Examining the Transition to Adulthood in an Urban Poor Context in Accra, Ghana

Adriana A. Biney, University Of Ghana

Poverty intensifies the challenges faced by urban adolescents and makes them susceptible to various developmental repercussions. These youth face peculiar disruptions that have implications for their growth into adults. Therefore, this study seeks to document how young people residing in an urban poor community in Accra, Ghana fare on key markers of adulthood using a life history calendar survey and focus group discussions. Qualitative findings show psychological/emotional markers being mentioned as most important in the transition to adulthood. T-test results further indicate differences by sex for selected markers of adulthood among respondents. Female respondents seemed to complete biological markers before males, as they reported having completed physical development by age 16. The results also show male respondents had significantly more years of schooling than the female respondents, and they started sex about 0.8 years earlier than female respondents. In addition, female respondents reported a lower age at first pregnancy/birth than their male counterparts with a gap of about 4 years, indicating older men may be responsible for these pregnancies. Further investigation is needed to fully understand their needs and tailor support to young men and women in the urban poor setting to attain adulthood in good health and wellbeing.

Keywords: Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Gender Dynamics, Mixed methods research

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