PARENTAL RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND AND DEVIANT BEHAVIOUR

TENDENCIES FOR QUALITY COUNSELLING AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL

STUDENTS IN CALABAR EDUCATION ZONE OF CROSS RIVER STATE,
NIGERIA.

PRESENTED

BY

Ibe, Ibe Odum

ibeibejunior@gmail.com; 08064038217
Department of Educational Foundations
Cross River State College of Education
Akamkpa

&

Ekpe, Theresa Effiom

theresaekpe11@gmail.com; 08135289711
Department of Guidance and Counselling,
University of Calabar, Calabar – Nigeria

@
THE 7TH
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, FACULTY OF EDUCATION
CONFERENCE.
HELD BETWEEN 22 - 25TH OF OCTOBOR 2017
ND
 Abstract
This study examined parental religious background and deviant behaviour tendencies for
quality counselling among secondary school students in Calabar Education Zone of Cross
River State, Nigeria. The research designed adopted for the study was ex – post facto. One
research question and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The sample used
for the study consisted of 592 SS2 students in 2015/2016 academic year selected through
stratified random sampling technique. The instrument used for this study was a 34 item
modified 4 - point Likert-type questionnaire called Parental Religious Background and
Deviant Behaviour Tendencies Questionnaire (PRBDBTQ). The reliability estimate of the
instrument was established through the Cronbach Co-efficient Alpha reliability method. Data
were analysed using One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The major finding of the study
was that parental religious background has a significant influence on students’ deviant
behaviours. Based on the findings, it was recommended that parents should be encouraged
by the school authority to initiate religious activities in the home and not limiting to only
religious place of worship.
Key words: Religious background, deviant behaviour, Counselling and parent
Introduction

Parent are the bedrock of attitude and value formation both positively and negatively,
the child first learns his social roles through imitation of the parent and later through
internalized patterns and principles of behaviour in the older siblings. In the family the child
is expected to learn appropriate behaviour pattern, values, attitudes and norms from the
parent so that he/she can function well in the society. The primary function of the school
system is to also help in the development of the child, in the three psychological domains,
cognitive, affective and the psychomotor domains. When children domains are well
developed, it therefore means the child can be a better citizen to the nation. Various forms of
deviant behaviour have been observed among secondary school students which include:
school dropout, rape, stealing, disrespect, drug abuse, truancy, indecent dressing, premarital
sex and examination malpractice.

In recent times, the deviance in the behaviour of adolescent and secondary school
students’ has become a global issue which calls for immediate attention. The deterioration in
the moral standards and non adherence to norms seen among the secondary school student’s
is indeed confusing. It raises a lot of questions about the factors responsible for those
behaviours. The family is one group in which individuals has some control. It is the family
that co-operate with the school throughout the education of the child and the achievement is
not influence by only the school but also by the family which the child is a member. Deviant
behaviour is a moral problem involving refusal or inability to conform to morals, norms and
rules of a given society or environment. (Isangedighi, 2007).

Myers (2006) stated that religious institution are authoritative source for belief
systems and norms that generally encourage pro-social behaviours and discourage deviant,
and that they affirm parental authority and provide important support in their parenting
efforts to a close attachments and convey life affirming values. Similarly, Burdette (2007)
alert that religion exerts a significant influence in the socialization process because religious
institutions generally reinforce pro-social behaviours and specifically sanction most forms of
deviance, it is expected that youth with strong ties to religious families will less likely to be
influenced by peer clusters engaged in deviant behaviours.

Chu (2007) in his study on religion and adolescent initiation of marijuana use, used
longitudinal data from a sample of 612 African American adolescents (50%) were female. An
expo-facto research design was used for the study. The statistical analysis used was
independent t-test. In his study he found that adolescent who were more involved in religious
activities were more likely to have a greater level of network closure between their parents,
friends and teachers than adolescent who were less involved. Thus, greater participation in
religious activities may inhibit deviance by providing a more extensive and connected set of
watchful eyes to monitor adolescents’ whereabouts and activities.

In a study of family engagement in religious activities and students interest in cult

activities conducted by Ojo (2002) in Lagos State University (LASU), he sampled 650 year
three and four students through a random sampling technique in a 68 item instrument, he
stated in one of the hypotheses that students from religious practicing homes are significantly
interested in cult related activities. The data was analyzed using analysis of variance
(ANOVA). The calculated f-ratio was 1.75 at a significant level 0.053 and 647 degree of
freedom which was not significant (p>05). Thus, he accepted the null hypotheses that
students from religious practicing homes do not have interest in cult activities in school. He
concluded that parents, should consider religious activities in the home very important not
only for themselves but for the good of the children and the society at large.

Similarly, Mark (2001) in his study on linking lives, faith and behaviour: An
intergenerational model of religious influence on adolescent deviant act. His study concluded
that only minor forms of deviance are affected by religious identity and behaviour to the
serious deviance attitude of their teenage children both directly and indirectly and accounts
for a baseline influence as well as change. The result suggests that parental religiosity
indirectly protect against deviancy and may aggregate delinquency in boys. Parent’s
conservative protestant affiliation displays a reverse pattern, group analysis of the model
indicates that parental religious influence was more effective among girls than boys and
among adolescents. During the adolescent years, involvement in religious organizations
facilitates peer cluster associations with youth not being involved in deviance, even as the
provided mutual reinforcement of pro-social attitude, beliefs and behaviours.

Obi (2006) also revealed in his study that a critical observation in secondary schools in
Calabar education zone reveal that deviance among secondary school students is becoming
more alarming. This makes the school environment not conducive for learning thereby
making students to deteriorate in their academic performance. A lot of measures have been
taken by different groups of persons and school authorities to curb deviant behaviours among
secondary school students. According to Olaitan, Mohammed and Ajibola (2013), some of
those measures include: punishment, expulsion, manual labour, suspension, counselling and
withdrawal of privileges. Meanwhile, Irozuru and Eno (2015) observe that the acts of
deviance behaviour end up terminating the future career of students and also interrupting
learning to other students who are not involved in any act of deviant behaviours. The cry of
parent, teachers, school administrators, school counsellors, educational planners and
psychologists for students to refrain from these forms of deviant behaviour have fallen on
deaf ears.

The effect of deviant behaviour in the various schools cannot be overemphasized as it

has enormous effect on the school in the following ways: when students exhibit high level of
deviant behaviour in school this interrupt learning. School properties may also be destroyed,
teachers may be discouraged to go to classes, other students who do not have any tendency of
exhibiting deviant behaviour may be discouraged about going to school and this will affect
the smooth running of the school (Obi, 2006). Some of the students in Calabar education
zone also have the tendency of exhibiting deviant behaviours which include examination
malpractice, disrespect, truancy, stealing, lateness to school, loitering during school hours and
absenteeism etc. These behaviours tendency has been of great concern to principal/teachers,
school counsellors, and even students.
 In spite of all measures so far taken by school principals, school counsellors and
teachers to curb deviant behaviours from all the various schools in Calabar education zone
the problem of deviant behaviour still persist. Lots of researchers blamed deviant behaviour
tendency on age, sex, socioeconomic background of parent. It is against this background that
this study is undertaken to look at parental religious background as it could influence deviant
behaviour tendencies of secondary school students in Calabar education zone of Cross River
State, Nigeria. Based on this, the general question that guided the study was: To what extent
does parental religious background influence students’ deviant behaviour tendencies in terms
of examination malpractice, disrespect, truancy and stealing?

Research methodology

Ex-post facto research design was adopted in this study. Stratified random sampling
technique was applied in selecting a sample of 592 from a population of 5,918 Senior
Secondary two School Students in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria.
Data were collected through a 34 item Likert-type questionnaire called Parental Religious
Background and Deviant Behaviour Tendencies Questionnaire (PRBDBTQ). The
questionnaire was divided into three sections (A, B and C). Section A collected demographic
information such as Name of School, Sex and Age. While section B elicited information on
students religious family background which consisted 10 items and Section C was on the four
components of deviant behaviours, namely: examination malpractice, disrespect, truancy and
stealing. Six items were generated for each of the components, which amounted to 24 items.
The items were presented inform of statements and presented in form of questions for
students to indicate their level of articulation. The extent of these articulations ranged from
Very Often(4-points), Often(3-points), Sometimes(2-points), and Never(1-point). Thus it was
made up of modified four points Likert scale. The items were tested for internal consistency
and a Cronbach Alpha Coefficient of .88 was obtained and accepted as showing acceptable
level of consistency.

Results

HO: There is no significant influence of parental religious background on students’

deviant behaviour tendencies in terms of examination malpractice, disrespect, truancy and
stealing. The independent variable in the hypothesis was parental religious background which
was categorized into three groups as (Low, Moderate and High). The highest expected score
of a respondent in this variable was 32. Lowest score was 8 and moderate was 16. With this,
students with the score of 15 and below were considered to have come from homes with low
religious background; those with scores between16-23 were considered to have come from
homes with moderate religious background, while respondents with scores from 24 and
above were considered to have come from homes with high religious background. While the
dependent variable was deviant behaviour tendencies with four dimensions, namely:
examination malpractice, disrespect, truancy and stealing. To test the hypothesis, each of the
three categories of religious background was compared with the four dimensions of deviant
 TABLE 1

Group means and standard deviation of the influence of parental religious background on students’
deviant behaviour tendencies.

Deviant Behaviours Religious background N Mean SD

Examination malpractice Low 47 10.38 2.83

Moderate 139 9.77 2.99

High 406 8.20 2.32

Total 592 8.74 2.66

Disrespect Low 47 13.45 1.63

Moderate 139 12.66 2.65

High 406 10.54 3.57

Total 592 11.30 3.43

Truancy Low 47 13.79 1.61

Moderate 139 12.86 2.58

High 406 11.38 3.26

Total 592 11.92 3.10

Stealing Low 47 12.28 3.46

Moderate 139 11.47 3.04

High 406 11.12 2.98

Total 592 11.94 3.07

Overall Deviant Low 47 49.09 5.28

Moderate 139 46.41 5.91

High 406 42.45 7.42

Total 592 43.91 7.29

behaviours by using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results of this analysis are
presented in Tables 1, 2 and 3.

Table 1 showed the means and standard deviations of the sub-variables in the study.
While Table 2 showed the actual ANOVA results. The results revealed calculated F-values
for examination malpractice (30.49), disrespect (31.93), truancy (22.75), stealing (8.22) and
overall deviant behaviour tendencies (31.05) respectively were all found to be greater than
the critical F-value of 2.99. With these results, the null hypothesis was rejected at .05 level of
significance with 2 and 590 degrees of freedom. This implies that parental religious
background has a significant influence on each of the four dimensions of student deviant
behaviour tendencies as well as in the overall deviant behaviours. The direction of this
influence was examined through using the Bonferroni post-hoc test analysis. The results of
the analyses are presented in Table 3.

The post-hoc result as presented in Table 3, using the significant two tail and the
mean difference significant at .05 revealed the following:

Examination malpractice: Low religious background versus moderate religious background

(mean difference = .613, p = .457), and low religious background versus high religious
background (mean difference = 2.181, p = .000). Group means presented in Table 1 show
that, it was students with low religious background that indulge more in examination
malpractice (X = 10.38) than their counterparts with moderate (X = 9.77) and high (X =
8.20) religious background.

Disrespect: Low religious background versus moderate religious background (mean

difference = 1.568, p = .462), and low religious background versus high religious background
(mean difference = .785, p = .000). Group means presented in Table 1 show that, it was
students with low religious background that indulge displayed more disrespect (X = 13.45)
than their counterparts with moderate (X = 12.66) and high (X = 8.10.54) religious
background.

Truancy: Low religious background versus moderate religious background (mean difference
= .924, p = .202), and low religious background versus high religious background (mean
difference = 2.408, p = .000). Group means presented in Table 1 show that, it was students
with low religious background that indulge more in truancy (X = 13.79) than their
counterparts with moderate (X = 12.86) and high (X = 11.38) religious background.

Stealing: Low religious background versus moderate religious background (mean difference
= 1.489, p = .000), and low religious background versus high religious background (mean
difference = .810, p = .251). Group means presented in Table 1 show that, it was students
with low religious background that indulge more in stealing (X = 12.28) than their
counterparts with moderate (X = 11.47) and high (X = 11.12) religious background.

Overall deviant behaviour: Low religious background versus moderate religious background
(mean difference = 2.675, p = .068), and low religious background versus high religious
background (mean difference = 6.634, p = .000). Group means presented in Table 1 show
 TABLE 2
Result of the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the influence of parental religious
background on students deviant behaviour tendencies (N=592).

Deviant Source of SS Df MS f-ratio p-level

Behaviours Variation
Exams
malpractice Between Groups 391.795 2 195.898 30.483* .000

Within Groups 3785.178 589 6.426

Total 4176.973 591

Disrespect Between Groups 678.417 2 339.209 31.932* .000

Within Groups 6576.486 589 10.623
Total 6935.270 591

Truancy Between Groups 406.247 2 203.123 22.75* .000

Within Gruoups 5257.861 589 8.927
Totale 5664.108 591

Stealing Between Groups 151.521 2 75.761 8.222* .000

Within Groups 5427.410 589 9.215
Total 5578.931 591

Overall Between Groups 2992.090 2 1496.045 31.047* .000

Within Groups 28381.800 589 48.186
Total 31373.890 591

* p < .05, Critical Value F2,590 = 2.99

that, it was students with low religious background that indulge more in overall deviant
behaviour (X = 49.09) than their counterparts with moderate (X = 46.41) and high (X =
42.45) religious background. In all the study shows that the more improvement in the aspect
of parents religious background, the lesser their children or ward (students) will exhibit
deviant behaviours.
 Table 3
Bonferroni post hoc test of the influence of parental religious background on students deviant behaviour tendencies
Variables Religious background Religious background I–J Std. Erro Sig.
(I) (J)
Moderate .613 .428 .457
Examination malpractice Low
High 2.181* .391 .000
Low -.613 .428 .457
Moderate
High - 2.181* .249 .000
Low *1.568* .391 .000
High
Moderate .785 .249 .000

Moderate -1.568* .550 .462

Disrespect Low
High -.785 .502 .000
Low 2.856* .550 .462
Moderate
High 2.071* .320 .000
Low -2.856* .502 .198
High
Moderate -2.071* .320 .000

Moderate .924 .504 .202

Truancy Low
High 2.408* .460 .000
Low -.924 .504 .202
Moderate
High -2.408* .294 .000
Low 1.484* .460 .000
High
Moderate .353 .294 1.000

Moderate -1.489* .468 .000

Stealing Low
High -.810 .512 .251
Low -1.163* .298 .000
Moderate
High .810 .468 .251
Low 1.163* .298 .000
High
Moderate -1.163* .314 .000

Moderate 2.675 1.171 .068

Overall deviant Low
High 6.634* 1.070 .000
Low -2.675 1.171 .068
Moderate
High 3.959* .682 .000
Low -6.634* 1.070 .000
High
Moderate -3.959 .682 .000
The mean difference is significant at .05 level
Discussion of findings

The result of the analysis revealed that parental religious background has a significant
influence on students’ deviant behaviour tendencies. The result pointed out that high parental
religious background elicited a low level of deviant behaviour tendencies than low parental
religious background. Specifically, students from high religious background were seen to be
low in exhibiting deviant behaviours. As such, this could be from the fact that the students
have the fear of God in their dealings and the parents engagement in religious activities help
them to control the level of deviant behaviours. This means that a child who is well rooted in
religious activities is in most cases disciplined and will avoid being involved in deviant
behaviours.

The findings of the study collaborates with the findings obtained by Obi (2006) who
carried out a study on parental religiosity and adolescent involvement in premarital sexuality
among secondary school students in Cross River State. He sampled 720 senior secondary
school students for the study. The data was analysed using Pearson correlation analysis. The
results of the study showed that adolescents whose parents were highly and moderately
religious were not highly involved in premarital sex as an act of deviant behaviour. He
concluded that adolescent from highly religious homes are less likely to involve in premarital
sex and anti-social behaviours. Also in line with this study Mark (2001) in his study on
linking lives, faith and behaviour: An intergenerational model of religious influence on
adolescent deviant act. He concluded that only minor forms of deviance are affected by
religious identity and deviant and behaviours to the serious deviance attitude of their teenage
children both directly and indirectly and account for a baseline influence as well as change.

The finding of the also agrees with the previous findings by Ojo (2002) who carried
out a study on family engagement in religious activities and students interest in cult activities
at Lagos state university (LASU). He sampled 650 year three and four students through
random sampling technique in a 68 item instrument, he stated in one of his hypothesis that
students from practicing homes are not significantly interested cult related activities. The data
was analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) the calculated f-ratio was 1.75 at
a significant level of .05, 3 and 647 degree of freedom which was not significant (p > .05)
thus he accepted the null hypothesis that students from religious practising home do not have
interest in cult activities in school. He concluded that parents should consider religious
activities in the home very important not only for themselves but for the good of the children
and the society at large. In line with this study too, Benda (2005) conducted a large scale
survey research on seventh day Adventist youths in grade six to twelve in United States and
concluded that youth who did not follow worship practices were mostly likely to report
higher levels of alcohol and drug abuse.

Conclusion and recommendation

The summary of findings showed that parental religious background has a significant
influence on students’ deviant behaviour tendencies. The result pointed out that high
parental religious background elicited a low level of deviant behaviour tendencies than
low parental religious background. Specifically, students from high religious background
were seen to be low in exhibiting deviant behaviours. As such, this could be from the fact
that the students have the fear of God in their dealings and the parents’ engagement in
religious activities helps them to control the level of deviant behaviours. This means that
a child who is well rooted in religious activities is in most cases disciplined and will avoid
being involved in deviant behaviours. The following recommendations were made:
Parents should be encouraged by the school authority to initiate religious activities in the
home and not limiting to only religious place of worship, Students irrespective of their
religion, tribe, sex and social background should be given the same level of punishment if
found guilty on the ground of deviant conducts in school.
References

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