Psychosocial Determinants of Premarital Sexual Abstinence Among Senior High School Adolescents (Published)
The study examined psychosocial factors that influence adolescents in senior high school to abstain from premarital sex in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality of Ghana using the exploratory sequential mixed method design. Participants consisted of 341 subjects drawn from the two public senior high schools in the Municipality. Ten participants were selected through purposive sampling for the qualitative study while 331 respondents were selected for the quantitative study using stratified, quota and random sampling techniques. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data of the study, while standard multiple regression was used to analyse the quantitative data. The study revealed that some more initiatives are needed in the senior high schools to assist majority of students to abstain from premarital sex. The study also found out that collectively, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, home environment, religiosity and school environment, influence adolescents’ intention to abstain from premarital sex. Nonetheless, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control are psychosocial factors that better predict adolescents’ intention to abstain from premarital sex. School authorities in collaboration with parents, must beef up sex education and assist adolescent students to develop necessary skills and attitudes to abstain from premarital sex.
Keywords: Abstinence, Adolescents, Psychosocial, Senior High School, sexual
Emotional Intelligence and Self-Management Training Programs in Reducing Peer Victimization among Nigerian Adolescents: Interaction Effects of Locus of Control and Gender (Published)
Peer victimization among adolescents especially the school-going adolescents is a growing concern in Nigeria. Initiatives by policy-makers, educationists and school authorities, among others have not yielded the desired results as youth involvement in organized armed crime has been on the increase. This study investigated the effect of self-management and emotional intelligence training programs in reducing peer victimization among Nigerian adolescents. A quasi experimental pretest, post-test, control group research design of 3x2x2 factorial matrix type was used for this study while gender (male and female) and locus of control (internal and external) used as moderating variables. The study participants were one hundred and eighty (180) Senior Secondary 2 students selected from 3 coeducational secondary schools in Remo educational block of Ogun State, Nigeria. One standardized instrument was used in collecting data while analysis of covariance was used to analyze the generated data. Results show that self-management and emotional intelligence training programs were effective in reducing peer victimization but self-management was found to be more effective. The study also revealed that only locus of control of participants combined to interact with the treatment in reducing peer victimization among the participants. Results showed that participants with internal locos of control benefit more from self-management and emotional intelligence training. It was concluded that participants’ peer relationship skills improved significantly as a result of the treatment. The findings have effectively demonstrated that the treatment packages could be used as veritable tools in equipping adolescents with necessary skills that can be used to expedite some kinds of cognitive processes in our youths such as decision-making, problem-solving, self-control, and therefore bringing about peaceful co-existence among the people.
Keywords: Adolescents, Emotional Intelligence, Nigeria, Peer victimization, Self Management
LEVEL OF CLASS, GENDER, TYPE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL AND NIGERIA ADOLESCENTS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR (Published)
The study examined secondary school adolescent’s sexual behavior in Gboko, Benue State Nigeria. A total of 488 Nigeria adolescents took part in the study. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The safe sex behavior scale was used for data collection. Three hypotheses were tested at alpha level of 0.05 using independent t-test. The first hypothesis established a significant difference between junior and senior secondary school adolescents on sexual behavior (t(df=486) = 2.88; p<.05), and there was a significant difference between male and female secondary school adolescents on sexual behavior (t(df=478) = 1.65; p<.05). Also significant difference was found between Nigerian day and boarding students on sexual behavior (t(df=486) = 1.56; p<.05) Based on the findings, level of class of secondary school, Gender and type of school in Nigeria play important role in Adolescent sexual behavior and therefore it was recommended that proper guidance counseling and sex education should be given to adolescents on sexual behavior.
Keywords: Adolescents, Gender, Nigeria, Secondary School, Sexual Behavior
LONELINESS AMONG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN GHANA (Published)
The experience of loneliness varies across cultures. This study explored loneliness among students in two metropolitan senior high schools in Ghana. A sample of 244 students (40.5% males, 59.5% females; mean age =18.4 years) completed Revised University of California Los Angeles (R-UCLA) Loneliness Scale developed by Russell (1982). A series of one-way analysis of variance tests (ANOVA) were used to determine the existence of any significant differences among variables. The results of the findings indicate that the mean R-UCLA scores among the senior high school students fell in the lower range (N=244; M=45.81; SD=10.001). There were significant differences in gender F (1, 240) = 7.858, p = .005. ; In age, F (1, 240) = 4.958, p = .0027, and religious affiliation F (1, 240) = 9.030, p = .003. The results of this study indicate that varying degrees of loneliness is felt in different cultures because the way people live and approach problem solving in their social context are different. This paper explains why this new knowledge can be used to inform parents, school administrators and counselors appreciate the effect of other demographic variables on loneliness in the life of Ghanaian adolescents.
Keywords: Adolescents, Ghana, Loneliness, Senior High Students