ABSTRACT  

This study investigated the extent to which family background variables correlate with deviant behaviour among secondary school students in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. Five research questions and five null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The study adopted a correlational research design. The sample for the study consisted of 143 respondents drawn through multistage sampling techniques from a population of714 (300 males and 414 females) students with deviant behaviour in Senior Secondary School two (SS2) in 14 public secondary schools in Degema LGA in 2020/2021 academic session. The instruments for data collection include: Family Background Variable Questionnaire (FBVQ) and Students’ Deviant Behaviour Identification Questionnaire (SDBIQ). The instruments were validated by three experts: one in Psychology, one in Guidance and Counselling and one expert in Measurement and Evaluation. The internal consistency of the FBVQ was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha method. The reliability indices of 0.73, 0.71 and 0.73 were obtained for Clusters A-C respectively; with an overall reliability index of 0.73. The internal consistency of the SDBIQ was also determined using Cronbach’s Alpha method and reliability index of 0.73 was obtained. The data obtained through the administration of the instruments were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient to answer research questions. Linear regression was used to test null hypotheses 1, 2, and 3; while multiple regressions were used to test null hypothesis 4. Scheffe test was also done for a step-wise comparison of the means for hypothesis 4. The study revealed that joint family background variables (family size, family socioeconomic status and family religious orientation) determined 99.8% of the deviant behaviour among senior secondary school students. Family size had the highest percentage contribution of 68.9%; followed by family religious orientation with 56.3%, and lastly family socioeconomic status which predicted 51.8% of deviant behaviour among senior secondary school students. Family background variables predicted only 4.5% and 4.6% of the deviant behaviour of the male and female students respectively. Gender difference is not significant factor in the correlation between family background variables and deviant behaviour among senior secondary school students. It was thus recommended among others that school counsellors/psychologists, teachers and parents should provide secondary school students information from this study; which would help them understand implication of the correlation between family background variables and on deviant behaviour among senior secondary school students.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pages

Title Page                                                                                                        i

Certification                                                                                                    ii

Dedication                                                                                                      iii

Declaration                                                                                                      iv

Acknowledgements                                                                                        v

Table of Contents                                                                                           vi

List of Tables                                                                                                  vii

Abstract                                                                                                          viii

CHAPTER 1:  INTRODUCTION                                                             1

1.1        Background to the Study                                                                   1         

1.2       Statement of the Problem                                                                   10

1.3       Purpose of the Study                                                                          12

1.4       Significance of the Study                                                                   12

1.5       Research Questions                                                                             15

1.6       Hypotheses                                                                                         15

1.7       Scope of the Study                                                                             16

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE                                  18

2.1 Conceptual Framework                                                                             18

2.1.1    Concept of deviate behaviour                                                             18

2.1.2    Concept of family size                                                                        22

2.1.3    Concept of family socio-economic status                                           23

2.1.4    Concept of family religious orientation                                              26

2.1.5    Family climate                                                                         28

2.1.6    Parenting styles                                                                                   29

2.1.7    Concept of gender                                                                              37

2.2       Theoretical Framework                                                                       39

2.2.1    Psychosocial development theory by Erik Erikson’s (1963)              39

2.2.2    Social learning theory by Bandura (1979)                                          43

2.2.3    Review of empirical studies                                                                44

2.2.4    Summary of literature review                                                             61

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY                                                              64

3.1       Design of the Study                                                                            64

3.2       Area of the Study                                                                               64

3.3       Population of the Study                                                                      66

3.4       Sample and Sampling Technique                                                        66

3.5       Instruments for Data Collection                                                         67

3.6       Validation of the Instruments                                                             68

3.7       Reliability of the Instruments                                                             68

3.8       Method of Data Collection                                                                 69

3.9       Method of Data Analysis                                                                   70

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION                                        71

4.1       Results                                                                                                71       

4.2       Major Findings of the Study                                                              83       

4.3       Discussion of Findings of the Study                                                  85                                                       

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS            

5.1       Summary                                                                                             94       

5.2       Conclusion                                                                                          96       

5.3       Educational Implications of the Study                                               97       

5.4       Recommendations                                                                              98       

5.5       Limitations of the Study                                                                     100     

5.6       Suggestions for Further Studies                                                         101                  REFERENCES                                                                                    102

APPENDICES                                                                                  109

LIST OF TABLES  

Table                                                                                                               Page

4.1:      Correlation matrix of family size and deviant behaviour

among senior secondary school students                                            71

4.2:      Simple linear regression analysis of family size and

deviant behaviour among senior         secondary school students      72

4.3:      Correlation matrix of extent family socio-economic status

and deviant behaviour among senior secondary

school students                                                                                   73

4.4:      Simple linear regression analysis between family

socio-economic status and deviant behaviour among

senior secondary school students                                                        74

4.5:      Correlation matrix of family religious orientation and deviant

behaviour among senior secondary school students                           75

4.6:      Simple linear regression analysis of family religious

orientation and deviant behaviour among senior

secondary school students                                                                  76

4.7:      Correlation matrix of family background variables

(family size, family     socioeconomic status and

family religious orientation) and         deviant behaviour

among senior secondary school students                                            77

4.8:      Multiple regression analysis of family background

variables (family size, family socioeconomic

status and family religious orientation) and   

deviant behaviour among senior secondary school

students                                                                                               79

4.9:      Schaffer test on relative contribution of family

background variables (family size,      family socioeconomic

status and family religious orientation) in deviant

behaviour among senior secondary school students                           80

4.10:    Correlation matrix of the gender difference in the

correlation between family background variables

and deviant behaviour among senior secondary

school students                                                                                   82

4.11:    Linear regression analysis of gender difference in the

correlation between family background variables

and deviant behaviour among senior secondary

school students                                                                                   83