Interaction Effect of Adolescents’ Gender and Parental Level of Education on Adolescents’ Sexual Behaviours in Public Secondary Schools in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya.

Abstract

Adolescents’ sexual behaviour remains a pressing global concern due to its potential to result in serious health and social consequences. In both developed and developing countries, including Kenya, adolescents face increasing risks associated with early risky sexual behaviour. In Uasin Gishu County, limited research has documented the prevalence of such risky behaviours among secondary school students, with serious implications for their health and academic progress.

Guided by Problem Behaviour Theory, this study adopted a sequential explanatory mixed methods design to examine the interaction effect of adolescent gender and parental level of education on adolescent sexual behaviour. The study targeted 27,773 students and 187 teacher-counselors in 187 public secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County. Using Slovene’s formula, a sample of 394 students was selected through stratified random sampling, while 17 teacher-counselors were sampled purposively. Quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire, while qualitative data were gathered through structured interviews.

Two-way ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of parental level of education on adolescent sexual behaviour, F(4, 310) = 18.17, p < .001, η² = .20. However, there was no significant main effect of gender, F(1, 310) = 0.04, p = .842, η² < .001, and no significant interaction between gender and parental education level, F(4, 310) = 0.10, p = .984, η² < .001. The model explained a significant proportion of the variance in adolescent sexual behaviour, F(9, 310) = 8.28, p < .001. Thematic analysis of qualitative data corroborated these findings. Accordingly, the first (H₀₁) and third (H₀₃) null hypotheses were retained, while the second (H₀₂) was rejected at p < .05. These findings highlight the critical role of parental education in influencing adolescent sexual behaviour and suggest that its effect is consistent across genders. The study recommends targeted, parent-focused sexual health interventions that are inclusive and contextually sensitive.