INTRODUCTION:

"Puberty for a girl is like floating down a broadening river into an open sea."

“Change are inherent in life, change within and change without. It is the external change fullness of life, that makes life so beautiful” said by Sigmund Freud. Yes, changes make life worth living if only knows how to adopt one self and adjust to the challenges created by changing situation.

Age is a period of human life, measured by years from birth, usually, marked by a certain stage or degree of mental and physical development and involving the legal responsibility and capacity.

The human life goes through various stage i.e. new-born, infant, toddler, pre-schooler, schooler, adolescents, young age, adults and old age. Chronological age is the number of years a person has lived especially when used as a standard which to measure behavior, intelligence etc.

The age groups are classified into infants (0-1 year), toddler (1-3 years), pre-schooler (3-6 years), school age (6-12 years) and early adolescents (12 years and above).¹

Puberty age starts in girls at 10-11 years and in boys in 15-16 years. Fewer than 1 million cases per year (India).

Puberty is the process of physical changes through which child body mature into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal singles from the brain to the gonads; the ovaries in a girl and the testis in a boy.

The gonads procedure hormone that stimulate libido and the growth, function and transformation of the brain, bones, muscle, blood, skin, hair, breast and sex organ.

Physical growth height and weight accelerate in the 1^st half the puberty and is completed when an adult’s body has been developed.

The 1^st physical sign of puberty in girls is usually firm, tender lump under the centre of the areola of both the breast occurring about 10 and half years of age. Pubic hair is the second noticeable change in puberty. The mucosal surface of the vagina also changes in response to increasing the level of estrogen, become thick and duller pink in colour. The ovaries, uterus, follicles in the ovaries are increased in size.

The major land mark of puberty in female is menarche. During this period, also in response to rising in oestrogen lower half of the pelvis and hip widen. Rising level of androgen hormone secrete more oil, this change increased the susceptibility to acne. Near sight

Tenderness (myopia) has a high incidence during puberty because of growth in the axial diameter of the eye^.2

Stages of puberty³:

Table no - 01

Tanner stages in girls	Age at the start	Noticeable changes
Stage 1	After the 8^th birth	none
Stage 2	From 9-11	Breast bud start to form pubic hair start to form
Stage 3	After age 12	Acne first appear armpit hair form height increases as its faster rate
Stage 4	Around age 13	First period arrives
Stage 5	Around age 15	Reproductive organ and genitals are fully developed

“As kids approach puberty, parents should talk about sex and set up the right kinds of guidelines for social interaction”.

Lawrence Cohen:

A descriptive study was conducted to assess perceived psychological stress among the adolescent girls regarding pubertal changes in selected school of Doraha, Distt. Ludhiana Punjab. The study was conducted on 60 adolescent girls, in selected schools of Doraha. Systematic sampling technique was used to select the study sample. The present study revealed that out of 60 adolescent girls, majority (51.6%) of students had moderate level of psychosocial stress, (33.3%) students had mild level of psychosocial stress and (15%) of students had high level of psychosocial stress. It was concluded that all adolescent girls were having some level of psychosocial stress among which maximum were having moderate level of stress. Hence there is felt requirement for creating awareness about managing stress. So as to enhance their quality of life. An IEC Pamphlets on management of stress was developed and distributed to adolescent girls.³

There is growing evidence to suggest that puberty rather than chronological age may signal the onset of delinquency and problem behaviours among some teenagers. For example, early matures both male and female are more likely than other adolescents to report delinquency. Early-maturing females also appear to be at increased risk for victimization, especially sexual assault, and this may partially explain their greater likelihood of problem behaviours. These findings suggest the need for interventions that are targeted to early-maturing adolescent girls who may be at increased risk for a wide range of behaviour problems and associated poor developmental outcomes.⁴

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

“A study to assess the effectiveness of planned teaching programme on knowledge regarding the pubertal changes among the girls in selected primary school of rural area in Aurangabad district.”

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

· To assess the knowledge regarding the pubertal changes among the girls of primary school before planned teaching programme.

· To prepare and administer planned teaching programme regarding pubertal changes.

· To assess the knowledge regarding the pubertal changes among the girls of primary school after planned teaching programme.

· To evaluate the effectiveness of planned teaching programme on knowledge regarding the pubertal changes among the girls of primary school.

· To find out the association between the pre-test knowledge score with selected demographic variable.

1) Variables:

· Dependent variable: Knowledge

· Independent Variable: Planned teaching Programme

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

1) Source of data:

Data will be collected from girls in selected primary school of rural area in Aurangabad district.

2) Methods of Data collection:

1) Research approach: An evaluative approach, research design was one group pre-test post-test design, population for the study was girls in selected primary school of rural area in Aurangabad district. Setting the study will be conducted at the selected primary school of rural area in aurangabad district, sample technique Non probability convenient sampling technique sample size is 50.

Data collection method:

Step I: The researcher will obtain prior permission from the concerned authority to conduct study. Step II: Selection of samples. Step III: Investigators introduces to the subjects and explain objectives and steps ofstudy and takes written consent to conduct the study. Step IV: Assessment of knowledge regarding pubertal changes by the use of Structuredknowledge questionnaire (Pre-Test). Step V: Administering of Planned teaching Programme on pubertal changes. Step VI: Assessment of knowledge regarding pubertal changes by the use of structure knowledge questionnaire (Post Test). Step VII: Analysis of collected data and interpretation

METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS:

1) Descriptive statistics: Mean, Median, Frequency and standard deviation

2) Inferential Statistics: A paired ‘t’ test will be done to compare the mean pre-test and post-test knowledge score and Chi square test is used to find out association

RESULTS:

The data was presented under the following headings:

Section A: Description of sample characteristics:

In this present study 48% (24) of participants were in the age group 11-12 years, 52% (26) were in age group 12-13 years and none of them were in the age group 10-11 years and 13-14 years.

Distribution of sample based on the educational status showed that, 58% (29) of participants were 6^th std and 42% (21) of participants were in the 7^th std.

Distribution of sample based on the mother’s occupation showed that, 20% (10) of participants were having housewife mother, 76% (38) of participants were having worker mother and 4% (2) of participants were having self-employed mother.

Distribution of sample based on the mother educational status showed that, 6% (3) of participants were having uneducated mother, 40% (20) of participants were having mother of primary education, 32% (16) of participants were having mother of secondary education and 22% (11) of participants were having mother of higher secondary education.

Distribution of sample based on the type of family showed that, 44% (22) of participants were having joint family, 44% (22) of participants were having nuclear family and 12% (6) having single parent.

Distribution of sample based on the religion showed that, 62% (31) of participants were belongs to Hindu religion, 4% (2) were belongs to Christian religion and 8% (4) of participants were belongs to Muslim religion and 26% (13) of participants were belongs to Distribution of sample based on the place of residence showed that, 00% (00) of participants were living in tribe and 100% (50) of participants were living in the village.

Distribution of sample based on the source of information showed that, 00% (00) of participants were getting knowledge from family 00% (00) of participants participants were getting knowledge from friends and 100 % (50) participants were getting knowledge from other sources.

Distribution of sample based on the birth order showed that, 32% (16) of participants were the first child in their family, 42% (21) were the second child in their family, and 14% (7) of participants were the Third child in the family, and 12% (6) of participants were the fourth child in their family.

SECTION –B;

Table No 02 knowledge of participants regarding pubertal changes N= 50

	Pre- test		Post test
	Frequency	Percrntage	Frequency	percentage
Poor	28	56%	00	00
Average	22	44%	30	60%
Good	00	00%	20	40%

Data from above table depicts that in pre-test 28 (56%) participants had poor knowledge, 22 (44%) subjects had average knowledge and none of them participants had good knowledge regarding pubertal changes. In post test, 30 (60%) participants had average knowledge, 20 (40%) participants had good knowledge and none of them participants had poor knowledge regarding pubertal changes.

SECTION C:

Table no- 03 effectiveness of planned teaching programme on knowledge pubertal changes

Know ledge Assess ment	Mean	Mean Diffe rence	SD	DF	Paired t Value	P Value
Pre-test	9.68	9.64	2.62	49	13.71	<0.05
Post-test	19.32	9.64	4.22	49	13.71	<0.05

Significance at 5% level

The paired t value was computed to determine the effectiveness of Planned Teaching Programme among girls in selected primary school regarding pubertal changes.

The following research hypothesis was stated,

H₁-There will be significant difference in the mean pre-test and post test knowledge Score regarding pubertal changes.

Data in table 3 illustrates that the mean post test knowledge score (19.32) was greater than mean pre-test knowledge (9.68). The mean difference between pre-test and post-test score was (9.64). Paired t knowledge score is (13.71) was significant at 0.05% level hence research hypothesis H₁was accepted.

This indicted that the planned teaching programme was effective in increasing the knowledge regarding pubertal changes among girls in selected primary school.

SECTION D

Table No 4: - Association between Pretest Knowledge Score with Selected Demographic Variable

Sr. No.	Variables		Poor	Average	Good	X²cal	DF	Table Value
1.	Age in Year	10-11 Years	12	2	0	9.40	6	2.45 S
		11-12 Years	8	5	0
		12-13 Years	4	7	0
		13-14 Years	4	8	0
2.	Educational status	6^th std	22	8	0	9.14	2	4.30 S
2.	Educational status	7^th std	6	14	0	9.14	2	4.30 S
3.	Mothers Occupation	House wife	4	7	0	2.32	4	2.78 Ns
		Worker	23	14	0
		Self employed	1	1	0
4.	Mothers Education	Uneducated	1	2	0	1.52	6	2.45 Ns
		Primary	12	8	0
		Secondary	10	6	0
		High secondary	5	6	0
5.	Type of Family	Joint Family	6	3	0	4.02	4	2.78 S
		Nuclear Family	16	18	0
		Single Parents	6	1	0
6.	Religion	Hindu	17	14	0	3.75	6	2.45 S
		Christian	2	0	0
		Muslim	4	1	0
		Other	5	7	0
7.	Birth Order	I	8	7	0	0.89	6	2.45 Ns
		II	14	10	0
		III	2	3	0
		IV	4	2	0
8.	Place of Residence	Tribe	0	0	0	0	1	12.71 Ns
8.	Place of Residence	Village	28	22	0	0	1	12.71 Ns
9.	Source of Information	Family	0	0	0	0	2	4.30 Ns
		Friend	0	0	0
		Other	28	22	0

Significant at 5% Ns: Not Significant S: Significant

Above table showed that the age at puberty (x²= 9.40), Educational status (x²=9.14), Type of family (x²=4.02), Religion (x^{2 =}3.75) were associated. Whereas other demographic variables Mothers Occupation (x²=2.32), Mother Education x²= 1.52), Birth Order (x^{2 =}0.89), Place of Residence (x²= 0) Source of information (x²=0) were not associated.

DISCUSSION:

Findings of the study is as follows:

The study attempts to set the following hypothesis:

H₁- There will be significant difference in the mean pre-test and post test knowledge Score regarding pubertal changes.

H₂- There will be significant Association Between pre-test knowledge Score with selected demographic variables.

Finding of the Study:

Distribution of the frequency percentage of the demographic variables:

48% (24) of participants were in the age group 11-12 years, 52% (26) were in age group 12-13 years and none of them were in the age group 10-11 years and 13-14 years.

Distribution of sample based on the educational status showed that, 58% (29) of participants were 6^th std and 42% (21) of participants were in the 7^th std.

Distribution of sample based on the place of residence showed that, 00% (00) of participants were living in tribe and 100% (50) of participants were living in the village.

The first and third objective was to assess the knowledge of girls studying in selected primary school regarding pubertal changes before and after the administration of planned teaching programme.

The data predicts that in pre-test 56% (28) participants had poor knowledge, 44% (22) had average and none of them had good knowledge regarding pubertal changes. Where as in post-test 60% (30) participants had average knowledge and 40% (20) participants had good knowledge and none of them had poor knowledge regarding pubertal changes.

The fourth objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of planned teaching programme on knowledge regarding the pubertal changes among the girls of primary school:

H₁-There will be significant difference in the mean pre-test and post test knowledge Score regarding pubertal changes.

The mean post-test knowledge score (19.32) was greater than the pre-test knowledge score (9.68). The mean difference between pre-test and post test score was (9.64). Paired t knowledge score is paired t =13.71 *P < 0.05 is significant at 0.05% level hence research hypothesis H1 was accepted. This indicated that the PTP was effective in increasing the knowledge of girls studying in primary school regarding pubertal changes.

This shows that there is significant difference between the pre-test and post-test knowledge score.

H₂-There will be significant Association Between pre-test knowledge Score with selected demographic variables.

This showed that demographic variable age at puberty (x²= 9.40), Educational status(x²=9.14), Type of family (x²=4.02), Religion (x^{2 =}3.75) were associated. Whereas other demographic variables Mothers Occupation (x²=2.32), Mother Education x²= 1.52), Birth Order (x^{2 =}0.89), Place of Residence (x²= 0) Source of information (x²=0) were not associated.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:

The authors declare no conflicting interest in publishing the article.

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Received on 03.03.2021 Modified on 24.06.2021

Asian J. Nursing Education and Research. 2022; 12(1):1-6.

DOI: 10.52711/2349-2996.2022.00001