Effectiveness of Child-rearing Information Booklet among Adolescent Mothers: A Quasi-experimental Non-equivalent Pre-test-Post-test Control Group Study

Abstract

Background. Child-rearing is challenging for adolescent mothers at risk of providing limited care to their children because of the challenges and demands of simultaneously being an adolescent and a mother. Children aged 0-2 years depend on caregivers like their young mothers to promote their physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth and development. Objective. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Child-rearing Information Booklet (CRIB) among adolescent mothers with children aged 0-2 years on the three dimensions of knowledge, attitude, and practices. Methods. The study utilized the quasi-experimental non-equivalent pre-test-post-test control group design to investigate 30 intervention and 30 comparison adolescent mothers with children aged 0-2 years who met the study criteria in Baguio City from January 2019 to January 2021. The fishbowl sampling technique was used in selecting the population and the specific barangays. A validated self-made questionnaire (I-CVI of 0.95 with Cronbach's α of 0.96) determined both groups' knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP). The study used the weighted mean for adolescent mothers' KAP while an independent sample t-test analyzed the significant change in the scores of both groups and to answer the significant difference in the pre- and post-test scores between the two groups. Results. The results revealed that both groups are knowledgeable about child-rearing skills. Both groups have a favorable attitude when caring for their children and have a very satisfactory practice in childcare. The study also yielded a significant difference in the change of scores in the pre- and post-test scores of the two groups, specifically in knowledge and practice, while no significant difference in their attitude. It also presented a significant difference in the post-test scores between the two groups along with their knowledge (large effect size), attitude (medium effect size), and practices (large effect size). Conclusions. Adolescent mothers have pre-existing KAP in child-rearing. The CRIB effectively enhances adolescent mothers' child-rearing knowledge and practice. Also, the increase of scores in KAP in childrearing during the post-test may not be solely caused by the CRIB but also influenced by their age, level of education, living environment, experience in childrearing, and age of their child. The CRIB has a high practical significance in improving the knowledge and practices among adolescent mothers but not in their attitude.