Benue State University, Makurdi

PEER INFLUENCE AND PARENTAL UPBRINGING AS DETERMINANTS OF ADOLESCENTS' ATTITUDE TOWARDS PREMARITAL SEX

Owoseni Omosolape Olakitan, Akinlua Tolulope Moradeyo, Osifisan Olasumbo, Adetifa Emmanuel Kayode

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate peer influence and parental upbringing as determinants of adolescents' attitude towards premarital sex.Ex-post facto research design was used in the study. Two hundred and ninety six (296) respondents were selected from two universities located in Ekiti State. Appropriate standardized scales were used and the data obtained were analyzed using t-test for independent samples. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that adolescents who scored high in peer influence (M = 52.0481) reported positive attitude towards premarital sex than adolescents who scored low in peer influence (M = 41.1765), df (255) = 7.309, p<.05; adolescent with unfavourable parental upbringing (M = 48.0667) significantly reported positive attitude towards premarital sex than adolescents with favourable parental upbringing (M = 42.1307), df(294) = -3.945, p<.05; and male students (M = 49.5492) significantly reported positive 56 Peer Influence and Parental Upbringing as Determinants of Adolescents' Attitude Towards Premarital Sex attitude towards premarital sex than female students (M = 41.0230), df (294) = 5.849, p<.05. In view of these findings, the study recommended amongst others that parents and guardians should be well informed to overcome the cultural and environmental barriers that discourage giving adolescents early sex education and training. Likewise, well articulated family values should be enshrined so that children will grow up with the right orientation and be able to choose friends who believe in such values.

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