Psicologia Anormal e Comportamental

Television Advertisements′ Influence on Adolescents′ Sexual Attitudes and Behavior in Schools

Abstract

Kariuki- Githinji Scolastica*

UNICEF in 2016 reported that Sub-Saharan Africa adolescents aged 13-19 make up 23% of the region’s population and 260,000 new HIV infections. Youth sexual behaviours risk their health which is worsened by a lack of condoms, contraceptives, multiple partners, and some who are high-risk partners transient. Adolescents’ cognitions, physiological, emotional, and social states and inability to comprehend exposure to risks fully exacerbate their involvement in sexual behaviours. The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) calls on governments to provide sexuality education and promote the wellbeing of adolescents. The Population Services International (PSI) in conjunction with the Ministry of Education campaign effort to mitigate sexuality risks among the youth were studies to investigate their influence on youths in school sexuality behaviours. The adverts studies were Hatua Yetu, the “Je Una Yako?” – ‘Do you have one, “Maisha ni sawa with trust”, Fungua Roho Yako”, “Nakufeel’ Campaign, ‘Nimechill’ campaign. The effort was to curb new HIV infections. Some television advertisements could have favoured experimentation with sexual behaviours and therefore there was need to test the effects of the advertisement. This paper seeks to determine adolescents’ awareness of adverts targeting their sexuality attitudes and behaviours, crate understanding on adolescents’ perspectives on adverts targeting sexuality, and also expose finding on whether the adverts on adolescents’ sexuality modify their attitudes and behaviours on the same. Findings on are expected to generalize to approaches of sexuality education among adolescents and the youth.