‘Play Safe' Syndrome among University Adolescents: Implications for Counselling

Abstract

This paper investigated the prevalence of sexual activities among university undergraduates who have made regular sexual intercourse part of their lives. This they do with the belief that it is a normal part of their developmental stage as youths and that they only need to learn to ‘play safe' (avoiding STDs). Respondents (n=240) were university undergraduates. Eighty (80) female and forty (40) male undergraduates randomly selected from each of the University of Ibadan (Residential) and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, (Non-residential). Responded to a self-report inventory (Students' Pregnancy Prevention Method Inventory - SPREMI), developed by the researcher (r =0.89). Data were analyzed, using simple percentages, chi-square and t-test. Findings revealed that female non-residential students have more of multiple sex partners than their intra-university resident counterparts. Findings also revealed that female university students know more of pregnancy prevention methods than their male counterparts (t = 3.74, df =238, P <0.05). University adolescents need their parents and university counsellors to assist in the prevention of this all-round problem.

Keywords:University adolescents, sexual activities, sex partners, contraception, pregnancy, abortion.

The Nigerian Journal Of Guidance And Counselling Vol. 12 (1) 2007 pp. 16-26