CXC

SOCIAL STUDIES

SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT

2016

CANDIDATE NAME: Theresa Golding

CANDIDATE NUMBER:

CENTRE NAME: MONTEGO BAY E-LEARNING

CENTRE NUMBER: 100574

TERRITORY: JAMAICA

TITLE: AN INVESTIGATION INTO TEENAGE PREGNANCY- ITS LEVEL

AND CAUSES IN MY COMMUNITY

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

Introduction

Statement of Problem

Reasons for Selecting the Area of Research

Method of Data Collection

Data Collection Instrument

Procedure for Data Collection

Presentation of Data

Analysis and Interpretation of Data

Statement of Findings

Recommendations and Implementation Strategy

Bibliography

Appendix
 Acknowledgement

First and foremost, I would love to give gratitude to god for providing me with the
knowledge and strength to complete this School Based Assessment; also I would like
to thank all the participants in the survey, those who responded, friends and family,
for helping me with the completion of this project.

Secondly, I would like to thank the residents of Cornwall Courts who gave their
support and time in answering the questionnaires and giving the data needed to be
presented.

Lastly, I would like to thank my teacher for assisting me with the presentation for the
School Based Assessment and giving additional facts and figures.
 Introduction

This project is based on the causes and impacts of teenage pregnancy in the

community of Cornwall Courts. It informs on how prevalent teenage pregnancy is in

the community, the main cause, effects and possible solutions to this issue, how

people feel about teenage pregnancy and how it has impacted them. In order to

proceed with these investigations I have conducted a research.

Statement of Problem

What are the causes and impacts of teenage pregnancy and to what extent does the

problem exists in the community of Cornwall Courts?

Reasons for selecting Area of Research

The problem of teenage pregnancy appears to be prevalent in my community; the

researcher chose the community of Cornwall Courts to conduct this research

because the community is highly populated and I have recognized that majority of

young girls in the community is dropping out of school due to pregnancy. By

conducting this research, I hope to explore the factors contributing to teenage

pregnancy and the extent to which teenagers are affected.

Method of Investigation

In order to effectively carry out this research, the Questionnaire was chosen as a

more suitable method for collecting data.

The advantages of questionnaires

1. Practical

2. Large amounts of information can be collected from a large number of people

in a short period of time and in a relatively cost effective way

3. Can be carried out by the researcher or by any number of people with limited

affect to its validity and reliability

4. The results of the questionnaires can usually be quickly and easily quantified

by either a researcher or through the use of a software package

5. Can be analyzed more ‘scientifically’ and objectively than other forms of

research

6. When data has been quantified, it can be used to compare and contrast other

research and may be used to measure change

7. Positivists believe that quantitative data can be used to create new theories

and/or test existing hypotheses.

Data Collection Instrument

Name: Theresa Golding

Contact Information: theresagolding98@gmail.com

Copy of Questionnaire

Survey of the extent teenage pregnancy exist among girls in the community of

Cornwall Courts

Dear Villager,

This is a survey being carried out in the highly populated community of

Cornwall Courts to determine the causes and impacts of teenage pregnancy in

my community. This study is being conducted as an assignment for a Social

Studies Project I am doing at present.

You are being advised to answer the following questions honestly and

truthfully. Since you do not have to write your names anywhere no one will

ever know who answered in a particular way. This is not a test. There are no

right or wrong answers. Some of the questions can be answered by a check in

a box like this . Specific instructions are given where necessary.

Thanking you

Yours sincerely,

D. Johnson
 Question
1. What is your Gender?

👅Male
👅Female

2. How long have you been living in the community of Cornwall Courts?
………………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. What age group do you belong to?

👅ages 13 - 15
👅ages 16 – 18
👅ages 19 – 21
👅21 and older

4. What is your occupation?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. What kind of family are you apart of?

👅 Single parent Family
👅 Nuclear Family
👅 Extended Family
👅 Sibling Household

6. On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest, how would you rate the level of
teenage pregnancy in your community?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. What do you think contributes to teenage pregnancy?
👅 Peer Pressure
👅 Rape
👅 Low self- esteem
👅 Lack of supervision

8. Do you have any children?

👅Yes
👅No
If yes, state the age you had them.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

9. What effects does teenage pregnancy have on the individuals in the

community?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

10. What effect does teenage pregnancy have on the pregnant teen?
👅 Worries about their future
👅 Trouble with finances
👅 Drugs and Smoking at an early age
👅 Depression
👅 Neglect of Child
11. How do you feel about teenage pregnancy overall?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

12. Are teenage males affected by getting females pregnant?

👅Yes
👅No
If yes, state your opinion.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

13. How do you think parents should deal with teenage girls becoming
pregnant?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

14. Do you think parents/ schools within the community should give birth
control to their sexually active teenage girls?

👅 Yes
👅 No
State your reason why.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
15. What do you think is the best way to prevent teenage pregnancy in your
community?

👅 Encourage Abstinence
👅 Help them respect themselves
👅 Have the Sex Talk with them
👅 Lay out consequences
Procedure for Data Collection
A total of 15 questionnaires were randomly distributed among the residents

of Cornwall Courts to determine the extent to which teenage pregnancy exist

among girls in the community, and also to determine the causes and

impacts. The respondents included parents, working residents and residents

who stay home every day due to lack of employment. Residents were given

two days to answer the questionnaires after which all were returned. 20%

were distributed to males and 80% were distributed to females ranging from

ages 15 – 30.
 Presentation of Data

Table showing Causes for Teenage Pregnancy in the community of Cornwall Courts

Reasons for Teenage Pregnancy Percentage

Peer Pressure 45%

Rape 15%

Low self-esteem 20%

Lack of supervision 20%

Table1.

Table1. Shows the causes for teenage pregnancy in the community of

Cornwall Courts. Approximately 45% of the respondents chose Peer

Pressure as the cause, 15% chose Rape as the cause, 20% chose Low self-

esteem as the cause and the other 20% chose Lack of supervision, as the

cause of teenage pregnancy.

 Pie chart showing the impacts of Teenage
Pregnancy on the teen in the community of
Cornwall Courts
Worries about their future
10% 5%
Trouble with finances

38% Drugs and Smoking at an early

35% age
Depression

12% Neglect of child

Figure1.

Pie Chart outlines the impacts of teenage pregnancy on the teen in the

community of Cornwall Courts.

Approximately 5% of the responders worries about their future, 38% has

trouble with finances, 12% does Drugs and Smoking at an early age, 35%

goes through depression and the remaining 10% neglect of baby.

 Bar Graph showing the best ways to prevent
Teenage Pregnancy
60

50

40

30

20

10

0
Encorage Abstinence Help them respect Have the sex talk Lay out consequences
themselves

Figure 2.

Bar graph representing the best ways to prevent teenage pregnancy.

From the data collected, Encouraging Abstinence is the highest ranking 50, Helping

them respect themselves the second highest ranking 20, thirdly laying out

consequences ranking 17 and lastly to have the sex talk ranking 13.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data

The information has revealed that Teenage Pregnancy in the community of

Cornwall Courts is prevalent and that females who are going through teenage

pregnancy are within the group of ages 15-19. It was also revealed that majority of

the male teens do not neglect their child but usually drop out of school so that they

can get a job to provide for the new family. Most of these pregnant teens are from a

single- parent family or a sibling household.

Respondents believe that Peer Pressure is one particular factor that leads to

teenagers getting pregnant. Rape (15%), Low self-esteem (20%) and Lack of

supervision (20%) were also revealed as causes of teenage pregnancy in the

community of Cornwall Courts. These youths have to drop out of school to take

care of their young, many stay home and rely on the male to try and find means and

ways to get money. The researcher has also showed that the main impacts on these

teens are; worrying about their future with a percentage of (5)due to the fact that they

feel as if they cannot continue school and would have to focus on the child, financial

problems with a percentage of (38) with taking care of the child because of the type

of work field they can get into, Drugs and smoking at an early age with a percentage

of (12) for the stress they go through, Depression with a percentage of (35) because

they feel under pressure to do everything right and Neglecting the child which is the
failure of caregivers to provide needed age-appropriate care, with a percentage of

(10) by focusing on different things rather than taking care of the child.

The respondents also gave their opinion on solutions which could help to prevent

teenage pregnancy and the researcher has interpreted them. The solutions that may

help to prevent teenage pregnancy are encouraging abstinence so that the teen will

learn to wait until they are ready to create a family on their own, helping them

respect themselves by not letting peer pressure influence them as much as possible,

lay out consequences so that they can learn the experience of living on their own and

trying to find different way to care for themselves and to have the sex talk with them

so they can ensure that not only should they wait but they should be safe at all times

whether they are sexually active or not.

Statement of Findings

The research conducted has revealed the following findings:

1. The major cause of teenage pregnancy in the community of Cornwall Courts

is Peer Pressure (45%).

Recommendations and Implementation Strategy

The researcher would like to make the following recommendations:

1. Have more recreational activities within the community for youth so that they

get more involved and encouragement towards themselves.

2. Educating the youths in the community about family planning and the

disadvantages of teenage pregnancy.

To educate these youths, I would personally organize a project by going

around the community and give out pamphlets to help spread the family

planning awareness and abstinence. Also, by organizing counseling sessions in

the community for teenagers to help lessen the problems of teenage

pregnancy.
Bibliography

Gunter, M. (2015, November 15). Region charts ways to reduce teenage

pregnancy. Observer Jamaica.

Appendix

Why reducing Teenage Pregnancy Matters?

Having children at a young age can damage a young woman’s health status as

well as severely limit their opportunities in going back to school and/or getting

jobs. Long term research shows that children born to teenagers are more

likely to experience a range of negative outcomes in later life, and are up to

three times more likely to become teenage parents themselves. Reducing

teenage pregnancy matters because it is giving teens more time to become a

developed adult so that they can make right decisions.