PARENTAL CARE INDICES AND PREMARITAL SEX VULNERABILITY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEENAGERS IN CALABAR EDUCATION ZONE CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between parental care indices and premarital sex vulnerability among secondary school teenagers in Calabar education zone, Cross River Nigeria. Parents religiosity, Parents communication about sex issues, Parents disciplinary practices, Students needs satisfaction, Parents counselling behavior and premarital sex vulnerability were the sub-variables considered in the study, and five corresponding research questions guided the study and the study tested five hypotheses. Empirical and theoretical review of related literature was also carried out on the five sub-variables of the study. Survey research design was adopted for the study; the study population consisted of all senior secondary school students in Calabar Education Zones, Cross River State. The sample size for the study consisted of seven hundred and seventy-four (774) drawn from 15 schools and 4 Local Government Areas using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Main instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire titled “Premarital Sex Vulnerability Questionnaire” (PCI-PSVQ). Data was analysed using mean, standard deviation, charts, simple linear regression, to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses, respectively. All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 Alpha level. Findings revealed that there is a statistically significant relationship between parental care and premarital sex vulnerability among teenagers in Cross River State. It was recommended that among others that all parents must assume the position of counselors for their children and wards in order to help them imbibe positive values.