Thesis on using photovoice to support teen parents receives 2025 ASCEND Excellence Award

This year’s ASCEND Excellence Award for Postgraduate Thesis Research was awarded to Nina Linly D Capulong, Master in Counseling Psychology student, for her research entitled, “A Needs Assessment for the Development of the Masayang Pamilya Program for Teenage Parents Using Photovoice”.

Her faculty adviser is Dr Edith Liane P Alampay and her partner community is Masayang Pamilya Organization, Inc.

Her research was recognized for showcasing how participatory research can drive meaningful support for teenage parents. The award was presented during the Ateneo Service Learning Conference (ASLC) and Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement For National Development (ASCEND) “Beyond the Common Good, Strive for the Common Good” held on 13 June 2025 at Escaler Hall. 

Using participatory data gathering methods, this research identified support needs among adolescent caregivers. Partnering with Masayang Pamilya Organization Inc, United Nations Children’s Fund Philippines, and the Local Government Units of Angeles City and Cagayan de Oro City, the study engaged teenage parents in Photovoice sessions, capturing daily life through photographs. Collaborative thematic analysis uncovered insights into social support networks, parenting stress, family dynamics, and sexual health knowledge gaps. These findings inform a positive parenting curriculum to bolster coping strategies, strengthen community support systems, and guide program development for teenage parent welfare.

Congratulations to the Awardees!

Watch a short video about their research:

The University recognizes students whose work makes a significant impact through the Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement for National Development (ASCEND). This year, ASCEND honored senior high school, undergraduate, and graduate students based at the Loyola campus and the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health whose projects and research outputs demonstrated subject mastery and the capacity for synthetic thinking while meaningfully engaging communities beyond Ateneo in contributing to national development.

The ASCEND Excellence Award is given to outstanding individuals and groups of students whose project or research work demonstrates, in an extraordinary manner, all three of the following:

1. Extraordinary mastery of subject matter and application of synthetic thinking.

2. Deep and extensive engagement with partner communities and/or institutions.

3. Addresses a national development concern in a strongly strategic and/or creative manner with very significant short-term impact on target beneficiaries and/or the potential for significant longer-term impact in promoting the well-being of the greatest number.

You may access the Book of Abstracts here: https://go.ateneo.edu/2025ASLCASCENDBookofAbstracts

Photo courtesy of 2025 ASCEND Official Photos and Nina Linly D. Capulong