Effects of Parental Guidance and Supervision on Cases of Teenage Pregnancy among Girls in Public Secondary Schools in Homa Bay County, Kenya

Abstract

Teenage pregnancy continues to be a major public health and educational problem in Kenya, with Homa Bay County having some of the highest rates in the country. Parental guidance and supervision are widely recognized as protective factors against adolescent risk-taking. However, the extent to which their absence affect cases of teenage pregnancy among in-school girls remains inadequately documented. This study examined how the absence of parental guidance and supervision impact trends in teenage pregnancy among female students in public secondary schools in Homa Bay County. A mixed methods research design was used, including a quantitative cross-sectional survey with qualitative focus group discussions, and anchored on Social Control Theory, Attachment Theory, and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory. The sample consisted of 385 female students aged 13-19 from 30,000 target students who had been selected through a multi-stage sampling process, and 332 questionnaires were returned (86.3%). Data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS and complemented by thematic analysis of qualitative data. Findings indicated that parental guidance and supervision were at a moderate level but inconsistent (overall mean = 3.67, SD = 1.12). While basic monitoring and behavioral guidance were relatively strong, communication about personal matters (mean = 3.45) and after-school supervision (mean = 3.41) were comparatively weak. Girls are affected by peer pressure, and having parents to guide them promotes responsible decision making, with a strong agreement from the respondents (mean = 3.89 and 3.97, respectively). Adequate parental guidance and closer parental supervision were acknowledged as factors that work towards reducing chances of teenage pregnancy (mean = 41.7 and 38.4, respectively). The study indicates that protection from risk behaviours is not achieved by just watching them; it is about a strong message and emotional connection as well. It suggests the improvement of parent-child communication, of structuring the supervision of children after school, and of facilitating the cooperation of schools, families, and communities to minimize girls' risk of engaging in risky sexual behavior and teenage pregnancy.