Theoretical fundamentals of adolescents’ reproductive health
behaviours
R.S. Tabak
Ankara University, Faculty of Health Education, Ankara,
Turkey
Many educational interventions have been carried out to furnish
adolescents with correct reproductive health behaviours related to genital
hygiene, sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, gender relations, sexual
initiations, safer sex practices and so on. Majority of them were focused on
psychomotor aspects of behaviours. In other words, only mechanical ‘action’
phase of reproductive health behaviours has been the main interest of educators.
As a process, behaviour development or modification has its own dynamics that
affect the quality and the quantity of behaviours. These dynamics are explained
in theoretical fundamentals of health behaviours that should be taken into
account in developing and implementing sexual health education programs for
young people.
The main purposes of this study were: (a) to define the specific
dynamics and stages in modification of reproductive health behaviours among
adolescents, and (b) to develop implications for interventional reproductive
health education programs for adolescents. The method of this study is the
comprehensive review of the research literature on the theories and models of
health behaviour modification among adolescents.
According to results,
theoretical behaviour change features such as intention, self-efficacy and
self-responsibility are commonly defined as basic predictors and dynamics of
reproductive health behaviours among adolescents. Cognitive consistency is also
emphasised as an underlying process for behaviour adoption.
In conclusion, the
findings of this study lend support for the design and implementation of
theory-based educational interventions to promoting healthy adolescent sexual
behaviours.