ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY, DRUG USE (ALCOHOL & CANNABIS) AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR AMONG MOTOR-PARK TOUTS IN IBADAN.

Abstract

Urban violence is on the increase in Nigeria and a significant population of those involved are motor-park touts. Several factors which include drug misuse and antisocial personality disorder has been implicated in the escalating levels of the violent behaviour. However, empirical finding linking drug-use, anti-social behaviour and violent behaviours among touts is scarce. This study examined the role of local alcohol cocktail misuse, marijuana misuse, and antisocial personality trait as predictors of violent behaviour among motor park touts in Ibadan. The study is an ex-post facto design using a cross sectional survey method in which 524 respondents (mean age = 24.73±12.02) were drawn from 10 motor parks within the Ibadan metropolis using the cluster multi-stage sampling technique. A standardized self-report questionnaire was utilised. The results showed that violent behaviour correlated positively with alcohol cocktail (r = 0.098, Sig.= 0.011), marijuana (r = 0.097, Sig.= 0.011) misuse and antisocial personality trait (r = 0.273, Sig.= 0.00). Alcohol cocktail misuse (β = 0.086; t = 2.022, Sig.= 0.00) and antisocial personality traits (β= 0.273; t = 6.331, Sig.= 0.00) predicted violent behaviour among touts. The implication of this study is that violence does not depend on personality alone but also on alcohol and marijuana misuse. It is advised that proper awareness should be raised to educate the touts and the society at large about the implications of drug misuse and more drug rehabilitation centers should be built by the government to rehabilitate those affected back into the society.