Civic Engagement and Its Relationship with Parental Civic Socialization of Adolescents in Addis Ababa

Abstract

Background: This study examined the levels of civic engagement of adolescents and its relationship with parental civic socialization. Methods: The research employed both quantitative research design and qualitative method. Participants were 960 school adolescents aged 15 to 19 years (Mean age was 17.7, 53.5% female) drawn from secondary schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Results: The findings suggested that the majority of adolescents tended to fall within moderate to high levels of civic engagement and a quarter falling in the bottom quartile. Mobilizing adolescents and other young people to help the most deprived, promoting awareness on their rights, volunteering, monitoring delivery of social services, and participating in public discussion on community matters were found to be the most common types of civic engagements of adolescents. While significant positive relationship was found between parental civic socialization and adolescents’ civic engagements, sex differences were noted in civic engagements, in favor of males. ANOVA also revealed significant main (across levels of civic socialization and sex) and interaction effects. High parental civic socialization had higher effect on male adolescents than female. Interviewed adolescents also confirmed that civic socialization and support they went through in their life has contributed to their enhanced or low civic engagements at large. Conclusion: Implications for family, school and community interventions were drawn.