Abstract
Pre-marital sex is an illegal act against the norms of many societies. The era of no sex until marriage seems to be fast disappearing, the maxim then seems to be before marriage boys and girls will be virgin. Premarital sexual behaviours have become a subject of attention among scholars and researchers in recent decades. It is an important topic especially in today’s world and a serious moral issue confronting the youth. Today, the youth are exposed to different environments and holds diverse perspective on premarital sexual relationships. Whether to engage in premarital sex is a question of critical importance. In view of this background, this study analyzes the determinants of premarital sex among students of Kaduna State University. To address the problem of study, three research questions were raised. The researcher adopted a survey research design. A total of two hundred (200) respondents comprised the target of the study. Questionnaire and was the instrument used for data collection. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), frequency tables and percentages (%) were employed in the data analysis. It was discovered that most of the respondents in the study area obtain most of their information about premarital sex from books, journals, magazines and newspaper. Premarital sex is common in the study area among some students in the school and most of them had their first premarital sexual intercourse at the age 17-19 years. Results from the study reveal that most of the students’ first premarital sexual partners were their friends. Peer group, parental care and parental neglect, exposure to mass media, internet influence and online pornography; prove of love to boy/girl friend, poor economic deprivation and drugs and alcohol abuse are determinants of premarital sex among students. Premarital sex should be considered as immoral and having multiple sex partners and socially premarital sexes has a way of making the young men arrogant, rude and often disrespectful to adults. It was recommended that sex education should be part of school curriculum in order to educate students about pre marital sex to address all aspects of sexuality and reproductive health, including contraception and the results of unsafe sex.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study - - - - - - - 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem - - - - - - - 3
1.3 Research Questions - - - - - - - - 5
1.4 Objectives of the Study - - - - - - - 5
1.5 Significance of the Study - - - - - - - 6
1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study - - - - - - 6
1.7 Definition of Key Terms - - - - - - - 7
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL
2.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - - 8
2.2 Prevalence of Premarital Sex among Students - - - - - 8
2.3 Determinants of Premarital Sex among Students - - - - 12
2.4 Attitude of Students towards Premarital Sex- - - - - - 23
2.5 Theoretical Framework - - - - - - - 28
2.5.1 Diffusion Theory - - - - - - - - 28
2.5.2 The Deviance Perspective Theory - - - - - - 30
2.5.3 Differential Association Theory - - - - - - 30
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Location of the Study - - - - - - - - 32
3.2 Population of Study - - - - - - - 32
3.3 Sampling Technique and Sampling Size - - - - 33
3.4 Methods of Data Collection - - - - - - - 35
3.5 Methods of Data Analysis - - - - - - - 35
3.6 Problems Encountered in the Field - - - - - - 35
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - - 36
4.2 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents - - - - 36
4.3 Prevalence of premarital sex among students- - - - - 39
4.4 Determinants of premarital sex among students - - - 42
4.5 Opinion of Respondents on premarital sex - - - - - 44
4.6 Discussion of Major findings - - - - - - - 47
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary of Findings - - - - - - - - 58
5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 59
5.3 Recommendations - - - - - - - - 60
References - - - - - - - - - 62
Appendices - - - - - - - - - 80
Pre-marital sex is an illegal act against the norms of many societies. The era of no sex until marriage seems to be fast disappearing, the maxim then seems to be before marriage boys and girls will be virgin. Premarital sexual behaviours have become a subject of attention among scholars and researchers in recent decades. It is an important topic especially in today’s world and a serious moral issue confronting the youth. Today, the youth are exposed to different environments and holds diverse perspective on premarital sexual relationships. Whether to engage in premarital sex is a question of critical importance. In view of this background, this study analyzes the determinants of premarital sex among students of Kaduna State University. To address the problem of study, three research questions were raised. The researcher adopted a survey research design. A total of two hundred (200) respondents comprised the target of the study. Questionnaire and was the instrument used for data collection. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), frequency tables and percentages (%) were employed in the data analysis. It was discovered that most of the respondents in the study area obtain most of their information about premarital sex from books, journals, magazines and newspaper. Premarital sex is common in the study area among some students in the school and most of them had their first premarital sexual intercourse at the age 17-19 years. Results from the study reveal that most of the students’ first premarital sexual partners were their friends. Peer group, parental care and parental neglect, exposure to mass media, internet influence and online pornography; prove of love to boy/girl friend, poor economic deprivation and drugs and alcohol abuse are determinants of premarital sex among students. Premarital sex should be considered as immoral and having multiple sex partners and socially premarital sexes has a way of making the young men arrogant, rude and often disrespectful to adults. It was recommended that sex education should be part of school curriculum in order to educate students about pre marital sex to address all aspects of sexuality and reproductive health, including contraception and the results of unsafe sex.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study - - - - - - - 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem - - - - - - - 3
1.3 Research Questions - - - - - - - - 5
1.4 Objectives of the Study - - - - - - - 5
1.5 Significance of the Study - - - - - - - 6
1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study - - - - - - 6
1.7 Definition of Key Terms - - - - - - - 7
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL
2.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - - 8
2.2 Prevalence of Premarital Sex among Students - - - - - 8
2.3 Determinants of Premarital Sex among Students - - - - 12
2.4 Attitude of Students towards Premarital Sex- - - - - - 23
2.5 Theoretical Framework - - - - - - - 28
2.5.1 Diffusion Theory - - - - - - - - 28
2.5.2 The Deviance Perspective Theory - - - - - - 30
2.5.3 Differential Association Theory - - - - - - 30
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Location of the Study - - - - - - - - 32
3.2 Population of Study - - - - - - - 32
3.3 Sampling Technique and Sampling Size - - - - 33
3.4 Methods of Data Collection - - - - - - - 35
3.5 Methods of Data Analysis - - - - - - - 35
3.6 Problems Encountered in the Field - - - - - - 35
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - - 36
4.2 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents - - - - 36
4.3 Prevalence of premarital sex among students- - - - - 39
4.4 Determinants of premarital sex among students - - - 42
4.5 Opinion of Respondents on premarital sex - - - - - 44
4.6 Discussion of Major findings - - - - - - - 47
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary of Findings - - - - - - - - 58
5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 59
5.3 Recommendations - - - - - - - - 60
References - - - - - - - - - 62
Appendices - - - - - - - - - 80