Thesis Abstract

<p> This study was designed to determine the effects of peer education on<br>awareness and attitude towards HIV and AIDs among in- school adolescents in<br>Enugu State. To guide this study, six research questions were posed and six null<br>hypotheses formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The research<br>design used in this study was non-equivalent control group Quasi-Experimental<br>involving experimental treatment group and a control group. The sample for the<br>study was made up of 231 students in SSII. A random sampling technique was<br>used to draw two co-educational schools from each of the local government<br>areas and they were randomly assigned to both experimental and control<br>groups. Three trained research assistants were used for the experiment while the<br>control group was not exposed to any treatment. A 20-item researcher designed<br>questionnaire titled HIV and AIDS Awareness and Attitude Questionnaire<br>(HAAAQ) was used for the study. The reliability of the instrument was<br>determined using Cronbach Alpha statistic which yielded Alpha co-efficient<br>values of 0.80 and 0.79 for the two clusters. Measures were taken to control the<br>extraneous variables. A pretest of the questionnaire was administered before the<br>treatment on peer education that lasted for six weeks. The data collected were<br>analysed using Mean, and Analysis of Covariance.(ANCOVA) The Results<br>revealed that students exposed to treatment on peer education have higher<br>awareness of HIV and AIDS when compared to those of the control group;<br>gender is not a significant factor influencing students awareness towards HIV<br>and AIDS, students exposed to treatment on peer education have a higher<br>positive attitude towards HIV and AIDS compared to those of the control.<br>Furthermore, gender does not significantly influence students’ attitude towards<br>HIV and AIDS. Also, there is no interaction effect of gender and peer education<br>on students’ awareness as well as attitude towards HIV and AIDS. It was<br>recommended among others that school authorities should integrate play<br>method in the teaching of sexuality issues as this will create room for students<br>to utilize peer approach in learning; while federal and state ministries of<br>Education should organize and sponsor workshops and seminars for school<br>guidance counselors on how to implement peer education on awareness and<br>attitude towards HIV and AIDS among in-school adolescents.<br>1 <br></p>

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p><strong>INTRODUCTION</strong></p><p><strong>Background of the Study</strong></p><p>Adolescence period is characterized by emotional, intellectual,<br>physical, social and sexual changes and the individual is faced with various<br>challenges. Adolescence according to Conger, Kegan and Mussen (2004) is a<br>period of transition between childhood and adulthood. It is considered to last<br>from ages 10 to 19 and from puberty to full biological /physiological<br>maturation. Within this time frame, adolescents are affected by various<br>developmental transformations including physical, emotional, and social<br>changes. With these changes come many responsibilities and privileges that are<br>different from those of childhood or full adulthood, and these aspects ultimately<br>define the period of adolescence.</p><p>The word adolescence has it’s origin and meaning from Latin<br>perspective. In Latin, it implies “to grow into maturity” (Eke, 1989). The author<br>further noted that the common denominator in all adolescents experiences,<br>irrespective of cultural variations, is the biological change from childhood into<br>mature adult status capable of reproduction. According to Eke, during this<br>period, remarkable physical changes take place. Boys and girls experience a<br>spurt in growth. A sharp increase in height for girls at the ages of 11 and 13 and<br>in boys between 13 and 15. There is the presence of growth spurt which leads to<br>the development of primary and secondary sex characteristics. Nworah, (2004)<br>has it that adolescence is a period of rapid transitional or developmental<br>1<br>2<br>changes from childhood to adulthood. It is a period when the physical and<br>physiological change that accompany the transition from childhood to<br>adulthood become manifest and continues into adulthood. Adolescence as noted<br>by Unachukwu and Ebenebe (2009) cover the age of 12 or 13 till the early<br>twenties.</p> <br><p></p>