Psycho Social Dysfunction, Risky Sexual Behaviour and Academic Attainment of Secondary School Adolescents in Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of psycho-social dysfunctions and risky sexual behaviour under sex, family types, school levels, school types and environment attainment of secondary school adolescents in Kogi state, Nigeria. A sample of 450 respondents from the three senatorial districts of Kogi west, Kogi east and Kogi Centre using simple balloting without replacement formed the sample for the study. Fifteen schools comprising 4 males, 4 females and 7 co-educational schools participated in the study while 6 boarding and 9-day schools with 8 public and 7 private schools were enrolled. A self-structured questionnaire titled influence of risky sexual behaviour on educational attainment (IRSBEA) was developed by the researchers to determine the levels of the respondents’ involvement in risky sexual behaviour. Five null hypotheses based on the identified risky sexual behaviour were raised to guide the study and tested at 0.05 confidence levels of significance. The findings indicated significant differences of sex and family variables on adolescents’ risky sexual behaviour while there is no significance on other variables like family types, school levels, school types and environment differences on risky sexual behaviour. It is suggested that full time guidance and guidance and counselors should be posted to all Schools; sex education should be introduced in the secondary schools’ curriculum. Guidance and counselors should design a special program for early interventions in risky sexual behaviour and parents, teachers and guidance counselors should partner with government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in curbing all acts of risky sexual behaviour among the adolescents.