PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ADOPTION OF RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIOR BY ADOLESCENTS IN TOGO

Adolescent sexual and reproductive health indicators are very worrying in sub-Saharan Africa. In Togo, for the 2020-2021 school year, 1,244 girls dropped out of school due to early pregnancy (Republic of Togo, 2022). This article aims to make a psychological analysis of the adoption of risky sexual behaviors of adolescents in Togo. To do this, we have conducted an exploratory study with five (05) adolescents received in psychological interview using the all-comers method. The results reveal that romantic attachment and sexual curiosity promote early sexuality. But sex education from parents delays the age of first sexual intercourse. With regard to multiple sexual partners, it is favored by low partner abandonment anxiety. For the non-systematic use of condoms, the reasons are diversified according to gender. Thus, for boys, strong sexual arousal contributes to non-systematic condom use, while girls explain it by strong abandonment anxiety. Furthermore, our results also reveal that the adoption of risky sexual behaviors has consequences on the psychological state of adolescents. Given the small size of our sample, it is necessary to conduct a study on a large population in order to identify the relevant psychological factors. This will enable an adolescent-centred approach to improve adolescent sexual health in sub-Saharan Africa.