Department of Health Sciences, California State University East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd, Hayward, CA, 94542, USA.
Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way West, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
Int J Equity Health. 2021 Feb 3;20(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s12939-021-01395-5.
Inequitable gender norms, beliefs and behaviors, are shaped by learning experiences during key developmental stages in an individual's life course, and can have negative impacts on health and well-being outcomes. Very early adolescence represents one stage when formative learning experiences about gender inequity can have the potential to support or hinder more equitable gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. The aim of this qualitative study was to evaluate the effect of a gender transformative, social emotional learning intervention for very young adolescents (VYAs) that included experiential learning with peers, parents/caregivers and community members.
This study examined the effects of an intervention designed to provide social emotional learning opportunities for adolescents ages 10-11 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The qualitative sample included 279 participants. Qualitative methods included 102 in-depth interviews with VYAs, 22 focus groups with 117 VYAs, 60 in-depth interviews with parents/caregivers and 54 participant observations. A grounded theory approach was used to identify emergent themes.
Participants reported growth in targeted areas of social emotional mindsets and skills, including a shift in gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. VYAs reported that experiential learning in mixed gender teams provided opportunities to actively practice and reflect on gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. VYAs also reported active practice of social emotional mindsets and skills with peers, parents/caregivers and the community. Parents/caregivers reported changes in VYAs' social emotional mindsets and skills within the home, with the community and with siblings and peers. Both adolescents and parent/caregivers reported positive change towards more equitable gender norms, beliefs and behaviors through participation in experiential learning activities and reflective discussions.
These findings suggest that an intervention providing social and emotional experiential learning opportunities during the developmental window of very young adolescence can be effective in transforming gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. Involvement of peers, parents/caregivers and community members was effective at supporting learning social emotional mindsets and skills in VYAs. Findings encourage local and global adolescent programming to include gender transformative content paired with social emotional experiential learning with peers, family and the community and can stimulate positive change in gender norms, beliefs and behaviors to promote gender equity.
不平等的性别规范、信念和行为是在个人生命历程中的关键发展阶段的学习经历中形成的，会对健康和幸福结果产生负面影响。非常年轻的青春期是一个形成性学习经历对性别不平等的潜在影响可以支持或阻碍更公平的性别规范、信念和行为的阶段。本研究的目的是评估一项针对非常年轻青少年（VYAs）的性别变革型、社会情感学习干预措施的效果，该干预措施包括与同龄人、父母/照顾者和社区成员的体验式学习。
本研究考察了一项旨在为坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆 10-11 岁青少年提供社会情感学习机会的干预措施的效果。定性样本包括 279 名参与者。定性方法包括对 102 名 VYAs 进行深入访谈、22 个由 117 名 VYAs 组成的焦点小组、60 个与父母/照顾者的深入访谈和 54 次参与者观察。使用扎根理论方法确定了新兴主题。
参与者报告说，在社会情感思维和技能的目标领域取得了进展，包括性别规范、信念和行为的转变。VYAs 报告说，在男女混合团队中的体验式学习为积极实践和反思性别规范、信念和行为提供了机会。VYAs 还报告说，他们与同龄人、父母/照顾者和社区积极实践社会情感思维和技能。父母/照顾者报告说，VYAs 在家庭、社区和兄弟姐妹及同龄人中的社会情感思维和技能发生了变化。青少年和家长/照顾者都报告说，通过参与体验式学习活动和反思性讨论，朝着更公平的性别规范、信念和行为方向发生了积极的变化。
这些发现表明，在非常年轻的青春期发展窗口提供社会和情感体验式学习机会的干预措施可以有效地改变性别规范、信念和行为。同伴、父母/照顾者和社区成员的参与在支持 VYAs 学习社会情感思维和技能方面是有效的。这些发现鼓励地方和全球青少年规划纳入性别变革内容，以及与同龄人、家庭和社区的社会情感体验式学习，并能激发性别规范、信念和行为的积极变化，促进性别平等。
