Research on Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN 2222-1719 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!"# ($nline %ol.#& No.

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Environmental Determinants of Risky Sexual Behaviours among Secondary School Adolescents in Obollo-Afor Education Zone of Enugu State igeria
)ssociate. Pro* +oachim ,. $me-e1.& /illicient N. 01wueme2& Petronilla N. $me-e# 2epartment o* 0ducational 3oundations& 4ni5ersit6 o* Nigeria& Nsu11a .0mail7 -oachimome-e86ahoo.co.u1 Abstract 9he stud6 in5estigated en5ironmental determinants o* ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour among secondar6 school adolescents in $;ollo-)*or 0ducation <one o* 0nugu State Nigeria. 9hree research =uestions and a h6pothesis guided the stud6. 9he su;-ect o* the stud6 was 1'( adolescent secondar6 school ;o6s and girls. 9he instrument *or the stud6 used in collecting data was =uestionnaire. /ean score and t-test statistics were used *or data anal6sis. Results showed that what constitutes ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour among adolescents include watching pornographic *ilms and pictures& indulging in se:ual acts ;ecauseothers are doing it& ha5ing unprotected se:ual intercourse& among others. 9he result also re5ealed en5ironmental *actors such as e:cessi5e inta1e o* alcohol& ;eing *riendl6 with those who indulge in ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours and watching ;ad *ilms. 9he result also showed that there is no signi*icant di**erence in the mean scores o* male and *emale students as regards ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour. 9he implications o* the *indings were highlighted and recommendations made as well. !ey"ords# 0n5ironmental& 2eterminants& Ris16& Se:ual& >eha5iours& )dolescents $% &ntroduction S6ndromes o* moral decadence such as se:ual immoralit6 ha5e eaten up the norms& 5alues and dedications which ha5e ;een the culture o* the Nigerian societ6 in the past. 9he moral legac6 o* our *ore*athers has ;een eroded ;6 moderni?ation and technological ad5ancement. +ames (2((@ had lamented that it is pathetic to note toda6 that the world is *ast turning upside done. 9he author also noted too that what we used to 1now a;out 5irtue& moralit6 and respect are *ast *ading out amongst 6outh (adolescents in the societ6. )dolescence is a transitional period ;etween childhood and adulthood. 0?e (2((' pointed out that this period o* de5elopment poses a lot o* pro;lems li1e moodiness re;ellion& sad loss o* childhood innocence& loss o* interest in parental up;ringing to the 6oung adult& the home& the school and the entire societ6. )dolescence is also a time when ris1s o* se:ual and other *orms o* a;use& e:ploitation and 5iolence are high& and when the dri5e *or autonom6 and sel*-de*inition o*ten means a reduced reliance on parents and others as trusted sources o* audience ()ggleton& Hurr6 and Aarwic1 2((( . )ccording to them& the period o* adolescence ma6 ;e long or short depending on the traditional or modern outloo1 or ;ac1ground o* the adolescent. 9he6 noted that di**erent cultures or countries determine when the period o* adolescence will terminate. 9he modern wa6 is more precise as the period tends to coincide generall6 with secondar6 school 6ear or age *rom 11-1! plus. 9he interest in adolescence period is mar1ed ;6 the need to understand adolescents& 6et there indications that adolescents are not reall6 understood ;6 signi*icant ones such as parents& teachers& counselors among others who are meant to assist them. )ggleton& Hurr6 and Aarwic1 noted that it is real *act when it comes to sensiti5e areas such as se:ual and reproducti5e health and gender relations. )ccording to )nda& 0dwards& 3elittic and Holden in )dama(2((' adolescents who are a;used and neglected during childhood o*ten e:hi;it o**ensi5e ;eha5iours such as ris16 se:ual ;eha5iors i* not properl6 guided ;6 the adults. Se:ual ;eha5iours are all those things we BdoC such as hugging and erotic touch that we consider se:ual. Se:ual ;eha5iours are things we do with others li1e 1issing& erotic touch& intercourse& oral se:& and se: and manual se:ual stimulation (Ro;inson& 1999 . )ccording to );ah and 0chodu (2((@ & se:ual ;eha5iour is an indi5idualCs a;ilit6 to e:perience or e:press se:ual *eelings. In the conte:t o* this stud6 it re*ers to all se:ual actions and responses related to pleasure see1ing. Se:ual ;eha5iour could ;e health6 or ris16. Ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour is an6 se:ual acti5it6 that increases the ris1 o* contracting se:uall6 transmitted in*ections or ;ecoming pregnant. It includes earl6 se:ual de;ut& unprotected se:ual acti5it6& inconsistent use o* condoms& in*ection drug user& sur5i5al se: (se: in e:change *or mone6& *ood& drugs or shelter or se: with a partner who has other partners or more than one partner at a time ()ral and Ha**ner& 199' . Ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour is the ma-or *actor in the rising rate o* se:uall6 transmitted in*ections (S9Is and adolescents are the chie* shareholders o* this menace. $ne there*ore 1eeps on wondering whether it is the en5ironment or the genetic ma1e-up o* indi5iduals that constitute this li1e st6le o* adolescents. 0n5ironment in the conte:t o* this stud6 stands *or an6 conditions outside the indi5idual which could a**ect

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adolescentCs ;eha5iour and de5elopment. )ccording to ,li**ord (19!1 en5ironment re*ers to all the comple: *actors& other than genetic which in*luence the indi5idualCs ph6siological& sociological and ps6chological growth *rom conception to death. );ert (2((' noted that en5ironment has *acilitated the de5elopment o* ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours among 6oung adults (and adolescents . 9he implication here is that en5ironmental *actors ma6 ;e issues in ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours. Dending credence to en5ironmental in*luences )nderson (2((' stated that ;oth genetic and en5ironmental d6namics are great determinants in oneCs ;eha5ioural pattern. 0n5ironmental determinant is considered as conditions that a**ect the ;eha5iour and de5elopment o* an indi5idual (adolescent and circumstances that happened within the time range. It is the *orces and conditions that surround and in*luence li5ing and non-li5ing things (Sills 2((9 . 9he conse=uence o* ris16 se:ual ;eha5ior is that it increases the li1elihood o* contracting S9Is& teen pregnanc6 and low sel*-esteem. )ccording to 0ssien (199@ & the measures o* enhancing health6 se:ual ;eha5iours among secondar6 school adolescents include passing rele5ant in*ormation on se:ual issues during morning assem;l6& discouraging them *rom watching pornographic and ;ad *ilms and pasting photographs on the ;ulletin ;oard to show the damaging e**ects o* ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour. It has ;een o;ser5ed ;6 Ro;inson (1999 that male adolescents were more li1el6 than *emales to ha5e se: and to ha5e more se:ual partners. Se:ual acti5ities is so rampant and de5astating among adolescents such that the6 engage in ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours either as a result o* what the6 see around them& things the6 read *rom papers& mo5ies the6 watch or *rom their peers and e5en what the6 cop6 *rom adults. 3rom literatures& it has ;een o;ser5ed that 6oung people see adults ha5ing multiple se:ual partners& engaging in se:ual intercourse under the in*luence o* alcohol and ladies e:pose their na1edness in the name o* *ashion and go scot-*ree. 9he adolescents *ollow suit in doing these. Eet there has not ;een wor1s on en5ironmental determinants o* ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour among secondar6 school adolescents. $ne is there*ore *aced with the pro;lem o* identi*6ing ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours among adolescents& the e:tent o* ris16 ;eha5iours e:hi;ited among them and the en5ironmental *actors that in*luence adolescentCs ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours. 9he *inding o* this stud6 will ;ene*it the parents& counsellors& educators& social wor1ers and caregi5ers ;6 ena;ling them to reali?e their e:pected roles towards the up;ringing o* tomorrowCs leaders. 9he *inding o* the stud6 will also increase teacherCs awareness o* ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours among adolescents and the en5ironmental *actors that in*luence adolescentsC ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours. 9he stud6 thus in5estigates en5ironmental determinants o* ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour among secondar6 school adolescents in $;ollo-)*or 0ducation <one o* 0nugu State& Nigeria. '% Research (uestions 9hree research =uestions guided the stud67 1. Ahat constitutes ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours among adolescentsF 2. 9o what e:tent are ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours e:hi;ited among adolescentsF #. Ahat are the en5ironmental *actors that in*luence adolescentCs ris16 se:ual ;eha5ioursF )% *y+othesis ) h6pothesis guided the stud6 and was tested at (.(' le5el o* pro;a;ilit6. 1. 9here is no signi*icant di**erence ;etween the mean responses o* male and *emale respondents with regards to what constitutes ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours among adolescents ,% -ethod 9he design is descripti5e sur5e6. 9he stud6 was conducted with secondar6 school adolescents in $;ollo-)**or education ?one o* 0nugu state& Nigeria. 9he population o* the stud6 comprises @!(( students& made up o* all the senior secondar6 school students in SSI and II Post-Primar6 School /anagement >oard (PPS/> ($;ollo-)*or <one& 2(1# . Strati*ied random sampling was emplo6ed to select two schools *rom the three local go5ernment area o* the ?one *rom which 1'( students emerged as respondents using simple random sampling techni=ue. Instrument *or data collection was =uestionnaire tilled )dolescentsC Ris16 Se:ual >eha5iours Guestionnaire. It has two sections. Section ) sought *or in*ormation a;out the students personal data& while section > contained 2" items ;uilt on a Di1ert t6pe scale measure o* a *i5e point rating responses sought that in*ormation *rom the students a;out what constitutes ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours& the e:tent the ;eha5iours were e:hi;ited ;6 student and the en5ironmental *actors that in*luence adolescentsC ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours. It has three clusters. 9he *ace 5alidit6 o* the instrument was determined ;6 gi5ing out dra*t copies to three e:perts& one *rom measurement and e5aluation and two *rom guidance and counselling in *acult6 o* education uni5ersit6 o* Nigeria& Nsu11a. 9he relia;ilit6 o* the instrument was determined in a preliminar6 trial-testing among 2( SS I and SS II students in Nsu11a education ?one using Huder-Richardson 21 relia;ilit6 co-e**icient. 9he Huder-Richardson 21 was computed ;ased on clusters )& >& , and the a5erage result o* the relia;ilit6 co-e**icient o* the internal consistenc6 was (.!7. ,opies o* the instrument were distri;uted to the respondents personall6 using three

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research assistants. /ean score statistics was used to anal6?e research =uestions& while the onl6 h6pothesis that guided the stud6 was anal6?ed using t-test statistics. .% Results -ean Res+onses of "hat /onstitutes Risky Sexual Behaviours Among Adolescent Students% 3rom ta;le 1& the rated highest mean #.27 o* item 7 which indicates that watching o* pornographic *ilms and pictures constitutes adolescents ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours. 9he mean score o* #.(9 in item ' also shows that adolescents engage in ha5ing unprotected se:ual intercourse. >ased on the anal6sis o* the ta;le where the grand mean is 2.!7 which is a;o5e the a5erage cut-o** point o* acceptance (2.'( & it is esta;lished that all the items in the cluster constitute to large e:tent adolescentsC ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours. -ean Res+onses of the Extent to "hich Adolescents Exhibited Risky Sexual Behaviours. 9he anal6sis o* the research =uestion on the e:tent to which adolescents e:hi;it ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours indicated a grand mean score o* 2.79. 9his shows that e5er6 item on it has ;een rated high and so meet the agreed criterion mean o* 2.'(.>ased on the anal6sis& it is agreed ;6 the respondents that adolescents e:hi;it ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour to a high e:tent. Howe5er item 7 in this cluster with mean score o* #.#1 is identi*ied as a ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour which adolescent e:hi;it at a 5er6 high e:tent. 0ngaging in se:ual act such as hugging as societal norm with the mean score o* 2.@9 has the least mean score in this cluster. -ean Res+onses on the Environmental 0actors that &nfluence Adolescents Risky Sexual Behaviours% 9he data on ta;le # shows that among the e:pected en5ironmental *actors that in*luence adolescents ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour is ha5ing *riends that indulge in ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours& adolescent ;eing in*luenced negati5el6 among others. 9his is ;ecause it has the highest mean score o* #.'7. In the ta;le also other items mean scores show that all en5ironmental *actors listed in*luence adolescents ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour. 9he conclusion drawn is that en5ironmental *actors in*luence adolescentCs ris16 se:ual ;eha5ior. t-test Analysis of the Significant Difference bet"een the -ean Rating of -ales and 0emales Adolescents on "hat constitute Risky Sexual Behaviours% 9he data on ta;le @ a;o5e show that the mean *or male is #.12 while that o* *emale is #.(. 9he data were *urther su;-ected to t-test anal6sis in order to ascertain whether there is a signi*icant di**erence ;etween the ratings o* the two groups. 9he result o* the anal6sis shows that signi*icant di**erence was not *ound ;etween their ratings as it concerns adolescentCs ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours. 9his was ;ecause the t-calculated o* 1.@9 is less than tcritical o* 1."'. 1% Discussion 9he result o* what constitutes ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours among adolescents showed that watching o* pornographic *ilms and pictures& ha5ing unprotected se:ual intercourse& ta1ing part in se:ual acts such as 1issing opposite se: partner among others implicated ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours among adolescents. 9his *indings is in consonance with I;e (2((( who opined that sudden changes adolescents e:perience in their ;od6 o*ten pose a stress in them ;ecause the6 are not aware o* what is happening around them. 9he result o* the stud6 also showed that adolescents e:hi;it ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour to an e:tent. Howe5er it was e=uall6 disco5ered that ;6 watching pornographic *ilms and pictures& adolescents e:hi;it ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour at a 5er6 high le5el. 9his is in line with )dama (2((' that adolescents who were a;used and neglected during their childhood age ;6 adults o*ten e:hi;it ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour at a high e:tent. 3rom the *indings o* the stud6 it was also disco5ered that ane o* the en5ironmental *actors that in*luence adolescents ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour most is ha5ing *riends that indulge in ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours. 9hus supporting the o;ser5ation o* 2aniel (199" & that adolescents engage in ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour either as a result o* what the6 see around them or *rom what the6 cop6 *rom peers and adults. 3urther the result showed that there is no signi*icant di**erent in the mean ratings o* males and *emales as it concerns adolescents ris1 se:ual ;eha5iours. 2% /onclusion and Recommendations It is important to note that the wa6 our 6oung ones are ;rought up matters a lot in their ad-ustment and social interactions with people o* same or opposite se:. 9he method o* up;ringing also in*luences their se:ual ;eha5iours either positi5el6 or negati5el6. It has ;een disco5ered that adolescentCs ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours ha5e long ;een ignored. 9his ma1es this stud6 imperati5e. 9he implication o* the *indings o* this stud6 is that ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour among adolescents a**ects e5er6;od6 in the societ6. Parents should there*ore note that e5er6 child naturall6 wants to ;e lo5ed and counseled ;6 parents and signi*icant others around them. 9his is ;ecause as was indicated *rom the stud6& one o* the en5ironmental *actors that in*luence adolescentsC ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour is loose handling o* children ;6 parents. 9his stud6 was limited ;6 the *act that most o* the respondents were reluctant to *ill the =uestionnaire e:cept on the ground that the6 are cleared on what the result is going to ;e used *or at the end o* the e:ercise. 9he

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researchers then suggest that go5ernment schools organi?e awareness lectures *or adolescents *rom time to time& especiall6 on se:ual issue. )lso counsellors should ;e encouraged to organi?e seminars& counselling sessions and use photographs to discourage ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours among adolescents. References )dama& 0. (2((' . A study of Human Sexuality Education in Otukpo local Government Area of Benue State. 4npu;lished /.02. 9hesis& 4ni5ersit6 o* Nigeria& Nsu11a. )ral& ). IHa**ner (199' . Set in*ormation gi5en to Datin adolescents ;6 parents. Health 0ducation Research& 1(72##-2#9. )ggleton& P. Hurr6& + I Aarwic1& 9. (0d (2((( . Young people and Mental Health. Somerset& N+7 +ohn Aile6 and Sons. );ert& ). /. (2((' . 2i5orce7 3acts& ,auses and ,onse=uences. $ttawa7 %anier institute o* the *amil6. www.6i*amil6.com )nderson& 0. (2((' . ode of the Secret. 2e5ianc6& %iolence and the /oral li*e o* the Inner ,it6& N.E. ,li**ord& S.$. (19!1 . !rinciples of Educational !sychology. $cto;er& International enterprise 19 lower 0re-uwa& Aorri& Nigeria. 2aniel& 0.D. (199" . hildhood and society7 legal constraints to )dolescents se:ual and reproducti5e health rights in Nigeria. Innoman health and action research centre. Nortom0?eolopu;lishers 0?e& ,.$. (2((' Adolescent psychology 0nugu computer 0dge Pu;lishers. I;e& $. (2((( corresponding digest7 )maw;ia. Son o* the land pu;lishers. +ames& S. (2((@ . Eches of the Youth. ) maiden pu;lication o* ?one si: 6outh maga?ine& St. )nthon6Cs catholic& 4romi. 0do State. Ro;inson (1999 . "nstitute of Medicine #epartment of Health and Human Ser5ices. +oachim .,. $me-e >.0.2& /.0.2 and Ph.2. (Nigeria )ssociate Pro*essor o* Juidance and ,ounseling& 4ni5ersit6 o* Nigeria& Nsu11a. +oachim teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in 0ducational Juidance and ,ounselling& Super5ises ;oth undergraduate and postgraduate theses in the 2epartment o* 0ducational 3oundations& 4ni5ersit6 o* Nigeria& Nsu11a. +oachim organi?es wor1shop& seminars and con*erences& and articulates research proposals that ha5e *unding prospects& *unctions as a pro*essional in education in planning& producing and or implementing educational research pro-ects& e5aluation and ;oo1 de5elopment initiati5es. +oachimCs research interest spans a wide range o* 0ducation& social and 0n5ironmental issues in the areas o* 0ducation and 2e5elopment& Human Se:ualit6& ,ounseling& Jenders& ,ultural Issues& 3amil6 and )dolescence. +oachimCs 0ducational ;ac1ground is this7 4ni5ersit6 o* Nigeria& Nsu11a->.0.2 Juidance and ,ounseling 1992. 4ni5ersit6 o* Nigeria& Nsu11a-/.0.2 Juidance and ,ounseling 199" 4ni5ersit6 o* Nigeria& Nsu11a-Ph2 Juidance and ,ounseling 2((( Petronillaand /illicent are postgraduate students in the 2epartment o* 0ducational 3oundations& 3acult6 o* 0ducation 4ni5ersit6 o* Nigeria& Nsu11a. 9heir research interest are in the areas o* adolescence de5elopment and se:ualit6. 3ables 3able $# -ean Res+onses of "hat /onstitutes Risky Sexual BehavioursAmong Adolescent Students% SKN 1 2 # @ ' " 7 ! Items 2escriptions Indulging in se:ual acts ;ecause others do it Ha5ing multiple se: partners 0ngaging in indiscriminate se:ual acts such as erotic touching 9a1ing part in se:ual acts such as 1issing opposite se: partners Ha5ing unprotected se:ual intercourse 0ngaging in se:ual acts such as hugging Aatching o* pornographic *ilms and pictures Read literatures that dwell on se:ual acts 3otal Jrand /ean /ean (L 2.!' 2.99 2.!2 #.(( #.(9 2.#9 #.27 2.'2 22.9# 2.!7

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3able '# -ean Res+onses of the Extent to "hich Adolescents Exhibited Risky Sexual Behaviours. SKN Items 2escription /ean 1 Indulging in se:ual acts ;ecause others do 2.97 2 Ha5ing multiple se: partners 2.!# # 0ngaging an indiscriminate se:ual acts such as erotic 2.79 touching @ 9a1ing part in se:ual acts such as 1issing opposite se: 2.'( partner ' Ha5ing unprotected se:ual intercourse 2.7! " 0ngaging in se:ual act such as hugging as a societal 2.@9 norm 7 Aatching pornographic *ilms and pictures #.#1 ! Reading literatures that dwells on se:ual acts 2."1 22.2! 3otal Jrand /ean 2.79

3able )# 3he -ean Res+onses on the Environmental 0actors that &nfluence Adolescents Risky Sexual Behaviours% SKN 1 2 # @ ' " 7 ! 9 1( Items 2escription Dac1 o* discipline in school contri;utes towards adolescents ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours Ha5ing *riends that indulge in ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours would help in ma1ing one ;eha5e the same 0:cessi5e inta1e o* alcohol contri;utes in adolescents ris16 se:ual ;eha5iours Aatching o* ;ad *ilms ) home that lac1 lo5e contri;utes in helping adolescents to de5elop ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour )dolescents e:hi;it ris16 se:ual ;eha5iour i* the societ6 is not moral Parents ina;ilit6 to meet their childrenCsC needs 3eeling timid to sa6 no when se:ual ad5ance is made Doose handling o* children ;6 parents 9he urge *or material grati*ication 3otal Jrand /ean /ean (L #.#1 #.'1 #.(9 #.@2 2.'" #.1( #.12 2.!! #.#@ #.17 #1.@9 #.1'

3able ,# t-test Analysis of the Significant Difference bet"een the -ean Rating of -ales and 0emales Adolescents on "hat constitute Risky Sexual Behaviours% Jroup /ale 3emale : #.12 #.(( S2 (.92@# 1.(@9! No 1'# 1.@7 2* 29! 9-cal 1.@9 9-crit 1."' De5el (.(' decision )ccepted

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