Parenting Styles as Correlates of In-School Adolescents’ Sexual Behaviour in Cross-River and Akwa-Ibom States of Nigeria

The study investigated the relationship between parenting styles and in-school adolescents’ sexual behavior in Cross-River and Akwa-Ibom States of Nigeria. The study looked at the prevalent sexual behaviors among in-school adolescents, the relationship between authoritative parenting style, permissive parenting style, and in-school adolescents’ sexual behaviors. Three specific objectives with corresponding research questions guided the study, and two hypotheses were formulated and tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a correlation research design. The population for the study comprises all 68 226 senior secondary school students (SS1 to SS3) in the 722 public secondary schools in Cross-River and Akwa-Ibom States of Nigeria. The sample size for the study was 385 students who were selected using proportionate stratified and convenience sampling techniques. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Parenting Styles and Adolescents’ Sexual Behaviour Questionnaire (PSASBQ). Three experts validated the questionnaire, and its reliability was established using the Cronbach Alpha method, which yielded a coefficient of 0.79. Data collected for the study were analyzed using Means, Standard Deviation, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Findings of the study revealed that the prevalent sexual behaviors among in-school adolescents in Cross-River and Akwa-Ibom States include: watching videos/movies, magazines, and pictures of naked men and women, kissing, having oral and sexual intercourse with the opposite gender, and stimulating self-genital organ for sexual pleasure. The findings also revealed that authoritative parenting style had no significant relationship with in-school adolescents’ sexual behaviors. Further, it was revealed that permissive parenting style was significantly related to in-school adolescents’ sexual behaviors. The study concluded that adoption of a parenting style like that of authoritative could lower in-school adolescents’ involvement in sexual behaviors. At the same time, permissive make in-school adolescents vulnerable to sexual behaviors that can ruin their lives. The study recommended that Counsellors establish centers for “Parenting Therapy†where parents will be acquainted with tools needed to function optimally within their family unit and bring up their children in such a manner that discourages early involvement in sexual behaviors.