Paternal influences on the sexual behaviour of African male adolescents

Abstract

Fatherlessness is a problem that affects a majority of African families in South Africa. African fathers become absent in the home due to various reasons such as, death, divorce, separation, imprisonment and distant work commitments. Father figures such as older brothers, uncles and stepfathers are a prominent feature in the African the community. The literature study revealed that adolescence is a period of transitioning from childhood into adulthood. During adolescence, adolescents experience physiological, psychological, cognitive and social changes. This is the time when adolescents begin to move away from their parents and seek independence. Adolescence is also a time when romantic interests begin and adolescents worry about whether they are attractive and if others will accept them. Literature also revealed that fathers and father figures are essential in defining masculinity and socialising young boys. African male adolescents can be socialised into manhood through traditional male circumcision and mentorship. The literature study also questioned whether there is a crisis in masculinity and society’s role in redefining masculinity. The goal of the research study was to explore paternal influences on the sexual behaviour of African male adolescents. The intention of the researcher was to search for a deeper understanding of paternal influences by functioning biological fathers and father figures on the sexual behaviour of African male adolescents. The iv researcher also sought to identify how social services can improve service delivery to families, fathers and male adolescents. The research focused on the role fathers and father figures play on the sexual behaviour of young males who are currently in the developmental phase of adolescence, which can also be described as the period of transition into adulthood. The researcher used applied research and the qualitative research approach to conduct the study. The study was conducted with a sample size of 15 participants between the ages of 15 to 17 years. The researcher collected data by means of means of semi-structured interviews and the use of an interview schedule. The empirical findings of this study suggest that African male adolescents believe that African male adolescents are affected negatively by father absence. African male adolescence perceive a good father or father figure as a father who is more than just a breadwinner, a father who is able to provide guidance, advice and care as well as spend time with his son. African male adolescents also believe that a ‘real man’ knows how to treat women; he is faithful, trustworthy, considerate, decisive, assertive and honest. African male adolescents expect their fathers and father figures to teach them about relationships, sexuality, the consequences of unsafe sex and the importance of delaying sexual début. Some African male adolescents feel that their fathers and father figures often share little or no detailed information about sexuality, sexual behaviour and relationships with them. Some African male adolescents noted that additional sources of information about sexuality, sexual behaviour and relationships come from school and other male relatives in the family such as uncles. The empirical findings further revealed that some male adolescents are concerned about the sexual behaviours modelled by their own fathers and father figures, they observe that their fathers and father figures change partners too often and that creates confusion in their lives. However other African male adolescents expressed that their fathers and father figures model appropriate sexual behaviours that give them something to aspire to. African male adolescents shared that there are lessons about sexual behaviour that they have learnt from their fathers and father figures that are worthy of being passed on to their own sons one day. A few felt that they would rather pass on their own knowledge to their sons one day. The empirical findings confirmed that fathers and father figure are influential on the sexual behaviour of African male adolescents. Both the literature review and v empirical findings further confirmed that paternal influences or lack thereof influence the choices of African male adolescents about the kinds of fathers they want to be in the future. The study contains an in-depth literature review, research methodology, followed by empirical findings that answer the research question. The last objective of the study will be to draw conclusions and make recommendations on paternal influences on the sexual behaviour of African male adolescents to inform social services professionals’ service delivery to families and the youth, within the social work profession.