A comparative study on knowledge, attitude and practice of adolescents in
two different methods of counseling (counseling through parents & teachers)
in Tehran, Iran
N. Peikari, F. Ramezani Tehrani, S.H. Djalalinia, F. Hejazi
NRCRH, Deputy of Research & Technology, MOHME, Tehran, Iran
Objective(s): To identify the patterns of knowledge including beliefs
and misconception regarding to puberty and sexual behavior, also performing
programs to help them to move successfully from childhood to adulthood.
Designs & Methods: This is a pre-post operational study. A
preliminary self-administered questionnaire was prepared to asses the
adolescents KAP on puberty. It was a school – based survey and schools were
allocated randomly in two groups. The subjects of the first group were educated
by their health teachers and the second ones were trained by their parents.
After one years of intervention, the secondary questionnaire was filled-up by
the same students. A total of 1900 girls were required. The designed sample was
selected proportional to the size of school population.
Results: 1923 girls were enrolled in this study. 905 in teachers and
918 in parents group.69.5% of girls considered mothers as a confident person for
telling their secret and most of them (86.2%) mentioned that they are satisfied
in this regard. In parents group 80% of girls felt closer relationship with
their mothers after intervention. Based on preliminary questionnaire, 14.8% of
respondents were unfamiliar with puberty signs. The difference between girls’
knowledge about signs, before and after interventions, is meaningful and also
their information about puberty in teacher group was more than parents group.
374 (20.5%) of respondents had menstruation before intervention. They
experienced different feeling after their first menstruation. 75% of them felt
surprise, 67.1% was scared. 7.8% felt happy, 17.6% was thankful and pride and
79.4% had bad feeling.313 (21.0%) of girls mensed during the intervention time.
The girls’ positive feelings were improved after parents and also teacher’s
involvement. There are also marked psychosocial changes during adolescence.
These changes were reported in 58.3% of subjects after menstruation but in both
interventional groups it decreased to half.
Conclusion: So we believe that adolescence is willing and able to take
greater responsibility for their health and their lives, but whether they
actually do so is greatly dependent on the behavior of others. Today a broader
understanding of adolescent reproductive health is gaining ground and a lot has
happened, but there is still a long way to go.
