Ghana Social Science Journal

Challenges of young mothers raising children in urban slums of Accra, Ghana: A qualitative study

Portia Nana Ama Brempong — 2023-12-16

The United Nations (UN) Programme on Human Settlements and the Voluntary National Review (VNR) report of Ghana on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicates that as of 2020, about 8.8 million people lived in slums. Despite these alarming statistics, sparse literature exists on the challenges young mothers encounter when raising their children in such environments. The study explored challenges young mothers encounter in raising their children in Ghana’s slum dwellings. A descriptive qualitative design of twenty (20) purposively selected young mothers were interviewed using a face-to-face approach. Audo recorded data was transcribed and analysed thematically. Four (4) themes emerged under this study: 1) financial challenges associated with their inability to afford early childhood care/education, 2) struggle with maintaining discipline of children, 3) reliance on self and herbal medication, and 4) turf wars among slum teenage mothers. Considering these challenges experienced by slum teenage mothers, there is the need for increased focus on improving the well-being and prospects of both young mothers and their children within urban slums.

Dispositional empathy and perceived caregiver-child interaction in early childhood care and education: Examining the moderator ef-fects of age and personality

Regina Osenkor Gogo — 2023-12-16

Although research have established the relationship between dispositional empathy and caregiver-child interactions, the influences of the different dimensions of dispositional empathy have not been adequately explored among caregivers in the early childhood care and education setting. In this study, we examined how empathic dispositions of caregivers in early childhood care and education in Ghana influenced their beliefs and intentions about their interactions with children in their care. We tested the assumption that age and personality moderated the relationship between caregivers’ dispositional empathy and their perceived interactions with the children. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 154 early childcare education teachers in Accra, the capital of Ghana, with ages ranging from 19 to 68 years using Wilcox-Herzog and Ward’s (2004) four aspects of caregiver-child interaction. We found empathic concern and personal distress effects on perceived caregiver-child interaction. Empathic concern is the strongest predictor of caregivers’ perceived interaction with the children. We also found a moderated effect for neuroticism on the relationship between dispositional empathy and perceived caregiver-child interaction. The implications of the findings are discussed in the context of culture and early childhood care.

“This is what we call delayed humiliation”: Negotiating socio-cultural challenges in the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) by couples with infertility problems in urban Ghana

Peace Mamle Tetteh — 2023-12-16

Childbearing is an important component of marriage, and childless couples often face a myriad of informal sanctions from family and community members. Whilst many infertile couples may resort to Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) in an effort to mitigate the socio-cultural effects of childlessness, it is a copious concern to also ensure that the very ‘solution’ being used does not turn out to become a ‘curse’ and a source of further ridicule and stigma. They must make choices that are acceptable to their society and in consonance with their own beliefs and values. This study explored the considerations that goes into the decision to use or not to use a particular type and form of ART. The study employed a qualitative approach involving 15 semi-structured in-depth interviews with purposively selected persons seeking fertility treatment via ARTs in Accra. Thematic analysis was used in analysing interview transcripts. We found out that users of ARTs tended to be concerned about the health status of children born using these techniques. Couples, especially male partners, desired a resemblance to the children born out of such procedures and sought to ensure that their use of ARTs remain a secret forever given the implications of disclosure for their status and masculinity, parenthood and indeed kinship in the Ghanaian cultural context. Thus, to a large extent, ART decisions are also gendered in nature. We therefore conclude that though ART usage is on the increase in Ghana, there is considerable apprehension with its use because of the implications of disclosure. There is therefore the need to educate people about ARTs, to address misconceptions to increase the social and cultural acceptability for their use as a viable means of achieving procreation.

Examination of the lived experiences of the female spouse in child mar-riages in northern Ghana: Implications for psychological well-being

Elizabeth Anokyewaa Sarfo — 2023-12-16

Marriage is ordinarily complex and challenging exerting an invariable effect on the psychological well-being of married individuals. When the spouse is a child, the effects may be much more complicated. This study explored the subjective experiences of marriage and the related psychological implications for married adolescent girls. Using purposeful, convenient and snowball sampling techniques, 21 married adolescent girls were recruited and interviewed. Using a generic inductive qualitative analysis method, two main themes on the subjective experience of marriage and two themes on the implications of those experiences on the psychological well-being of married girls emerged. Positive experiences in marriage were related to the availability of financial support and resources, social recognition, and the presence of spousal support whereas challenges experienced included themes of financial difficulties, restrictiveness, relational conflict and abuse and stressful chores. The positive experiences of marriage had implications for female spouses’ satisfaction with life and increased quality of life while the negative experiences of marriage were associated with negative psychological implications. These findings underscore the need for the development and implementation that seeks to the alleviate the negative psychological implications of early marriage and strategies and measures that challenge the reinforcing cultural and religious traditions of child marriage.

Virtual but essential: Students’ use of online resources for sexual and reproductive health information during COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana

Sylvia Esther Gyan — 2023-12-16

Despite the disruptions in various sectors of society because of the COVID-19 mitigating measures, the existence of technological innovations provided alternative means to addressing most of the challenges brought about by the pandemic. The novelty of the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase or introduction of and adoption of novel ways of accessing healthcare information and services. Although there are evidence of the youth seeking for sexual and reproductive health information from the internet, there is limited literature on whether the COVID-19 protocols influenced the use of internet information by the young adults in low-and -middle income countries. Using a convenience sample of 367 respondents from six public universities in Ghana, we investigated students use of the internet for information on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The internet sources used by students before and during the pandemic was mainly search engines. Apart from the use of search engines, all the other internet sources saw a decrease in the percentage of students who relied on the internet for information on SRH during the pandemic. This calls for further investigations into why the proportion of students who use social media for SRH information declined during the pandemic.

Fathers' parental involvement and accessibility as predictors of daughters' age of menarche: Testing the life history theory (LHT-P) in a non-WEIRD context

Tlotlo C. Thutoemang — 2023-12-17

This study examined whether fathers’ parental involvement level and their accessibility have any effects on the age at which their daughters experience menarche in a non-western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (non-WEIRD) population. We noted the current debates on the use and application of the LHT framework in explaining human variations in life histories and adopted the recommendations. Thus, while being sensitive to the use of LHT in human variations, we aimed to adopt the framework and hypothesized that high father parental involvement and accessibility would significantly cue for late age at menarche. We sampled women aged between 18 and 56 purposefully and conveniently from multiple sites in Botswana, using multiple data collection platforms in a cross-sectional study. Preliminary analysis revealed that age of menarche increases with access to (i.e., presence of) a biological father but decreases with access to a stepfather while being raised in a female-headed household is associated with reduced father’s parental involvement for female children. Further analysis using stepwise regression revealed that that access to (i.e., presence of) a stepfather in a female child’s life leads to early menarche. Given that early menarche is associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes for female adults and access to a biological father increases fathers’ parental involvement, we conclude that dual or co-parenting may offer more developmental advantages to female children than access to a stepfather Thus, parents should strive to create family dynamics that will promote biological father involvement, where available and possible, in raising female children.

Influencing judicial process using black magic: Experiences of court users from the Houses of Chiefs in Ghana

Alhassan Sulemana Anamzoya — 2023-12-17

The role of black magic in the court of law has not been given adequate academic attention. This research contributes to the literature of legal pluralism, hybrid courts and spirituality in the law courts, by exploring the experiences of court users in the Houses of Chiefs in Ghana, judicial bodies mandated by the 1992 Republican Constitution to adjudicate on matters affecting chieftaincy commonly called chieftaincy disputes. The empirical part of this research is drawn largely from a data set that was collected in 2006, 2007 and 2009, focusing on Regional Registrars (administrative heads of these judicial bodies), court clerks, disputing parties and their counsel, counsel to the various Houses of Chiefs, and the bailiffs who constitute the life wire of these courts. Primary data was gathered from these people through face-to-face interaction, coupled with observation of court proceedings. Content analysis of the data revealed that judicial proceedings as well as judicial decisions in the Houses of Chiefs are deeply influenced by black magic, otherwise referred to us juju. Whilst the influence of juju on these specialized courts may be oblivious to the ordinary observer, the disputing parties, their counsels, counsels to the various Houses of Chiefs, and other judicial personnel in the Houses of Chiefs are very much aware of it and their belief that it can influence judicial proceedings and judicial decisions.