| dc.description.abstract | Sexual initiation is an important social and health issue in Kenya. The preposition in this study
was that portrayals of sex on entertainment Television (TV) in Kenya may contribute to
precocious adolescent sex. This study sought to investigate TV influence on the sexual
knowledge, attitude and behaviour of adolescents by addressing the following four fundamental
concerns, (1) how television determines/influences sexual behaviour of youth in Kenya, (2) the
specific ways in which this influence is presented (3) the extent to which TV viewing may
detenninelinfluence the sexual behaviour of youth, and (4) the potential dangers associated with
exposure to sexual content on TV.
A survey of 200 adolescents, both male and female aged 12 to 18 years of age was conducted to
measures factors known to be associated with adolescent sexual initiation in Nairobi, Kenya.
Participants reported their TV viewing habits and sexual experience, and this data was combined
with the results of a scientific analysis of TV sexual content to derive measures of exposure to
sexual content, and depictions of sexual behaviours
The findings indicate that indeed there are TV programmes being aired, and that are viewed by
youths that have depictions of sexual content, and which could influence the young people. The
conclusions drawn from this study were that watching sex on TV may predict and/or hasten
adolescent sexual initiation. Reducing the amount of sexual content in entertainment
programming, reducing adolescent exposure to this content, and/or increasing references to and
depictions of possible negative consequences of sexual activity could appreciably delay the
initiation of early sex debut. Alternatively, parents may be able to reduce the effects of sexual
content by watching TV with their teenage children and discussing their own beliefs about sex
and the behaviours portrayed. | en |
