Relationship Between Parenting Styles and Adolescents’ At-risk Sexual Behaviour in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study focused on parental styles as determinants of at-risk sexual behaviour among adolescents in Etche local government area of Rivers state. The study adopted the correlational research design. A sample of 350 SSI students was drawn using the simple random sampling technique. Two instruments which were the Parenting Style Questionnaire (PSQ) and the Adolescents’ At-risk Sexual Behaviour Inventory (AASBI) were used. Validity of these instruments was determined by experts in educational measurements. The Cronbach alpha was used in determining reliability of the instruments which yielded indexes of 0.65, 0.74 and 0.89 respectively. Simple linear regression was used in carrying out data analysis. Findings revealed that parenting styles jointly taken (P = 0.002 < 0.05) had significant relationship with at-risk sexual behaviour. Independently, authoritarian parenting styles (P = 0.005 < 0.05), had significant relationship with at-risk sexual behaviour. On the contrary authoritative parenting style (P = 0.164 > 0.05) had no significant relationship with at-risk sexual behaviour. Based on these findings, recommendations were made among which was that parents, guidance counsellors, caregivers, and teachers should adopt the best and suitable parenting styles that will enable the adolescents relate freely with them.