ABSTRACT

This study was designed to ascertain the relationship between family functioning and the behaviour outcome of students in tertiary institutions. Seven research questions were raised to describe the demographic characteristics of the respondents, ascertain the levels of family cohesion and conflict that exist in the families of the respondents, determine the prevalence of pro-social and antisocial behaviours among the respondents, determine the relationship between family cohesion and conflict and the behaviour outcome of students. Six hypotheses were also formulated and tested to establish the relationship, association and difference between selected demographic variables (age of respondents, sex of respondents, family size and sex of family heads), difference in the level of family functioning among institutions as well as the relationship between family functioning and behaviour outcomes. The study comprised of all the students in tertiary institutions in Akwa Ibom State. A two-stage sampling technique was used to select the representative sample size (396) which was determined by calculating with Taro Yamane formula. The first stage involve simple random selection of three of the ten tertiary institutions while the second stage involved a random selection of students in the selected institutions. Instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire on the cohesion and conflict subscale of the Family Environment Scale (FES) and social behaviour questionnaire adapted to suit the present study and administered to students in the study area. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed using various analytical techniques. Objectives one, two, three, four and five were analyzed using descriptive statistics - frequencies, percentages and ranks. Regression analysis was used to achieve objectives 6 and 7. Hypothesis 1(age and family size) was tested using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC),and (sex) was tested using chi square. Hypothesis 2 was tested using student’s z-test. Hypotheses 3 and 4 were tested using Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA), and hypotheses 5 and 6 were tested using the regression analysis. The findings from the study revealed that 78.8% of the respondents were between the ages of 15 and 24 years with 53.3% females and 44.7% males. 43.7% of respondents belonged to family with size of between 5and 6 persons and 88.6% of male headed households. High level of family cohesion was reported among 95.2% of the respondents and 75.0% reported a low level of family conflict. They were cases of pro-social and antisocial behaviours prevalent among the students. Family cohesion was a significant predictor of students’ behaviour outcome, impacting positively on pro-social behaviour. Family conflict was also a significant predictor of  students’ behaviour outcome, impacting positively on antisocial behaviour. H01 was upheld as there was no significant relationship between age and behaviour outcomes. All other null hypotheses were rejected as there were significance in the association and relationship between other variables (sex, family size and sex of family head) and behaviour outcomes of students. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that through population education programmes, reduced family size should be encouraged to check incidence of repeated conflict situation which indulges antisocial behaviour. Necessary tools should be employed by governmental and non-governmental bodies to help engender family cohesion among families as pro-social behaviour will be promoted.