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Impact Of Traditional Naming Practices and Cultural Values on The Holistic Development of Infants Born to Teenage Mothers in Western Kenya
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Social Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I10-1716469
Abstract
This study examines the influence of traditional naming practices and cultural values on the holistic development of infants born to teenage mothers in Western Kenya. While existing interventions addressing teenage motherhood have largely focused on biomedical and socio-economic dimensions, the role of indigenous cultural systems in shaping developmental outcomes remains insufficiently explored. Guided by an integrated theoretical framework combining Self-Determination Theory and Ecological Systems Theory, the study adopts a mixed-methods approach to capture both measurable outcomes and lived experiences. A total of 250 respondents participated in the study, including teenage mothers, community elders, healthcare providers, and community leaders. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings reveal that traditional naming practices have a statistically significant positive effect on cognitive development (p < 0.01), emotional stability (p < 0.05), and social integration (p < 0.05) among children of teenage mothers. Qualitative evidence further demonstrates that cultural values embedded in naming practices enhance identity formation, strengthen emotional bonding, and reinforce community-based support systems that are critical for child development. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on culturally grounded development by providing empirical evidence linking indigenous practices to measurable developmental outcomes. It underscores the need for culturally responsive interventions that integrate local knowledge systems into child development frameworks. The findings have important implications for policy and practice, particularly in designing context-sensitive programs that support teenage mothers and optimize early childhood development outcomes in resource-constrained settings.
Keywords
Traditional Naming Practices, Cultural Values, Teenage Motherhood, Holistic Child Development, Indigenous Knowledge Systems
How to cite this paper
@article{1716469,
author = {Ignatius Wafula Sikuku, Elizabeth Nanyama Mabele , Angeline Savala, Beatrice Ragaglia},
title = {Impact Of Traditional Naming Practices and Cultural Values on The Holistic Development of Infants Born to Teenage Mothers in Western Kenya},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {9},
number = {10},
pages = {3753-3767},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1716469.pdf},
abstract = {This study examines the influence of traditional naming practices and cultural values on the holistic development of infants born to teenage mothers in Western Kenya. While existing interventions addressing teenage motherhood have largely focused on biomedical and socio-economic dimensions, the role of indigenous cultural systems in shaping developmental outcomes remains insufficiently explored. Guided by an integrated theoretical framework combining Self-Determination Theory and Ecological Systems Theory, the study adopts a mixed-methods approach to capture both measurable outcomes and lived experiences. A total of 250 respondents participated in the study, including teenage mothers, community elders, healthcare providers, and community leaders. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings reveal that traditional naming practices have a statistically significant positive effect on cognitive development (p < 0.01), emotional stability (p < 0.05), and social integration (p < 0.05) among children of teenage mothers. Qualitative evidence further demonstrates that cultural values embedded in naming practices enhance identity formation, strengthen emotional bonding, and reinforce community-based support systems that are critical for child development. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on culturally grounded development by providing empirical evidence linking indigenous practices to measurable developmental outcomes. It underscores the need for culturally responsive interventions that integrate local knowledge systems into child development frameworks. The findings have important implications for policy and practice, particularly in designing context-sensitive programs that support teenage mothers and optimize early childhood development outcomes in resource-constrained settings.},
keywords = {Traditional Naming Practices, Cultural Values, Teenage Motherhood, Holistic Child Development, Indigenous Knowledge Systems},
month = {April},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I10-1716469}
}