’ access to contraception, even when they understand its benefits and want to prevent pregnancy. Adolescents feared being labeled “spoilt” or promiscuous for having premarital sex or seeking contraception, while service providers sometimes reinforced these norms by denying contraceptives to unmarried adolescents, particularly girls. The authors argue that addressing these norms requires community-wide approaches involving parents, teachers, religious and community leaders, and healthcare providers to reduce stigma and create supportive sexual and reproductive health environments.

Objectives To explore the behavioral, normative, and control beliefs influencing contraceptive use among internally displaced adolescent girls and boys aged 15–19 in Nigeria, as well as environmental barriers to contraceptive access, to inform pregnancy-prevention programs.

Methods This cross-sectional qualitative study included 126 adolescents (58 boys and 68 girls) from nine internally displaced persons camps across three geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory. Researchers conducted 27 in-depth interviews and 17 focus-group discussions using semi-structured guides based on the Reasoned Action Approach. Thematic analysis combined deductive and inductive coding. Social norms were examined through normative beliefs, including injunctive norms (perceptions of whether significant others approve of premarital sex and contraceptive use) and descriptive norms (perceptions of peers’ sexual activity).

Results Adolescents generally understood that modern contraception could prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, but misconceptions about infertility, weight gain, and bodily harm discouraged use. Strong injunctive norms framed premarital sex and contraceptive use as unacceptable, with adolescents anticipating stigma and being labeled “spoilt” or promiscuous. Some perceived that few peers were sexually active. Sexually active adolescents, especially girls, reported shame when seeking contraception and discrimination or refusal from service providers. Poverty also increased girls’ vulnerability to transactional sex and reduced their ability to negotiate contraceptive use.

Conclusions Negative social norms, contraceptive misconceptions, stigma and discrimination, and financial constraints jointly hinder contraceptive uptake among internally displaced adolescents. The authors conclude that reducing stigma and discriminatory practices, addressing misconceptions, improving youth-friendly contraceptive access, and strengthening girls’ education and economic opportunities are important for preventing unwanted pregnancy in internally displaced communities.