European journal of social sciences | 2021
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEER INFLUENCE AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR OF IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN SOUTH EAST, NIGERIA
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between peer influence and sexual behaviour of in-school adolescents in South East Zone of Nigeria. The population of this study comprised 137, 095 in-school adolescents in senior secondary II in public secondary schools. The sample of the study was 1200 senior secondary II in-school adolescents. Three research questions and one hypothesis were formulated for the study and the study adopted correlation survey design. Two instruments, namely: Peer Influence Questionnaire (PIQ) with reliability coefficient of 0.76 and Sexual Behaviour Questionnaire (SBQ) with reliability coefficient of 0.78 were developed by the researcher and used for data collection in the study. The research questions in the study were answered using mean, standard deviation, simple regression analysis while t-test was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The result obtained indicated what constitutes peer influence for in-school adolescents as making friends on Facebook and doing homework with friends of opposite sex, among others; In-school adolescents’ sexual behaviour in South East Nigeria are attraction to their opposite sex and enjoying sexual intercourse under the influence of alcohol, among others. There exists a direct positive relationship between peer influence and sexual behaviour of adolescents, and a weak contribution of peer influence on sexual behaviour of in-school adolescents. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended among others, that more counsellors should be employed, retained and empowered to help in-school adolescents regulate their engagement with peers and sexual behaviour. \n \n Article visualizations: