Tienerswangerskap en die verwerpingsbelewing by 'n groep swanger hoërskoolleerders

Abstract

The aim of this African culturally based research is to establish whether a group of unmarried pregnant teenage girls experience rejection during their period of pregnancy as well as to determine whether they experienced rejection for whatever reason before falling pregnant. Seen in the context of the communal and person-centred life view as upheld by the African culture where respect for and well-being of the individual within the tribal and extended family structure is paramount, one would expect that unmarried girls finding themselves in a precarious situation such as premature pregnancy would experience understanding, acceptance and support. The research is quantitative as well as qualitative. The quantitative research focuses on 341 grade 11-leamers at seven secondary schools in the Free State Province of Education as well as in the Gauteng Department of Education. Questionnaires were presented with the aim of establishing the reason for teenage pregnancy; to research the thoughts, feelings and actions of the peer group toward pregnant teenage girls; to determine the presence of feelings of rejection of a group of pregnant teenage girls at the same schools; to determine the thoughts the girls have about themselves as well as about the future. On account of the fact that that the responses of the pregnant girls seemingly contradicted the responses given by the grade 11-peer group sample it was decided to supplement the quantitative research result with a qualitative research investigation by means of focus group interviews conducted with twelve willing to participate pregnant girls at two ofthe secondary schools who voluntarily agreed to participate. The research result indicates that although the pregnant girls did not experience rejection before falling pregnant they did however experience rejection after falling pregnant, especially from the peer group at school, educators, and certain sections of society. Although the parents of these girls were initially offended and reluctant, their attitude toward the pregnancy changed to include acceptance and even support.