This study examined the circumstances under which family adults in Ghana
were aware of their adolescent children’s involvement in premarital
relationships. It was hypothesized that factors related to the seriousness
and social acceptability of the relationship would influence the likelihood of
family adults’ awareness in gender-specific ways. Data were derived for 606
premarital relationships reported by 423 adolescents (62% female) aged 14
to 21 years in southeastern Ghana. Family adults were more likely to know
about adolescents’ premarital relationships when those relationships were
longer lasting, emotionally closer, and involved marital intentions; when they
involved out-of-school, employed partners; and when youth perceived that
family adults were less disapproving of adolescent sexual activity. Adolescent
girls were more likely than boys to report relationships with older, outof-school,
employed partners from financially better-off families. The
seriousness and social acceptability of adolescents’ premarital relationships
influence the likelihood of family adult awareness of such relationships.