Influence of Socio-psycho Factors on Secondary School Students’ Indiscipline in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State

Abstract

This study examined the influence of socio-psycho factors on secondary
school students’ indiscipline in Ibadan north-east local government area
of Oyo State. The act of indiscipline in public secondary schools has
become an alarming issue. Indiscipline is an act of behavioural disorder
that is classified as an act of delinquency, like, lying, stealing, playing truant,
running away from school and so on. This study investigated the influence
of peer groups, parental influence and influence of society on students’
indiscipline among secondary school students. The study adopted
descriptive survey research design. The study samples consisted of ten
(10) public secondary schools, three hundred (300) senior secondary
school students. Questionnaire was developed to collect data.
Descriptive statistics such as frequency count, percentage and mean
score were used to answer the research questions, while multiple
regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at 5% level of
significance. The findings revealed that the level of parental influence on students indiscipline was high (Mean = 2.94 which translated to 69.7%);
peer pressure has positive and significant influence on students’
indiscipline among secondary school students (mean = 2.86 which
translated to 93.4%). Also, it was revealed from the findings that level
of societal influence on secondary school students indiscipline was
positively high (mean = 2.87 which translated to 86.5%). The combined
influence of socio-psycho factors (parental influence, peer pressure and
societal influence) on secondary school students’ indiscipline was found
to be significant, F(3, 296) = 16.950); P < 0.05. The finding also revealed
significant relative influence of socio-psycho factors on secondary schools
students’ indiscipline; Parental Influence (â = 0.250, P < 0.05), Peer
Pressure (â = 0.170, P < 0.05) and Societal Influence (â = 0.160, P <
0.05). It is therefore recommended that parents should be united and
agreed together to correct their children when they exhibit bad behaviour
instead of indulging them. School administrators should ensure that the
students have equal opportunity, the act of bullying other students by the
prefects or seniors should stop. Also, teachers should correct any strange
behaviour among the students and not indulge them at any point in time.