The study examined the prevalence and consequential effect of early child bearing on the psychosocial well being of adolescents in South West Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The sample of 1,200 adolescent parents was drawn from three States in South West Nigeria using simple random sampling techniques. A self constructed instrument tagged “Prevalence and Effect of Child bearing on the Psychosocial well being of Adolescents Instrument” (PECPAI) with a reliability coefficient (r= 0.71) was used for data gathering. The age of adolescents sampled range between 12-21. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistical analysis. The findings revealed a high prevalence of early child bearing among adolescents between ages 15-17 years. It was further revealed that the level of psychosocial well being of adolescent parents was generally low. It is therefore recommended, among others that orientation services on the dangers of adolescent parentage should be organized for the adolescents periodically to eliminate the scourge. In addition, adolescents should be encouraged to attain psychosocial maturity before assuming parental status to avoid potential pitfalls.
Keywords: Adolescent-parents, Early Child Bearing; Psychosocial well being; Adolescents; Psychosocial maturity
