Psychosocial determinants of parents’ intention to support reproductive health education in Ghana
Outcomes: Sexual and Reproductive Health
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways Parents’ intentions to support reproductive health education (RHE) in Ghana are strongly shaped by social norms, particularly perceptions of whether influential figures such as religious leaders, community leaders, spouses, and peers approve of or support the program. Both descriptive norms (beliefs about whether others support RHE) and injunctive norms (beliefs about whether important others approve of supporting RHE) were the strongest predictors of parental support. These findings highlight that engaging community and religious leaders and addressing prevailing beliefs about sexuality education are critical for successful implementation of RHE programs.
Objectives The study aimed to examine the socio-demographic and psychosocial determinants influencing parents’ intentions to support the adoption and implementation of reproductive health education in primary and secondary schools in Ghana.
Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 387 parents and guardians of school-going children aged 10–19 years in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Data were collected through structured interviewer-assisted questionnaires informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA). Measures included attitudes toward RHE, outcome beliefs about sexuality education, and perceived injunctive and descriptive social norms. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regression to identify predictors of parental intention to support RHE.
Results Parents generally expressed willingness to support RHE implementation in schools. Regression analysis showed that descriptive norms (β = .24, p < .001) and injunctive norms (β = .20, p < .001) were the strongest predictors of parental intention to support RHE. Outcome beliefs about both RHE and abstinence-only education also significantly predicted support. Psychosocial variables explained about 30–35% of the variance in parents’ intention to support RHE, while socio-demographic variables had little influence.
Conclusions: Parental support for RHE in Ghana is primarily shaped by social norms and beliefs about the outcomes of sexuality education. Programs seeking to implement or expand RHE should engage influential community and religious leaders and provide clear information to parents about program content and benefits in order to build normative support and increase acceptance.
Norms Addressed
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