In this study, 452 teen boys 10–15 years were studied with a mean age of 11.38 ± 4.37years, 62.83% of participants were first and second children, and their mean the onset of puberty age was 11.36 ± 1.68. 33.1% of teen boys were obese or overweight. Other demographic and social characteristics of the samples under study are shown in Table 1.
Chi-square test showed a statistically significant relationship between parent’s education level (p = 0.001) and teen boys’ awareness of puberty changes.
Also, between parent age (p = 0.002) and teen boys’ health behaviors and sexual orientation (p = 0.003). 88% of teen boys and 87.9% of parent’s teen boys were interested in attending adolescents’ special education classes (Table 2).
The results of this study showed that 69.8% of teen boys had poor and incomplete knowledge about puberty changes and health behavior.
According to prioritizing questions 5,3,9,10 and 7about awareness of first sign and change of puberty, genital changes and when to start, wet of dream, healthy diet during puberty, behavioral reaction to puberty changes, had the lowest score and were ranked the top 5 educational priorities in the awareness domain (Table 2).
Results showed that 64.3% of the teen boys had poor self-confidence and based on 30, 29, 28 prioritizations, three priorities of educational intervention were self-confidence. In regular daily behavioral reaction to puberty changes, genital changes and sexual orientation (Table 3).
Results showed that 78.3% of the teen boys had heterosexual desire and they couldn't manage that. According to prioritizing sexual orientation management and communication with girls the most important educational priority was this section.
Teen mood swings are most volatile in early adolescence and tend to stabilize as teens get older, mood swings during adolescence are partially due to biology in this study 51% of teens have experienced mood swings (happiness, anger, sadness, and anxiety) in the past three weeks also 82% did not know how to manage mood swings and they needed training.
In this study, health behavior was 73.4% of teen boys had moderate, Interventions and priorities for health behaviors improvement include: Health behaviors in puberty, healthy diet and physical activity.
According to the findings, promoting self-confidence was the most important educational priority in the formation of health behavior in in teen boys. According to the correlation test between the health behavior of teen boys and awareness (r = 0.13, P < 0.007) and between health behavior and self-confidence) (r = 0.12, P < 0.001) among teen boys were significant and positive, and based on linear regression by backward elimination among the variables with positive correlation with self-confidence behavior was the most important predictor of adolescent behavior in this study.
Analyze 5 questions related to educational demand showed some educational priorities; reproductive health educating parents and teachers to understand puberty, educating adolescents themselves about changes during the puberty in schools.
The results of the study showed that in the overall scoring, Intervention on adolescent self-confidence is first priority and sexual orientation and mood swing was in the second and third priority. Results are shown in the Fig. 1.
Table 1
Demographic characteristics
Variable | Frequency (Percent)Number |
Father’s age (mean and standard deviation) | 49.93 ± 9.79 |
Father’s education | 122(26.99) Under the diploma 330 (73) Academic |
Mother’s age (mean and standard deviation) | 41.32 ± 7.21 |
Mother’s education | 128 (28/31) Under the diploma 324 (71.68) Academic |
Household income | 189 (44.47) Millions 5–2 |
Birth Rank | 284 (62.83) 2–1 144 (31.85) 5–3 24(5.3) 6< |
Table 2
teen boy’ awareness score status
row | Awareness questions | SD ± Average |
1 | What is the first sign and changes of puberty? | 1.6 ± 0.82 |
2 | Do you know what changes in your genitals during puberty? | 1.81 ± 0.93 |
3 | What is wet of dream? | 1.90 ± 0.90 |
4 | Teen boys need a few kilograms of energy during adolescence? | 2 ± 1.5 |
5 | What do you do when faced with puberty? | 2.45 ± 0.20 |
Table 3
teen boy’s self-confidence score status
row | self-confidence questions | SD ± Average |
1 | I'm sure we will cope with the changes of puberty | 0.89 ± 0.31 |
2 | I am confident in my ability to cope with the changes of my puberty | 1.54 ± 0.16 |
3 | I'm sure I can control the tendency towards girls | 2.92 ± 1.29 |