| Peer-Reviewed

Sexuality Education for Adolescents, Between the Forbidden and the Permitted: The Case of the Ndogpassi II Neighbourhood in Douala

Received: 5 January 2023    Accepted: 13 February 2023    Published: 15 March 2023
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

Sexuality is an integral part of human life and is constructed throughout the life of a human being. In adolescents, sexuality education is crucial, as sexuality is a new field of knowledge influencing their sexual behaviour and orientation, but delicate because of the disruptions related to their age and the paradigm of digitised sexuality. Many young people adopt risky behaviours leading to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Adolescents and families, faced with an emancipating social environment and a more or less static cultural field, are caught in a vice of the forbidden (cultural values) and the permitted (social values), making sexuality education difficult. Hence the research question: How do householders and adolescents integrate the forbidden and the permitted in the sexuality education of adolescents? To answer this question, a descriptive qualitative study was carried out over a period of 4 months (September 2020 - January 2021) among heads of households and adolescents in the NDOGPASSI II neighbourhood in the city of Douala, Cameroon. A non-probabilistic data collection technique by reasoned choice was adopted, and the size was based on the saturation principle. Using a semi-structured interview guide, the parents responsible for the families and the adolescents concerned were interviewed. The data obtained was subjected to a content analysis. Two theories underpinned the interpretation of the data, namely social representation theory and structural-functional theory. The results of this study show that both heads of households and adolescents articulate constraints (structural and functional) to adolescent sexuality education and strategies for integrating the permitted and the prohibited. Regarding structural constraints, families and adolescents absorb information on sexuality from social institutions, as well as from social networks that provide spaces for virtual and informal exchanges. Regarding functional constraints, social representations of sexuality and data are culturally embedded. With regard to strategies for integrating the permitted and the forbidden, we noted the debate of convenience, sexuality as a space reserved for insiders and the absence of communication techniques. All this leads both adolescents and parents to avoid discussing it; a silence develops, a stress of the forbidden/permissible. This favours strategies of freedom of operation for adolescents, of openness to ICT, thus disrupting family responsibilities in relation to the sexuality education of their adolescents. Adolescents have a tendency toexplain and contextualise everything.

Published in American Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences (Volume 4, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15
Page(s) 24-30
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Socio-Cultural Constraints, Sexuality Education, Adolescents, Ndogpassi Douala

References
[1] WHO. (2016). Adolescent-friendly health service: An agenda for change. Press release/Geneva/.
[2] Biddlecom et al, A. (2008). Protecting the next generation in sub-Saharan Africa: Teaching adolescents to prevent HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancy. Guttmacher Institut, 59.
[3] WHO. (2019). Sexually transmitted infections. Press release/Geneva/.
[4] Angwafo (2010). Early pregnancies: the alert coast among youth in cameroon. Adolescent sexual behavior. Journal of obstetrics and Gynecology. Vol. 9 No. 6.
[5] Baya, S. (2017). the impact of television on adolescent sexual behaviour, Abcaire suivi collaboratif des adolescents. Vol 5.
[6] Yaron, M. (2018). Sexuality and adolescence: dangerous liaisons? A best practice guide to informing parents. Vol 14 No 603, p843-848.
[7] Ashcraft, A. (2017). Murray talking to parents about adolescent sexuality. Pubmed. Pediatr clin N Am. 64 (2): 305-320.
[8] Nisand, I. (2013). Is pornography educating our children? Cairn info, ruptures p 61-74. Paris press universitaires de France. doi: 10.3917/puf.fryd.2013.01.0061
[9] Houndjo, A. (2020). Parent-child dialogue on sexuality: Key to adolescent and youth development, family planning.
[10] Mossi (2008). What role do parents play in the sexual education of young people in Ouagadougou? https://Uaps2015.popconf.org
[11] Guene, A. (2022). Establishing parent-child dialogue for a fulfilling sexuality of adolescents and youthe. Journal of family psychology. 36 (3). DOI: 10.1037/fam0000916
[12] Ngandu, J. (2017). Breaking the taboo around sexuality. https:// habarirdc.net
[13] Vodiena et al (2012). Adolescents in West and Central Africa. https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr. p23
[14] Mariam (2014). Sexuality, culture, taboo and education. Sexuality health ans reproductive Rights: Articles 21, 22 (1), 23 ans 24 of United Declaration ans Rights of indigenous people. htpps://habarirdc.net.
[15] Snegroff, S. (2000). No sexuality education is sexuality education. Family Planning Perspectives, 32 (5), 257-258.
[16] Rwenger, M. (2000). Sexual risk behaviour among youth in Bamenda, International perspectives on sexual and Reproductive Health Journal or peer reviewed research. V 26 (p 13-19) Paris puf.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Cynthia Ismaëlle Nguissie Tetchouadom, Myriam Sylvie Ambomo. (2023). Sexuality Education for Adolescents, Between the Forbidden and the Permitted: The Case of the Ndogpassi II Neighbourhood in Douala. American Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences, 4(1), 24-30. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Cynthia Ismaëlle Nguissie Tetchouadom; Myriam Sylvie Ambomo. Sexuality Education for Adolescents, Between the Forbidden and the Permitted: The Case of the Ndogpassi II Neighbourhood in Douala. Am. J. Nurs. Health Sci. 2023, 4(1), 24-30. doi: 10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Cynthia Ismaëlle Nguissie Tetchouadom, Myriam Sylvie Ambomo. Sexuality Education for Adolescents, Between the Forbidden and the Permitted: The Case of the Ndogpassi II Neighbourhood in Douala. Am J Nurs Health Sci. 2023;4(1):24-30. doi: 10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15,
      author = {Cynthia Ismaëlle Nguissie Tetchouadom and Myriam Sylvie Ambomo},
      title = {Sexuality Education for Adolescents, Between the Forbidden and the Permitted: The Case of the Ndogpassi II Neighbourhood in Douala},
      journal = {American Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences},
      volume = {4},
      number = {1},
      pages = {24-30},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajnhs.20230401.15},
      abstract = {Sexuality is an integral part of human life and is constructed throughout the life of a human being. In adolescents, sexuality education is crucial, as sexuality is a new field of knowledge influencing their sexual behaviour and orientation, but delicate because of the disruptions related to their age and the paradigm of digitised sexuality. Many young people adopt risky behaviours leading to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Adolescents and families, faced with an emancipating social environment and a more or less static cultural field, are caught in a vice of the forbidden (cultural values) and the permitted (social values), making sexuality education difficult. Hence the research question: How do householders and adolescents integrate the forbidden and the permitted in the sexuality education of adolescents? To answer this question, a descriptive qualitative study was carried out over a period of 4 months (September 2020 - January 2021) among heads of households and adolescents in the NDOGPASSI II neighbourhood in the city of Douala, Cameroon. A non-probabilistic data collection technique by reasoned choice was adopted, and the size was based on the saturation principle. Using a semi-structured interview guide, the parents responsible for the families and the adolescents concerned were interviewed. The data obtained was subjected to a content analysis. Two theories underpinned the interpretation of the data, namely social representation theory and structural-functional theory. The results of this study show that both heads of households and adolescents articulate constraints (structural and functional) to adolescent sexuality education and strategies for integrating the permitted and the prohibited. Regarding structural constraints, families and adolescents absorb information on sexuality from social institutions, as well as from social networks that provide spaces for virtual and informal exchanges. Regarding functional constraints, social representations of sexuality and data are culturally embedded. With regard to strategies for integrating the permitted and the forbidden, we noted the debate of convenience, sexuality as a space reserved for insiders and the absence of communication techniques. All this leads both adolescents and parents to avoid discussing it; a silence develops, a stress of the forbidden/permissible. This favours strategies of freedom of operation for adolescents, of openness to ICT, thus disrupting family responsibilities in relation to the sexuality education of their adolescents. Adolescents have a tendency toexplain and contextualise everything.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Sexuality Education for Adolescents, Between the Forbidden and the Permitted: The Case of the Ndogpassi II Neighbourhood in Douala
    AU  - Cynthia Ismaëlle Nguissie Tetchouadom
    AU  - Myriam Sylvie Ambomo
    Y1  - 2023/03/15
    PY  - 2023
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15
    T2  - American Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences
    JF  - American Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences
    JO  - American Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences
    SP  - 24
    EP  - 30
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2994-7227
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajnhs.20230401.15
    AB  - Sexuality is an integral part of human life and is constructed throughout the life of a human being. In adolescents, sexuality education is crucial, as sexuality is a new field of knowledge influencing their sexual behaviour and orientation, but delicate because of the disruptions related to their age and the paradigm of digitised sexuality. Many young people adopt risky behaviours leading to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Adolescents and families, faced with an emancipating social environment and a more or less static cultural field, are caught in a vice of the forbidden (cultural values) and the permitted (social values), making sexuality education difficult. Hence the research question: How do householders and adolescents integrate the forbidden and the permitted in the sexuality education of adolescents? To answer this question, a descriptive qualitative study was carried out over a period of 4 months (September 2020 - January 2021) among heads of households and adolescents in the NDOGPASSI II neighbourhood in the city of Douala, Cameroon. A non-probabilistic data collection technique by reasoned choice was adopted, and the size was based on the saturation principle. Using a semi-structured interview guide, the parents responsible for the families and the adolescents concerned were interviewed. The data obtained was subjected to a content analysis. Two theories underpinned the interpretation of the data, namely social representation theory and structural-functional theory. The results of this study show that both heads of households and adolescents articulate constraints (structural and functional) to adolescent sexuality education and strategies for integrating the permitted and the prohibited. Regarding structural constraints, families and adolescents absorb information on sexuality from social institutions, as well as from social networks that provide spaces for virtual and informal exchanges. Regarding functional constraints, social representations of sexuality and data are culturally embedded. With regard to strategies for integrating the permitted and the forbidden, we noted the debate of convenience, sexuality as a space reserved for insiders and the absence of communication techniques. All this leads both adolescents and parents to avoid discussing it; a silence develops, a stress of the forbidden/permissible. This favours strategies of freedom of operation for adolescents, of openness to ICT, thus disrupting family responsibilities in relation to the sexuality education of their adolescents. Adolescents have a tendency toexplain and contextualise everything.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • School of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaoundé, Cameroon

  • Sections