Abstract

OKAGBARE, TE  and  NAIDOO, S.. Parents' perception of psychosocial factors, health-compromising behaviours and oral health among adolescents in South Africa. S. Afr. dent. j. [online]. 2018, vol.73, n.4, pp.221-227. ISSN 0375-1562.

INTRODUCTION: Parents' perception of psychosocial factors associated with health-compromising behaviours is critical with respect to parental participation in the prevention and control of these problems. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aims and objectives of the present study were to explore the knowledge of parents regarding five health-compromising behaviours: alcohol consumption, smoking, inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables, inappropriate consumption of refined sugars and inadequate/infrequent tooth-brushing. Their understanding of how the psychosocial factors of educational aspirations, religiosity, self-esteem and sense of coherence (propensity to cope with stress) influence these behaviours were assessed. DESIGN: The study design was qualitative and exploratory and the research strategy was inductive, deductive and abductive. METHODS: A non-probability purposive theoretical sampling method was employed and data were collected from five focus group interviews. Data were analysed using the grounded theory approach, RESULTS: The emergent substantive theory was "Mitigating adolescents' unhealthy behaviours: Tame the taste buds and train the child positively from infancy through preadolescence". CONCLUSIONS: Grounded theory brought to the fore the need for parents to make conscious efforts to properly train their children from infancy through preadolescence with positive adolescent health-outcome expectancy.

Keywords : Qualitative research; Adolescents; Psychosocial factors; Health-compromising behaviours; Parents' perceptions; Oral health; South Africa.

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