Physical characteristics as determinants of adolescents' moral behavour: a case study of adolescents in Ekiti State secondary schools, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the physical characteristics as determinants of adolescent moral behaviour in Ekiti State secondary schools. Two research hypotheses were formulated. The research design used was the descriptive of the survey type. The population for this study was made up of all adolescents in Ekiti State secondary schools. Multistage and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the sample for the study. The sample consists of 500 subjects randomly sampled from 20 secondary schools in five Local Government Areas in Ekiti State. The research instrument used in this study is the Adolescent Personal Data Inventory by Akinboye (1980). The author of the Inventory established the validity ad reliability of the test instrument. The researcher administered the instrument, personally. It took five days to administer the test on the respondents. Inferential statistical techniques like t-test and Pearson moment correlation were used in the data analysis. The study revealed that a high degree of abnormal moral behaviour (deviation from ideal standard of behaviour of the group which the individuals belong) exists among adolescents in Ekiti State secondary schools. Also there is a significant relationship between physical characteristics, and the adolescent moral behaviours. It was also found out that there is no significant difference in the moral behaviour of adolescent males and females. Based on these findings, it was recommended that secondary school curriculum should contain elements of sex education, drug and moral education to teach adolescents acceptable patterns of sexual behaviour, interaction and appropriate social skills.

The Nigerian Journal of Guidance and Counselling Vol. 9(1) 2004: 194-205