"Disruptive Behaviors among Students in University Neighbourhoods in Cameroon- A Theoretical Review"

Abstract

Youths in university neighbourhoods behave differently from those who live elsewhere like at home with parents. This probably stemsfrom the more relative freedom they enjoy from parental and familial control and because of this freedom; they often take risks which other segments of the population can seldom take without concern for consequences. University neighbourhoods, seemingly provide lucrative grounds for behaviours that are inconsistent with the cultural and moral values of the environment or society in which young people live specifically university education. This implies that some aspects of disruptive behaviour practiced in university neighbourhoods in Cameroon like indecent dressing, keeping of late nights in bars and clubs, sexual activity, alcoholism, hooliganism, academic malpractices, financial fraud, gang competition, consumption of drugs even in public and within hostels,betting of money on games and organization of festive jamborees just to mention a few pose a threat to the discipline and moral development of the youths.These students are thus faced with a consequence probably behaviours which are often in contrast to the rules and regulations governing their studentship in the universities where they happen to be undergoing learning. This is assumed to be some form of disruptive behaviour which is examined herein under the lenses of some theories (Erikson-adolescence, Harris-group socialization, and Bandura-social learning). It is worth concluding that the contemporary neighbourhood settings and environment where most youth group together is certainly not the right milieu where they can be groomed to and nurtured to maturity intellectually, morally and responsibly.