GHANA SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNAL

Publisher:: —
ISSN:: 0855-4730
Category:: SOCIAL SCIENCES, INTERDISCIPLINARY
Impact factor:: 0.4

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Psychological growth and emotional strain: A phenomenological study of orphaned adolescents in Ghana’s care homes

2025-12-21

Dora Awuah, Johnny Andoh-Arthur, Annabella Osei-Tutu, Charity S. Akotia

Residential care in Ghana presents both opportunities and challenges for orphans, with evidence indicating dual impacts on their well-being. Adolescence, a pivotal stage for emotional and psychological stability, may be significantly influenced by the residential care environment, shaping long-term mental health outcomes for residents. Hence, this study employed an interpretive phenomenological design that offers insights into participants’ perspectives of the meanings made from experiences in care settings. Through in-depth individual interviews, 30 adolescents aged 13 to 19 years were purposively selected. The data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Two themes emerged: psychologically stimulating and emotionally depriving experiences. These contrasting themes underscore the subjective interpretations orphans assign to their experiences. This indicates that despite access to growth-enhancing opportunities in care homes, emotional challenges persist. These findings have implications for the mental health and well-being of adolescent orphans. Creating awareness of these impacts among stakeholders in residential care is essential.

Factors influencing Ghana’s gender gaps in school attendance: A cross-sectional study using data from Ghana Living Standards Surveys

2025-12-21

Louis Boakye-Yiadom

This study uses data from recent waves of the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS) to examine the nature and extent of gender gaps in school attendance, and  to explore the underlying factors influencing the gender gaps. In pursuit of this, graphical analysis and probit regressions are employed. Focusing on persons aged between 6 and 21 years, the findings support the view that a gender gap (favouring boys) in school attendance exists for those aged 15 years and above. The paper also highlights the important role of parental education in influencing school attendance. The study further suggests that Ghana’s gender gap in school attendance is driven by societal norms about the relative importance of girls’ schooling versus that of boys, as well as various challenges girls face in post-puberty years. This study’s findings have considerable policy relevance for education within the Ghanaian context.

“How can I get diabetes! I want to get healed”: Experiences of adoles-cents living with type 1 diabetes in Ghana

2025-12-21

Margaret Amankwah-Poku, Michellene Panni, Philip Soyiri Donyeh, Angela Anarfi Gyasi-Gyamerah

This study explored the lived experiences of adolescents with type 1 diabetes and the challenges of self-care management. A qualitative design (interpretative phenomenological analysis approach) was employed where ten adolescents consisting of males and females, with a mean age of 16.8 years were interviewed from two hospitals. Data was analyzed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis, which generated three superordinate themes: 1) Searching for answers, 2) Adjusting to diabetes diagnosis and 3) Coping with diabetes. Adolescents described experiencing ‘abnormal’ symptoms which led them to seek medical attention, and the negative emotions they experienced upon diagnosis with type 1 diabetes. They reported their diabetes self-care management as demanding and exhaustive, with disruptions from school activities. Their ways of coping included receiving social support from family and friends, having faith in God, and receiving education from medical experts and diabetes support groups. Findings were evidence of an incomplete care system for these adolescents as their main model of care was biomedical care.  There is therefore the need to include psychological and social interventions to constitute a holistic care system for improved wellbeing after diagnosis.