Perceived roles of peer group and advertisment of alcoholic consumption of senior secondary school students counselling implications

Abstract

This study investigated the perceived roles of advertisement and peer group on alcoholic consumption among senior secondary school students in Lagos and Oyo states with a view of suggesting probable ways of managing the problem and the integration of drug education into the Nigeria educational system. A non-experimental research of ex-post-facto type was adopted in the study. Three research questions were raised and answered in the study. The sample consisted of six hundred participants drawn with simple random sampling technique from twenty selected schools in the two states. Three valid and reliable instruments constructed by the researchers were used for data collection; Advertisement Scale (r = 0.68), Peer Group Inventory (r = 0.74), Alcoholic Consumption Scale (r = 0.72). The administration lasted two weeks with the assistance of four research assistants purposefully trained for the assignment. Data collected were analysed using multiple regressions. The result showed that adolescents’ alcohol consumption is significantly correlated with peer group (r = .683; p<.05) and advertisement (r = .788; p<.05), the independent variables when pulled together have significant effect on the adolescents’ alcohol consumption (R =.557 and R2 (adjusted) =.410) and each of the independent variables made a significant contribution to the prediction of adolescents’ alcohol consumption. In term of magnitude of contribution, peer group made the most significant contribution (Beta= .344; t= 1.825; p<0.05) follow by advertisement (Beta= .231; t= 1.314; p<0.05). The results show that advertisement and peer group jointly and relatively contributed to alcoholic consumption of the adolescents. On the strength of these findings, the need to manage the problem and inculcation of drug education into Nigeria educational system was stressed and advocated.

Keywords: Advertisements, Peer group, Alcoholic consumption, Drug Education, Counselling Implications.