The Effect of Social Skills Training on Self Concept of Teenage Mothers, A case study of Training College in Kenya

Abstract

Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of social skills training on enhancing self-concept of teenage mothers in Kibera. Because teenage pregnancy is considered as a global issue. A large proportion of teenage mothers give up on themselves and struggle with negative emotions resulting from societal stigma, rejection and isolation from friends and families, which can lead to poor self-concept. Methodology: The study was anchored on person centered theory of Carl Rogers and Bandura`s social cognitive theory. Mixed method sequential explanatory design was adopted for the study. The target population was 150 teenage mothers. Quantitative data was collected from participants using self-concept and social skills questionnaires. An interview guide was used to collect data from one social worker and one school administration for the qualitative study. The data were analyzed utilizing narratives and correlations. We used SPSS version 21 to examine the first round of quantitative data. After analyzing the quantitative data, individuals with mean scores between 1.0 and 2.5 were chosen for the qualitative investigation. Main Finding: The study found out that social skills training has improved self-concept of teenage mothers in Kibera. The qualitative study revealed that teenage mothers go through psychological and emotional challenges in the hands of their parents. The study generally concludes that self-concept of teenage mothers is being affected by lack of psychological support, forgiveness and acceptance from the family. Intervention suggested included being emotionally present, psychological support, and love by parents to teenage mothers. Research Implication: The study's findings suggested that rules on guidance and counseling services for parents and teenage mothers be strengthened in order to improve assertiveness. It is critical for social workers to focus on policy development in low-income households, particularly in the area of education, in order to prevent adolescent pregnancy. Novelty/Originality of this study: Based on the findings, this study proposes a novel approach to dealing with teen pregnancy and offering psychological support. In addition, the parents provide social support and love.