ABSTRACT

 This research work surveys immoral behaviour among adolescents in Ughelli South Local government area of Delta State. Five (5) research questions were raised to guide the study. Relevant literature was reviewed to provide theoretical bases for the research work. The population of the study consisted of all senior secondary school students in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. Five (5) government secondary schools were randomly sampled for the study. A questionnaire was used for data collection and was administered on 125 respondents who constituted the sample of this study. The data was analysed by the researcher using simple percentage to answer the formulated research questions. The findings of the study revealed: that the causes of immoral behaviour include, genetic factors like inheritance of a difficult temperament, family background, drugs abuse and lack of education of parents, that the forms of immoral behaviour include; cultism, examination malpractice, drug abuse, bullying and smoking, that mass media contribute to immoral behaviour among the Secondary School students to a large extent, types of family contribute to immoral behaviour among the Secondary School students to a large extent and that peer group contribute to immoral behaviour among secondary school students in several ways. Based on the research findings, recommendations were made.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The period of adolescence to some people is the period of inbetweeness when an individual neither a child nor an adult and behaves like none of them. The term is from the Latin word “adolescere” which means to grow maturity. Adolescence is a time of transition, a time of changing from childhood to adulthood and the change usually begins with puberty (puberty is from the Latin word “pubertas” which means age of manhood). It starts from about 10-12 years of age (Koontz, 2008). Adolescence covers a wide period of time. It begins about age 13 years and continues to about age 21 years. Thus, the period usually coincides with the teen years. Adolescence is a period of many changes, that PROJECT CODE: 000259 2 is, changes in physical, moral, emotional and mental characteristics (Karen, 2002). In short, adolescence is a period when boys and girls are turning into men and women and are becoming physically able to reproduce (Sokan and Akinade, 2000). The prevalence of immorality among adolescents at various levels of education in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised. It has grown to a level that creates fear and tension in the heart of anyone who has concern for the future of Nigeria as a nation and that of the teeming youth that populates Nigeria. The society is grappling with many behavioural problems of the students, which according to Ekundayo & Oyeniyi (2008) and Adebule (2012) include truancy, disobedience, drug offences, smoking, flirting, stealing and armed robbery, violent conduct and demonstration, vandalism, examination malpractices, cultism and thuggery. In addition to the above listed widely publicised behavioural problems, Dotonu (2011) stated that heterosexual and homosexual activities are also viewed as part of the behavioural problems prevalent in Nigerian secondary schools. They are coined in the literature as sex abuse, sex offences, sexual misconduct, immorality, promiscuity and maladjustment (Omoteso, Adeniyi & Bada, 2010 and Anise, 2011).

However, Dotonu (2011) observed that sex abuse appeared to be one of the most serious offences committed by children and adolescents. One of the outstanding remarkable virtues of a good society should be sexual purity which has received little or no attention from the society today. Also, immorality has eaten deep into the fabric of the society. It has become the mainstay of the youths’ behaviour (Adebule, 2012). The young ones (students) who ought to be deeply devoted to their studies have taken sexuality to be their major daily dealings. Majority of the students are major in immorality but minor in academics (Dotonu, 2011). It has been observed that, sexual immorality has thousands of destructive effects on students. Such include unforeseen and unwanted pregnancies (Ale, 2006) and infections through sexually transmitted diseases. Across the globe, people now embrace modern principles of living thereby compromising their sexual purity without having a rethink. According to Ajayi (2006) and Adebule (2012), the incidence of sexual immorality among adolescents in secondary schools has become sporadic. This has been attributed to the negative influence of mass media especially the pornographic films and video freely displayed, circulated and watched on a daily basis. Dotonu (2011) found out that many boys and girls are often found with contraceptives in schools and colleges today and that the wave of sexuality that is engulfing the youth is accompanied by increase in thefts, covetousness, jealousy, pride, shamelessness, selfishness, wickedness, rebellion and violence. Sex seems to be the root of all evils. In Nigeria, there had been many sexual crime cases reported in the pages of newspapers. The Forum on April 12, 2006 reported that a concubine kills daughter over sexual urge; a 15-year old boy rapes in toilet; a teenager deflowers a 5-year old girl; 15 female students raped during protest match. Also, the Nigerian Tribune of Friday  3rd June 2011 reported that a 27-year old man arraigned for raping a 5-year old orphan in Ado-Ekiti; a policeman impregnated a 12-year old girl, and so on. There are other cases of immorality that are in the news, teacher sleeping with his student, pastor raping a church member, security man sleeping with his master’s daughter or wife, father sleeping with his daughter, teenagers sleeping with themselves and boss sleeping with his staff in office. In Ughelli South Local Government Area, the case is not different, the schools are overcharged with sexual immorality and the students are helplessly falling victim.

The Ughelli community is to be blamed since it has completely failed to address the issue of immorality among its youth, which is escalating every day. It is rather unfortunate that the adolescent ones who ought to be the hope and future generation in the Local Government Area through sound education are sinking deep and deeper daily in acts like sex before marriage, homosexuality, lesbianism, abortion, drug addiction and indecent mode of dressing. This study therefore is aimed at surveying the causes of immoral behaviour among adolescents in secondary schools in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

 Statement of the Problem

 The school does not exist in a vacuum. The society in which it exists has values and needs which have to be reflected by the school. Since the society tries to maintain its stability, education becomes the means through which this is achieved via the role played by teachers in their transmission of the ideal patterns of behaviour of the society to the children. This transmission role makes it possible for the maintenance and regulation of existing social order. It was in line with this that education among other things aims at raising a generation of people who can think for themselves, respect the views and feelings of others, respect the dignity of labour, appreciate those values specified under our broad national goals and live as good citizens. Evidences available show that deviation from the rules aimed at achieving the above aims abound among our school boys and girls today. For instance, Martins-Umeh, Assimonye, Ibe, Ezeme, and Ugwuanyi (2006) stated that in Nigeria, citizens have found solace in most of the maladjusted behaviours such as: drug addiction, disobedience, money laundrying, adulteration of drugs, impersonation, greed, godfatherism, covetousness, sexual harassment, rioting, gossiping, disrespectful, human trafficking, rituals, child abuse, bribery and corruption, alcoholism, cheating, certificate forgery, examination malpractice, etc. Igwe (1980) confirmed that without holding brief for indiscipline among our young people, what else would be expected from children who knows that their fathers are corrupt, that they amass wealth by all sorts of dubious means, that with the older generation, greed, incompetence and the philosophy of maximum gain for minimum input, seem to be our rational way of life. The question therefore is ‘what are the causes of immoral behaviour among adolescents? This research therefore investigated the causes of immoral behaviour among adolescents in secondary schools in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Research Questions

The following research questions were raised to guide this study:

 1. What are the causes of immoral behaviour

2. What are the forms of immoral behaviour

3. To what extent does the mass media contribute to immoral behaviour among Secondary School students?

4. How do types of family contribute to immoral behaviour among Secondary School students?

 5. In what ways do peer group contribute to immoral behaviour among Secondary School students?

Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to find out the causes of immoral behaviour among adolescents in secondary schools in Ughelli South Local government area of Delta State while the specific purpose is to find out:

· Causes of immoral behaviour

· Forms of immoral behaviour

· How mass media contribute to immoral behaviour

· How family types contribute to immoral behaviour among secondary school students

· How peer group contribute to immoral behaviour among secondary school students

Significance of the Study

The study will be of a great benefit to parents, teachers, policy makers and school counsellors.

The study will provide parents with useful information about causes of immoral behaviour in order to know how best to guild their children against such practice.

 The study will also provide teachers with information about causes of immoral behaviour and useful ways on how to handle the issue of immorality.

The study will equally provide vital information to policy makers on how best to formulate policies relating to immoral behaviour.

Finally, this study will provide school counsellors with useful information about the causes of immoral behaviour and on how best to provide guidance and counselling to both the students and their parents in order to provide ways of tackling the problems relating to immoral behaviour. Scope and Delimitation of the Study This study will cover Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. This study will look critically into the various causes of immoral behaviour among adolescents in the area

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