INFLUENCE OF PEER PRESSURE AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR ON

STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN

DUTSIN-MA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA.

BY

ISAH ZAKARI

EDU/2020/15501

A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGY

AND COUNSELLING, FACULTY OF EDUCATION, FEDERAL UNIVERSITY

DUTSIN-MA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

AWARD OF A BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (BA.ED) DEGREE IN EDUCATION

JUNE, 2024

i
 DECLARATION
I, Isah Zakari (EDU/2020/15501) hereby declare that this project work titled “influence of peer

pressure and parenting styles on students academic performance in Senior Secondary Schools in

Dutsin-ma local government area, Katsina state. Nigeria was under-taken by me under the

supervision of Dr. Kelechi Joshua Princewill Ihechu. To the best of my knowledge, the work has

not been presented anywhere for the award of degree in any institution of learning. All sources of

information, data collection have been acknowledged in the reference.

Isah Zakari ______________________________

(EDU/2020/15501)
Signature/Date

ii
 APPROVAL PAGE

The project work titled “influence of peer pressure and parenting styles on students academic

performance in Senior Secondary Schools in Dutsin-ma local government area, Katsina state,

Nigeria” has been duly presented by Isah Zakari (EDU/2020/15501) to the Department of

Educational Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Education, Federal University Dutsin-Ma

and has been approved by the examiner.

Dr. Kelechi Joshua Princewill Ihechu _____________________

Supervisor Signature/Date

Dr. Binta Ado Ali _________________________

Head of Department (HOD) Signature/Date

Dr.SO Bada __________________________

Project Coordinator Signature/Date

iii
 DEDICATION

This project is sincerely dedicated to Almighty Allah for his guidance and protection throughout

the period of my academic pursuit.

iv
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My sincere appreciation and gratitude goes to God Almighty, who in his love and infinite mercy saw me

through the period of my programme in Federal University Dutsin-Ma.

My appreciation again goes to my Project Supervisor Dr. Kelechi Joshua Princewill Ihechu, for his

invaluable guidance, expertise, and unwavering support throughout this project. His mentorship has been

a beacon of light, and I am honoured to have had the opportunity to work under his guidance.

I will like to extend my deepest gratitude to my late father Alhaji Zakari Attahiru katun and my beloved

mothers Hajiya Balkisu Zakari, Hajiya Hasiya Zakari and Hajiya Hauwa Zakari women of virtue and

uprightness. Mothers without you all i would not have come this far. I sincerely appreciate all that you

have done. World alone cannot quantify how much you mean to me. May God in his mercies reward you,

bless and make you leave to enjoy the fruit of your labour.

I will also appreciate the effort of my brother but like a father to me, I mean Dr. Alhaji Isa Yahaya, who

financially support me during my cause of study.

I will also appreciate the effort of my beloved aunty Hajiya Aisha imam and my brothers and sisters

Mallama usman D. Muhammad, Usman Zakari, Muhammad Zakari, Attahiru Zakari, Abdullahi Zakari,

Idris Zakari, Abdullahi Yahaya, Muhammad Imam Yahaya, Ahmad Mustapha, Yusuf Yahaya and

Rukayya Zakari, Zainab Zakari, Asmau Zakari, Fati Zakari, Aisha Zakari, Maryam Zakari, Amina Zakari,

Hadiza Zakari, Asiya Zakari, Hauwa Zakari, Fati Zakari, Aisha Zakari, Thank you all may Allah reward

you abundantly.

v
I can not brush things over without acknowledging the efforts of my dearest friends Aliyu adamu utare,

Awwal haruna, Musa Ibrahim, Oga DJ, Salihu Muhammad, Muhammad Muhammad yanda, and Rahmat

Abdullahi tanko and others. Thank you all.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i
Declaration ii
Approval page iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Content v
Abstract ix
CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem 4

1.3 Research Questions 5

1.4 Hypotheses 6

1.5 Significance of the Study 7

1.6 Scope and limitation of the Study 8

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms 8

CHAPTER TWO : LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Conceptual Framework 9

2.1.1 Concept of Parenting Style 9

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2.1.2 Types of Parenting Style 9
2.1.3 Democratic/Authoritative Parenting Style 11
2.1.4 Autocratic/Authoritative Parenting Style 11
2.1.5 Laissez-Fair/Permissive Parenting Style 12
2.1.6 Relationship between Parenting Style and Delinquent Behavior 14
2.1.7 Peer Pressure 15
2.1.8 Relationship between Peer Pressure and Delinquent Behavior 16
2.1.9 Influence of Laissez-Fair Parenting on Delinquent Behavior 18
2.1.10 Influence of Peer Pressure on Delinquent Behavior 19
2.2 Theoretical framework 21
2.2.1 Bandura Social Learning Theory (1960s -1970s). 24

2.2.2 Deci and Ryan Self-Determination Theory (STD) (1970s). 24

2.2.3 Durkheim Sociological Theory (1890s -1910s). 25
2.3 Empirical review 26
2.4Summary of Review 30
CHAPTER THREE : METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction 33
3.2 Research Design 33
3.3 Population of the Study 33
3.4 Sampling and Sampling Technique 33
3.5 Instrumentation 34
3.6 Validity of the instrument 35
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 36
3.8 procedure for Data Collection 36
3.9 Procedure for data analysis 36
CHAPTER FOUR : DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
4.1 Introduction 37
4.2 Analysis of Respondents Demographic 37
4.3 Hypothesis Testing 40
4.4 Summary of the findings 43

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4.5 Discussions of the findings 44
CHAPTER FIVE : SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction 46
5.2 Summary 47
5.3 Conclusion 47
5.4 Recommendations 48
5.5 Suggestions for further studies 48
Reference 49

Appendix 60

viii
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Analysis of respondent’s gender 37

Table 2: Analysis of respondent’s age 38

Table 3: Analysis of respondent’s Parents (father) level of education 38

Table 4: Analysis of respondent’s Parents (father) occupation 39

Table 5: Pearson’s correlation analysis between Democratic Parenting Style and Delinquent

behaviour 40

Table 6: Pearson’s correlation analysis between Autocratic Parenting Style and Delinquent

behavior 41

Table 7: Pearson’s correlation analysis between Laisser-faire Parenting Style and Delinquent

behaviour 42

Table 8: Pearson’s correlation analysis between Peer pressure and Delinquent behaviour 43

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 ABSTRACT

The study investigated the influence of peer pressure and parenting styles on students academic
performance in Senior Secondary Schools in Dutsin-ma local government area, Katsina state,
Nigeria. Four objectives were stated and four null hypothesis were formulated and tested. The
study adopted the correlational research design; the population of the study comprised of 4214
male and female students in secondary schools in Dutsin-Ma from which 327 male and female
students were randomly selected as sample for the study. The instrument used was an self
developed questionnaire which was validated and has a reliability value of 0.7. The null
hypotheses were analyzed using the pearson product moment correlation at P≤ 0.05 level of
significance. From the analysis, all hypotheses were retained. The findings of the study revealed
that there was a significant relationship between Democratic Parenting Style and Delinquent
behaviour among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area,
Katsina State, It was also concluded that there was a significant relationship between Autocratic
Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma
Local Government Area, Katsina State. Based on the findings, it was recommended among
others that Parents should adopt a democratic parenting style in the upbringing of their children.
This should involve discussing problems with their children and set rules that will guide the
behavior of the children.

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Parents have an important role to play as both socializing and control agent over their children‘s

behaviour. One major component of parental control is monitoring strategy. For adolescent to

conform to the norms and values of the society, parents must step up and choose appropriate style to

use in training their children if we must see a virile society. Parenting styles are the standard

strategies that parents use in their child‘s training, rearing and up-bringing with the inculcation of

values, norms of the society in order to be useful to the society. The popular argument of nature and

nurture in the training of a child remain an issue.

Some argue that an environment has the ability to shape a child‘s behaviors, personality and self-

concept. While others believe that these are inherent in the child, for most people, a child ‘s parents

are the most influential in their lives up till adolescent (Vigdor, 2016). Most children are dependent

upon their parents for food, shelter, finance and companionship. Parent love as well as punishment

can exert a great influence on children when handled properly (Baumrind 2011).

The study looked into how parenting styles and peer pressure relate with delinquent behavior, it

addresses the question of whether or not a strict autocratic parenting really hinders the child from

exhibiting delinquent behavior. Conversely, it seeks to find out whether or not a loose laissez-faire

parenting could actually make the adolescent to exhibit delinquency or perhaps, it is balanced,

democratic parenting style that really provides healthy behavior. Parents may find it difficult to train

up their children to meet up positively with this challenging and dynamic society and stand out to

become world citizens. The task of adolescent training may be difficult due to economic crises,

social instability and the weakening of major institutions including the state systems of public

education and the family.

1
Peer pressure can be seen as the influence exerted by peer group in encouraging a person to change

his/her attitude, values or behaviors to conform to the group. A person affected by peer pressure

may or may not want to belong to this group. They may also recognize dissociative groups that they

do not wish to belong and therefore, adopt behavior in opposition to those of the group. In the same

vein, Harris (2013) opined that peer pressure can cause people to do things they will not normally

do, e.g. to take drugs, smoke, date, rude, fight, vandalize, cheat in examination, lie, walk out of

teacher and so on.

Adolescent peer pressure is particularly common because most youth are forced to spend large

amount of time with their groups i.e. (schools and sub-group within them) regardless of the opinion

of those groups. Again, they may lack the maturity to handle the peer pressure. Adolescent are also

more willing to have negative behavior towards those who are not members of their own peer

groups (Ungar, 2009). In consonance with (Ungar, 2009) it is possible that if one is involved with a

group of people who are ambitious and working to succeed, one might feel pressured to follow suit

to avoid feeling excluded from the group.

Adolescents may less likely to be heavily influenced by their friends and more likely to make their

own decisions if they have high self-esteem, individual goals, a positive outlook on the future, good

social skills, the ability to interact with people from different background and strong connections of

family and community (Onwuamanam, 2018). Adams (2016) equally posited that adolescents are

more likely to be heavily influenced by their peers and less likely to make decisions for themselves

if they have no self-esteem and may be experiencing problems in their family such as absence of

parents, drug, anger, verbal abuse, theft, fight and many more. It seems that the socialization

experience of adolescents is focused on peer interaction. Adolescents are more likely to discuss their

problems with their peers than with their parents and are more susceptible to their peers’ perception

of right and wrong.

2
Adolescent usually exhibit high emotional tension and it is often said that adolescent is a period of

storm and stress-they are usually restless at this period because of their stage, as they always want to

discover their world (Mohammed, 2012). But it seems, not all adolescence in our society may go

through this acclaimed storm and stress, proper upbringing matters. Therefore, adolescents’ lives

today are far more complex and demanding than yester years. Parents today rush their children into

these obligations and doing that are appropriate for them, simply to satisfy themselves in the

challenging world of work.

Adolescence in this condition would seek the help of their peers to support their behavioral

challenges, as it is often said, no man is an island’. Kring, Davidson, Neale and Johnson (2009)

observed that those delinquent behaviors exhibited by adolescents are in two categories. A pervasive

pattern of disregard for the rights of others from the age of 15 such as 15 truancy, running away

from home, frequent lying, theft, arson and inconsistency, breaking rules, being irritable, physical

aggressive, defaulting on debts, being reckless, impulsive, neglecting plan ahead, show little regard

for truth and little remorse for their misdeeds. Berger (2010) opined that delinquent behavior among

students has assumed a worrisome dimension in our society. One would wonder what could have

been the cause of these recurrent behaviour. These consist of destructive actions that are harmful to

others in the society. The behaviour includes illegal activities as well as harming people in inter

personal manners such as theft, threat, fight, vandalism, rudeness, drug addict, littering environment,

anger issue, verbal abuse, walking out of teacher, examination malpractices, truancy.

From observation, adolescent excessively display delinquent behaviors toward others and to the

society at large. Researchers have hypothesized that autocratic parenting would lead to higher level

of delinquent behavior, but it was found in contrast that parenting styles that were based on non-

involvement i.e. laissez-faire have more of an effective than the styles that include harsh punishment

coercion (Burt & Donnellan, 2019). Democratic parenting shows high level of support and has

effective communication with their children while autocratic parents are over-protective and believe

3
in harsh punishment and laissez-faire parents give a child high level of independence, which result

in low level of parental guidance. The study looked into the negative behaviour of parenting, which

includes behaviours such as abuse, neglect, over control and harsh punishment. Most of our

adolescents have great disregard for rules and regulations. It could be that parenting styles and

behaviours related similar to children‘s adjustment, depending on the broader context in which these

behaviours are situated, suggesting that the effect of parental discipline are not entirely universal.

Nearly all culture possess a transition phase from childhood to adulthood, as the world changes, so

did the transition into adulthood (Hoeve, Blokland, Dubas, Loeber, Garris & Vanderlaan, 2018).

Based on the background, the study seeks to investigate the influence of peer pressure and parenting

styles on students academic performance in Senior Secondary Schools in Dutsin-Ma Local

Government Area, Katsina State.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The researcher having seen the unwholesome behaviour that emanated from adolescents which

causes burden to parents, school administrator/ teacher and the society, wade into the research of

this nature to find out may be parenting styles have a way of causing delinquent behaviour and

probably peer pressure as a social factor, makes adolescent to adopt certain behavior in order to fit

in with others could influence delinquent behaviour.

Peer pressure may also be a major factor in delinquent behaviour among students as they usually

believe in their peers’ opinions than their parents. This is characteristic of every adolescent, friends

influence them to do what they may not want to willingly do, which usually lead to delinquency. It

is assumed that the large time adolescent spend with their peer makes them to be influence in a

negative way which breed delinquency. Again they may lack the maturity to handle the peer

pressure and consequently would be delinquent. Adolescent usually exhibit high emotional tension

and it is often said that adolescent is a period of storm and stress – they are usually restless and

4
display high level of energy at this stage. Therefore, adolescents’ lives today are far more complex

and demanding than yester years.

Delinquent behavior among students have been a thing of concern to parents, schools and society at

large. The incessant stealing, lying, sexual promiscuity, thuggery, rape, drug addiction, cultism,

absenteeism, verbal abuse and examination malpractices are some of the delinquent behaviours

observed among students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State. This has attracted

the attention of many people who are concern with the training of these delinquent students.These

behaviours posed a threat to the smooth administrative function of schools, with students under their

care. Delinquent behaviours affect student themselves, hence, they do not concentrate on their

studies which is the primary objective in secondary school. Some parents find it difficult to deal

with the delinquent behaviours of their children and usually go further to seek alternative remedy in

handling these behaviours. The society is not left out too as people complain about these

unwholesome behaviours emanating from young people and are looking for ways to curb them.

Children of domineering parents may turn out to be a meek, timid and fearful person or a cheat and

rebel against all his parents stand for. This may cause lack of discipline and control in the

adolescents later in life. In view of these, the study has sought to find out the influence of parenting

styles and peer pressure on delinquent behaviours among senior secondary school students, with the

hope of finding solutions to the problem at hand.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to determine the influence of peer pressure and parenting styles

on students academic performance in Senior Secondary Schools in Dutsin-Ma Local Government

Area, Katsina State. Specifically, the study sought to;

1. Assess the influence of democratic parenting styles on delinquent behaviour among senior

secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State.

5
 2. Determine the influence of autocratic parenting styles on delinquent behaviour among senior

secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State.

3. Examine the influence of laissez-faire parenting style on delinquent behaviour among senior

secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State.

4. Find out the influence of peer pressure on delinquent behaviour among senior secondary

school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State.

1.4 Hypotheses

The following hypotheses formulated were tested at 0.05 level of significance.

Ho1 There is no significant relationship between democratic parenting styles and delinquent

behaviour among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area,

Katsina State.

Ho2 There is no significant relationship between autocratic parenting style and delinquent behaviour

among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State.

Ho3 There is no significant relationship between laissez-faire parenting style and delinquent

behavior among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area,

Katsina State.

Ho4 There is no significant relationship between peer pressure and delinquent behavior among

senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The Study will be great significant to the following stakeholders such as parent, teachers, school

psychologist, policy makers, NGO and future researchers.

6
The research of this nature is relevant to Parents who would find it useful to evaluate different

parenting styles and their influence on adolescents’ behavior then may choose the one that is

appropriate for the upbringing of their children.

Principals, and Teachers, will also find this research work useful because it will afford them the

opportunity to see how parenting styles and peer pressure may influence delinquent behavior so that

they will understand how to handle delinquent behavior among students.

School psychologists or counsellors handling delinquent problems of student would also be able to

identify various behaviours exhibited by adolescents and to advise students on the right peer group

to move with that would be of benefit to them academically, socially and morally.

The study would be relevant to policy makers and government, for example, ministry of education

and juvenile remand home for junior offenders like; boaster home, an arm of the Nigeria Prison

Service. That is concern with the policy that guide the day-to-day running of school system. This

will help them to formulate policy that would help in the smooth running of the schools.

Non-Governmental Organizations like; United Nations Children‘s Fund (UNICEF) and United

Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) dealing with adolescents will

find this useful to bring about better ways of addressing delinquent behaviours in our society. The

study will also contribute to other literatures in the area of parenting styles and peer pressure. It will

assist other students’ researchers who would want to carry out research in the area of parenting style

and peer pressure.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study focus on senior students in public secondary schools in Dutsin-Ma LGA Katsina State. In

some of the secondary schools, there may be few S.S.S. II students who are little above 19 years of

age. Obviously, the senior secondary schools are made up of teenagers or adolescents. Emphasis

7
was basically on this because it is assumed that adolescents are found at this higher level of

secondary school. In this case, the research was limited to adolescent’s male and female students

within the age range of 15-19 years. This study was limited to peer pressure and parenting styles on

academic performance in Senior Secondary School in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina

State.

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

Influence: The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or

something.

Peer Pressure: The influence exerted by a social group on an individual to adopt certain behaviors,

values, or attitudes in order to be accepted by the group.

Delinquent Behavior: Antisocial or criminal behavior by young people, especially behavior that

violates the law.

Students: Individuals enrolled in an educational institution, such as a school or university, who are

actively engaged in learning.

Academic Performance: The measurement of a student's achievement and learning outcomes,

often based on grades, test scores, and other academic indicators.

Senior Secondary School: The stage of formal education that follows primary or elementary school

and precedes higher education, typically for students aged 16-18 years old.

8
 CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Introduction

This chapter focused on the conceptual framework, theoretical framework and empirical studies and

summary of review of related literature.

2.2 Conceptual framework

Conceptual framework was reviewed under the following sub-heading parenting style and types of

parenting style.

2.2.1 Parenting Styles

Parenting is a critical aspect of child up bringing in every family and society. Hence, family is the

smallest unit that constitutes the society. What comes up as a result of this training affect the society

either positively or negatively due to the time young children spend in the presence of their parents,

it seems logical to conclude that the family environment has a marked influence on their lives.

Through interactions with their parents, children become aware of the consequences of their actions

and of others’ expectations of them. This early socialization process therefore, appears to be a means

by which children come to internalize a sense of what is right and of what is wrong. (Ludwig &

Duncan 2016).These parenting styles includes, democratic, autocratic and laissez-faire.

Parenting according to Okpako (2014) is the act of parenthood, the child upbringing, training and

rearing or child education. Parents world over, are in search of greener pasture, and for some

decades, there has been drift of families from their place of origin to urban cities. Inman, Howard,

Beaumont and Walker (2011) opined that parents are often faced with the complex task of parenting

their children within a culture that is notably dissimilar from their culture of origin. Inman, Howard,

Beaumont and Walker (2011) opined that parents are often faced with the complex task of parenting

their children within a culture that is notably dissimilar from their culture of origin. According to

9
Boroffice (2013) and Hyssong (2010), the incidence of parental separation may result in

adolescents’ embarrassment, depression and even make them to miss school, perform poorly

academically and participate in delinquent behaviours. So, parenting styles are the method use in

guiding, training and schooling a child from a formative year to adulthood in order to fit in to the

expected objective of the parents and the society.

The persistence aspects of parental rearing styles of children which are strong discipline, parental

disharmony, rejection of the child and inadequate involvement in the child‘s activities cause

delinquency among adolescents. (Okorodudu & Okorodudu, 2013). Some research reports have

shown that a large percentage of delinquents come from homes that lacked normal parental love and

care. Attention, love and warmth go a long way in assisting the child‘s emotional development and

adjustment (Odebunmi, 2017). In fact, children at adolescence stage require parental love, care,

warmth and serious attention to adjust adequate, in the environment in which he/she finds

him/herself. Parent has major roles to play in the adjustment process of adolescent. The behavioral

problems of most deviants are rooted in their homes (Onyehalu 2013). Otuadah (2016) noted that

when the relationship between the parent and the adolescent is warm, it creates a healthy

environment for the development of the adolescent.

Adolescents exhibiting traits of friendliness, cheerfulness, positive emotions and good maturity,

show evidently, that such adolescent comes from home where they are accepted and love. Okpako

(2014) observed that a child well brought up will remain a source of joy and happiness for such

family. The neglected adolescent gradually becomes a drug addict, hardened criminal, aggressive,

restive, arm robbers, cultist, rituals and rapist and so on. The required parental monitoring and

control for adolescent‘s development may be hindered due to parents’ serious involvement in

economic activities outside their homes to meet up with family financial commitments. Ukoha

(2010), Onyewadume (2014) and Otuadah (2009) observed that parents spend little or no time at

home to assist in the upbringing of the children. The children invariably fall into evil association.

10
Loromeke (2011) is of the view that parents bring up their children according to the training they

also receive from their own parents. For example, many parent who grew up in the strict

environment end up getting such for their own children. African tradition has it that the use of high

control, authority and punishment bring the best out of a child.

2.2.2 Types of Parenting Style

Due to the proportion of time that young children spend in the presence of their parents. It seems

logical to conclude that the early family environment has a marked influenced on their lives.

Through interactions with their parents, children become aware of the consequences of their actions

and of others‘ expectations of them. So, the manner in which parents respond to their children‘s

training is what Baumrind (2011) referred to as parenting styles. Scholar have carried out researches

on parenting styles and came out with various type of parenting style among whom was Diana

Baumrind, a well-known parenting style researcher in the year 1966. She combined the ranges of

parenting behaviours that affect the level of control clarity of communication, maturity demands and

nurturance as four important dimensions of parenting (Bornstein & Zlotnik, 2012). Besides that,

Baumrind mentioned that parenting behavior consist of two dimensions which are responsiveness,

that is, parental support, and demandingness-also known as parental control. Based on the above

dimensions, Baumrind (2011) in conjunction with Huver, Otten, Vries and Engel (2007) identifies

three types of parenting styles known as the Democratic, Autocratic, Laissez- faire, otherwise

known as authoritative, authoritarian and permissive parenting styles.

2.2.3 Democratic/Authoritative Parenting Style

Hertherington and Parke (2009) stated that parents on this parenting style are high on responsiveness

and demandingness. These parents value both instrumental and expressive attributes, for example,

discipline conformity and freedom of self-will, yet they assume ultimate responsibility for the

behaviour of their children. They are mindful of their own rights and also acknowledge their

11
children‘s idiosyncratic ways. Authoritative parents set clear standards of behavior which take into

account the developing capabilities and needs of the child. They guide their children‘s activities

firmly and consistently require them to participate in the functioning of the household by helping out

with chores. When dealing with issues of discipline, democratic parents engage their children in

dialogue in a rational, issue – oriented manner. Moreover, authoritative parents are considered warm

and responsive to the needs of the children. They are effectively responsive by being loving,

committed and supportive. They are also cognitively responsive by providing a situating and

challenging home environment. Pellerin (2009 in agrees with Mackay (2016) that authoritative or

democratic parents apply firm control and require their children to obey with a reasonable set of

rules and guidelines.

2.2.4 Autocratic/Authoritarian Parenting Style

Pellerin (2015) in consonance with Baumrind (2010) stated that authoritarian or autocratic parent

apply firm control and require their children to obey with a reasonable set of rules and guidelines.

They are high on demandingness and low on responsiveness. They value obedience and favour

punitive, forceful means. For example, the use of power assertion to curb the self-will of their

children. They attempt to shape, control and evaluate the behaviour and attitudes of the child in

accordance with a set absolute standard of conduct.

Autocratic parents attempt to inculcate conventional values such as respect for authority and the

preservation of order and traditional structure. Because these parents believe that their offspring

should accept their rules and expectations without question, they do not encourage verbal give-and-

take or discipline-related matters. This style ultimately does not foster their children‘s autonomy, but

instead restrict independent behavior (Hsieh, 2013). Huver, Otten, Vries and Engel (2012) points out

that compliance, conformity, strict parental control and respect for authority are the major concern

of authoritarian parents. They prefer exercising high degree of demands on their children rather than

nurturance and open communication.

12
They punish when they disobey the strict rules and regulation which are set. They utilize control to

make disciplinary decisions, while harsh forms of punishment are discouraged. Dwairy&Menshar

(2015) opined that democratic parenting style provides warmth, love and acceptance for their

children in other to educate them to become progressively more autonomous. They further noted

that an important characteristic of the democratic parent is the use of verbal give-and-take between

parents and children. Open communication and reciprocal dialogue can be found within this style of

parenting.

Odebunmi (2012) and Okapko (2011) identified some factors which will make for democratic

parenting as: Provision of children‘s needs: good food, shelter, love, warmth, affection, education,

control, monitoring, dialogue, supervision and so on. According to Darling (2010), democratic

parenting styles have been shown to help American teenagers earn good grades, avoid delinquency,

and also enhance ethnic pride in teens who are ethnic minorities. He also opines that parenting style

predicts child well – being in the domains of social competence, academic performance, and good

behavior.

However, factors which constitute negative or poor parenting were identified as: parental harshness,

aggression, lack of love affection and care, adequate monitoring and supervision and lack of control

to mention but a few. These and others conditions may put the adolescents in to delinquent

behaviors. These are the characteristics of an autocratic parenting. It tends to be high on

demandingness and low in responsiveness (Huver, et.al, 2013). He also further stated that

compliance, conformity, strict parental control and respect for authority are the major concern of

autocratic parents. They prefer exercising high degree of demands on their children rather than

nurturance and open communication. Children from autocratic homes will be punished when they

disobey the strict rules and regulations which are set by their parents. Authoritarian parents usually

discourage autonomy and disallowed decision making by their children (Bornstein & Zlotnik, 2014).

13
Gould & Martindale (2012) stated two types thus, which are non – Authoritarian – directive and

authoritarian – directive.

The non-authoritarian – directive parents are directive but will not either be tyrannical in their use of

power while authoritarian– directive parents are highly autocratic in the way they use their power.

2.2.5 Laissez- Faire/Permissive Parenting Style

Permissive or laissez-faire parents are high on responsiveness, but low on demandingness. These

parents interact with their children in a passive manner, of avoiding the use of power when dealing

with issues of discipline. They view themselves as resource available to the children, the children

may or may not choose to use. Laissez-faire parents are likely to view discipline as an infringement

upon the freedom of their offspring, which they believe impinges upon their healthy development.

Consequently, these parents attempt to behave in a non – punitive, accepting and affirmative manner

toward their children‘s impulses, desires and actions. Spera (2015) sees laissez-faire parents as

setting no rules and the adolescents is permitted to do what he / she thinks is right. These is the

underlying believe that the wrong done, they will learn from the consequences of his act that is

wrong. That learning by experience, as it says experience is the best teacher. He further stated that

adolescents’ who have grown up in laissez-faire homes tend to become spoiled. They tend to be

uncooperative and in considerate with peers. Also, they lack control, are rebellious, hostile and

aggressive. Looking at the opinion of Baumrind (2011), permissive parents are non-controlling and

one who make few demands on the child. Generally, they are warm and allow the children to control

their own behaviours and establish their own guidelines without any specific standards. Children are

consulted on family decisions and issues. Lesser faire parenting raises children who are immature

and low in responsibility.

Hertherington and Parke (2011), the effect of the laissez-faire style of parenting on the child‘s

behaviour include self-reliance, independence and discipline that generate a certain amount of anger

14
by preventing the child from doing motivated acts, that it communicates some disapproval by the

parents and that it affects the learning or socially desirable behavior when parent for example,

condone cheating, the adolescent‘s attitudes towards it becomes lenient. Santrock, (2012) observe

that, parents described as laissez-faire allowed their adolescents to have more influence than the

parents themselves had in decision making.

2.2.6 Relationship between Parenting Style and Delinquent Behavior

The style used in parenting children by their parents could determine their emotional stability which

could either make or mare them. Harsh and inconsistent parenting is the main cause of conduct

disorders. The persistence aspects of parental disharmony, rejection of the child and inadequate

involvement in the child‘s activities cause delinquency among delinquency among adolescents

(Okorodudu 2009). One major components of parental control is monitoring behavior. Studies have

shown that parental monitoring is associated with lower level of delinquency.(Hoeve, Dubas,

Vander & Garvis 2010). Delinquent youths may have parents who are often not aware of what they

are doing and who and where they are spending their time. In addition, with less attention paid to

their daily activities, youths have more opportunities to participate in delinquent activity (Peterson

& Stouthamer 2014).

Autocratic parents are often strict and in some families unfair in punishing their children. Rigid

discipline can be harmful to a child as he or she is maturing. Laissez- faire parenting do not impose

rules on their children, their children can do what they want. Lamborn, Mount, Steinberg and

Dornbusch (2011) have found out from research, that adolescents who characterized their parents as

democratic reported significantly higher academic competence, lower level of delinquent behavior

and higher level of psychosocial development. Loeber and Stouthamer (2016) also posited that lack

of parental supervision, discipline, emotional support and rejection are the significant factors in

predicting delinquency in adolescents.

15
2.2.7 Peer Pressure

Peer pressure could be seen as the influence exerted by peer group in encouraging a person to

change his or her attitudes, values or behavior to conform to the group of people who are relatively

of the same age and come from same social group e.g. school, ethnic, religion and so on. Vigdor

(2011) defines peer pressure as collections of adolescent identified by interests, attitudes, abilities

and personal characteristics they have in common. Peer Pressure according to Burion, Ray and

Mehta (2013) plays a role in the development of negative outcomes such as poor academic

adjustment, social anxiety. They also stated that research on peer pressure has demonstrated that the

influence of peers peaks in middle adolescence and begins a gradual decline in later adolescence.

Adolescence is a period in human development characterized by transition from childhood to

adulthood. One of the most important transitions occurring during adolescence is the rise of peer

pressure. Peer pressure provide an idea not only for the acquisition and maintenance of friendships,

but also for the development of social skills e.g. good interpersonal relationship, social problem

solving such as; lying, stealing, cheating and so on. Brown (2010) observed that the study of peer

pressure in adolescence has shown to be important to the development of adolescents as it open up

to the society, the gravity of this pressure on the adolescence. It also helps to understand adolescent

friendships and their correlates e.g. juveniles’ delinquency substance abuse among others.

Peer group plays major role on adolescent delinquency. For example, the antisocial peer groups are

often seen as the predictor of delinquent behavior (Lipsey &Derzon, 2014).The influence of peer

pressure on delinquent behaviour seems to be strong, regardless of ethnic group membership. Many

ethnic group comparisons of peer influence on behaviour have found that those with peers group,

participating in negative behaviour are more likely to engage in this behaviour as well, regardless of

ethnicity. (Choi, Harachi, Gillmore and Catalano, 2016) and (Walker –Barnes & Mason, 2021). Peer

pressure provide adolescents with the attitudes, motivation that support delinquent behaviour and

they provide opportunities to engage in specific delinquent acts (Cashwell & Vacc, 2016).

16
There is strong evidence that parenting styles and peer pressure contribute to delinquent behaviours.

Evidence like, parents exerting control over the peer relationships of their adolescents. (Mounts,

2014). For example, parents may manage adolescent peer relationships by selecting neighborhoods

to live in, helping their children meet new friends and avoid bad ones, and offer advice on how to

manage friendships and resolve conflict. Warr (2013) suggested that, adolescents who spent more

time with their parents and spend less time with their peers, may be less delinquent in behaviours.

Similarly, Dillon, Pantin, Robin and Szapocznik (2012) agreed with the above assertion, when they

carried out a research among Latin and African American delinquent behaviours, parenting styles

and peer pressure.

They explained the relationship between family training and delinquency, although the models

differed across groups. Brown (2014) agreed with the above when he asserted that the effects of peer

pressure are stronger during adolescence than in adulthood. Indeed a recent experimental study

found that exposure to peers during a risk – taking task double the amount of risky behaviour among

middle adolescents (Baron & Kenny 2016). As adolescents begin to sort themselves into groups, an

actual pressure to adopt the styles, values and interests of one‘s friends may intensify as they use

social influence to foster uniformity within their group and to develop a group identity that

distinguishes them from other students. This process of regulation may be a powerful force during

middle adolescence.

Again, peer influence in adolescence may be due to changes individuals’ susceptibility to peer

pressure. This pressure may lead adolescents to want to alter their behaviour in order to fit in,

because, they care more about what their friends think of them, they are more likely to go along with

the crowd to avoid being rejected (Brown, 2016). Furthermore, most studies of susceptibility to peer

influence have asked adolescents to respond to hypothetical dilemmas in which they are presented

with two courses of action: One that conforms to peer pressure to engage in a particular behaviour

17
for example, sneaking into a movies theater and one that stands against peer influence and refuses to

conform.

Respondents are then asked how they would behave and to indicate their degree of confidence in

their answer. In general, most studies using this approach show that conformity to peers is higher

during early adolescence (Santrock, 2011).

2.2.8 Relationship between Peer Pressure and Delinquent Behaviour

Adolescence are susceptible to their peer due to the nature of their age. They seems to believe their

peers more than their parents. This could be because they spend much time with their peers.

Consequently, they are mostly delinquent hence, they are left in the cold hands of their peers who

determine their pattern of behavior. Peer group has a socializing influence on adolescent

delinquency. Delinquent peer are often seen as the most robust predictor of delinquent behaviour

(Lipsey and Derzon, 2013). The influence of peer delinquency seems to be strong regardless of

ethnic group membership, Kim & Got (2010) discovered from research that many ethnic

comparisons of peer influence on delinquent behavior have found that those with peers participating

in negative behavior are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior regardless of ethnicity.

Peers provide adolescents with the attitudes, motivation and rationalization that supports delinquent

behavior and they provide opportunities to engage in specific delinquent acts (Cashwell et al 2016).

More so, delinquent behaviors are often committed in groups and has been found to be more peer-

oriented than other adolescents not only do adolescents learn how to behave delinquently from peers

but within their peer network, they are able to practice and act these behaviors (Seydlits& Jenkins,

2018). Mount (2014) posited that there are evidences that both presenting style and peer pressure

contribute to delinquent behavior but the extent to which delinquency occur is not certain with both

variables. Also, evidence suggest that parents also exert control over the peer relationships of their

adolescents for example parents may manage adolescents peer relationships by selecting

18
neighborhood‘s to live in, helping their children meet new friends and avoid bad ones, or offer

advise on how to manage friendships and resolve conflicts.

Adolescents who spent more time with their parents spent less time with their peers, which would

prevent them from developing delinquent behavior. Similarly, parents monitoring may help the

adolescent avoid being involved with delinquent peers. Also, parental monitoring of peers explained

the relationship between family functioning and delinquency.

2.2.9 Influence of laissez-faire parenting on delinquent behavior

Finally, adolescents raised in a laissez-faire homes report the lowest levels in all categories. Loeber

and Stouthamer – loweber (2016) found similar result in their study. They listed parental

characteristics associated with children developing delinquent behaviour. They identified lack of

supervision, no discipline, lack of emotional support and rejection as the most significant factors in

predicting delinquency in adolescents. A lack of emotion support and rejection are characteristics of

an autocratic parenting style. This would potentially be harmful to a child growing up in that

environment. Another study links parental case with high levels of psychological distress, which

leads to delinquency. Chambers, Power, Loucks and Swanson (2021) found that high parental

control, such as in an autocratic parenting style, leads to a faster first arrest. They also discovered

that low parenting case, like laissez-faire parenting style is related to high levels of distress in

adolescents. School problems are related to parental attitudes.

Dornbush, Ritter, and Cherin (2018) found that when parents keep an eye on their children and are

genuinely interested in what their children are involved in their grades are better. These parental

behaviours seem to be characteristic of democratic parenting style. If this is true, it can be assumed

that the opposite may be true for Laissez-faire. One could predict more school problems among

adolescence whose parents do not monitor where they are and do not pay attention to their school

performance. It is believed that parents have an important role as both a socialising and control

19
agent over their children‘s behaviour. One major component of parental control is monitoring

behaviour studies have shown that parental monitoring is associated with lower levels of

delinquency.

Delinquent youth, may have parents who are often not aware of what they are doing and who and

where they are spending their time. In addition, with less attention paid to their daily activities,

youth have more opportunities to participate in delinquent activity. Several studies have shown that

adolescents who are raised in homes characterised by democratic parenting (i.e. parenting that is

warm but firm) are more mature and less likely to engage in risk-taking behaviour. The specific

parenting behaviours required to achieve the balance of parental support, maturity demands and

control reflected in the democratic style are complex and require subtle shifts over times as

children‘s developmental needs change. Effective parenting include parental nurturance or a level of

emotional warmth, support and acceptance, active interest and involvement in the life of the child

versus mild or extreme forms of laissez-faire and clear, reasonable expectations and standards for

appropriate behaviour with explicit rules and consequences for transgressions versus low levels of

demand or excessive attempts to control behaviour.

Studies conducted by Baum rind, 2011, Gray and Steinberg, 2019, Lamborn et al, 2011,

Radzisewska, Ricardson, Dent and Flay (2016). Using different youth outcomes of delinquency also

supported the idea that, compared to the democratic style, laissez-fare style of parenting corresponds

with children‘s poorest performance, whereas autocratic parenting occupied an intermediate

position. Although those studies provided evidence that the combination of high level of parental

warmth democratic and strictness autocratic represented the best parenting strategies.

2.2.10 Influence of peer pressure on delinquent behaviour.

Sekuku, Rimfat, and Ogbonna (2013) opined that Peer pressure is one of the determinants of

adolescence‘s behaviours. The behavior could be positive or negative depending on where this

20
determinants swing. Therefore, literatures have reviewed peer pressure as it affects delinquent

behaviours but not much has been done in this area.

Literatures would be reviewed alongside the above variable. Research has supported the notion that

friendship becomes increasingly important in early to middle adolescence, supplementing and

perhaps exceeding the role that parents play (Brown, 2014). The research clearly reported increasing

perceived importance and prevalence of cliques within their schools over the parent‘s opinion.

Building on these findings, Okpako (2014) in his own opinion suggested that beginning in early

adolescence, individual peer pressure begin to grow in complexity and size. So, at this stage,

adolescent tilt toward friendship and if bad friends, it leads to delinquency. Johnson and Fennell

(2012), said research has linked the peer pressure to the development of individual delinquency in

the late childhood and adolescence. In a study of 665 in 5ththrough 8th grade children, in four

Canadian elementary schools.

Individual youths self-reported deviant behavior was significantly predicted by the mean level of

deviant behavior reported by the other individuals within their peer group about 95 days earlier. This

effect remained after taking into account the individual youth‘s initial report of deviant behavior.

The peer group representation in this case constructed using the social cognitive map procedure

which asks all participants to report on the peer pressure on themselves as well as the rest of their

class. Youth that were linked by their peers more were less influenced by their peer groups than

were youth that disliked by their peers. The authors concluded that this study demonstrated the

socialization influence of the peer group on future deviant behavior.

A research carried out by Okon (2011) revealed that rating of friends pressure based on their

responses collected were found to have no significant difference across participating parenting styles

.F (3.94)=3.93, P< .05, post comparisons across participating parenting styles did not reveal any

significant differences in the ratings of participants‘ friends on responses. Simple effects test for

participants which were used to clarify the three-way parenting styles and level of participants’
21
friends reconfirm that the friends in the lesser faire parenting styles endorse delinquent behavior.

Delinquency is a widespread problem that impacts society negatively in many ways. Not only are

youth physically injured from these behaviours they also become part of the juvenile justice

landscape. The rate of delinquency is disproportionately high among ethnic minority youths – 56%

of the African youth minority tribes reported engaging in a delinquent behaviour by age 17

compared to only 28% of other major tribes (Johnson & Fennell 2012).

They also reported that overall rate of incarceration for the minority adolescents was 60% greater

than that of the majority. Contrary to the model minority myth, majority tribes are increasingly

becoming involved in delinquent behaviours. Given that each ethnic group has unique cultural

norms and experiences, the predictors of delinquency may differ across different groups. Although

numerous studies have found particular risk and protective factors for adolescent delinquency.

Fewer studies have evaluated whether the same developmental models apply to adolescents of

different ethnic backgrounds studies have examined the link between parental monitoring and

delinquency within each ethnic group, the empirical focus on the ethnic variation in the role of

parental monitoring is limited. There are virtually no studies that evaluated differences among

various ethnic groups across the globe. Burton (2017) found that lack of parental involvement is

strongly associated with delinquency for minority ethnic groups but not for the majority group

adolescents. Peers provide adolescents with the attitudes, motivation and rationalizations that

support delinquent behaviour and they provide opportunities to engage in specific delinquent acts.

Eke (2014) observed that causes of delinquency tend to find theoretical explanations in the

interaction between biological and social factors. The genetic makeup of individuals can predispose

adolescent‘s engagement in delinquent activities. Chromosomal abnormalities among the adolescent

may predispose them to delinquent behaviors. She further emphasized the importance of extended

family ties in other culture as well as the strong identification and attachment of individuals with

their families. In Africa, parents expand beyond immediate mother and father to include members of

22
the extended family, neighbours and every other persons who in one way or the other is involved in

upbringing of the child (Okpako, 2014). Communication between parents and adolescents is very

essential in molding the delinquent behaviour. One possible explanation is that findings may vary

depending on when communication is initiated for example to correct a child, it is before or after

parents discover their children are sexually active or using drugs. The quality of parent- child

relationship or the family values available in the household matters.

SekukuRimfat, and Ogbonna (2013) in their research found that there was no significant difference

in delinquency between the two categories males and females. They noted that until recently male

adolescents were by far more involved in delinquent acts than female. But times have changed, more

and more females are now getting involved in delinquent acts. Delinquent behavior is seen as a

major or minor law breaking by youths under the age of 18 (Berger, 2010). Some examples of major

law-breaking are murder, rape prostitution, examination malpractices, truancy, drug usage and

robbery. Minor law-breaking refers to behaviours against the law. Flanagan and Maguire (2012)

carried out research and discovered that in 1990, 62.6% of the total arrests of juveniles were for

minor crimes. Of this 62.6%, 18.6% were arrested for status offenses such as; truancy, underage,

drinking, curfew violations and drug usage. Since most juvenile offenders commit minor offenses,

much literature examines delinquency related behaviours. For example, a study conducted by the

Bureau of labor statistics (2018) examined patterns of drug use in 12 to 16 year old adolescents.

They found that 42% of adolescents have smoked cigarettes and 20% have smoked in the last month

of the research year. The study also showed that 39% of adolescents have used alcohol and 21%

have used alcohol in the last month. Jessild, Brook and Brook (2018) concluded in their research

that illicit drug use as a result of delinquent behavior has increased since 1992. They reported that

approximately 65% have smoked cigarettes, 81% used alcohol and 49% used marijuana. They

further opined that, the underlining factors could be the relationship between individual use of drugs

and the drug taking behavior of peer group, older siblings or parents. With these delinquent

23
behaviours, youths often face problems at schools- they have little interest in school, which leads to

poor academic outcome. Some fight their peers, vandalize school property hypothetically, these

research results reflect Nigerian society.

2.3 Theoretical Framework

The following theories were reviewed in line with the variables in this study. Albert Bandura social

learning theory, Deci and Ryan self-determination theory (SDT) and Emile Durkheim Sociological

theory.

2.3.1 Bandura Social Learning Theory (1960s - 1970s)

This theory explains parent-child relationships. This is associated with the ideas and findings of

(Mcleod, 2011) as earlier propounded by Albert Bandura. Social learning theories posits that those

children‘s real life experiences and exposures directly or indirectly shape behaviours. Also if a child

receives an immediate reward for his/her behavior, such as getting parental attention or approval,

then that child is likely to behave well. But when the child is ignored or punished, he/she may drop

the good behavior for bad. This method according to Bandura is called traditional behavioral

principle of reinforcement and conditioning.

Balarabe, (2013) agreed with this when he opined that adult, leaders, and role-models behaved in

certain ways which they copy by the processes of imitation and identification.

The model suggests that children learn strategies about managing their emotions, resolving disputes

and engaging with others not only from their experiences, but also from the way their own reactions

were responded to.

2.3.2 Deci and Ryan Self-Determination Theory (SDT) (1970s)

24
According to Deci and Ryan, (2018). They use the concept of innate, psychological needs to

understand human motivation. All human beings have the fundamental needs to feel competent and

autonomous in order to develop and function optimally. Self-determination theory suggest that

children have an innate tendency toward mastery of their environment and that the internalization of

values, behaviours and attitudes in the social environment is not rehearsed. Self-determination

theory therefore, highlights the role of social context which can either facilitate children‘s intrinsic

motivation.

2.3.3 Durkheim Sociological Theories (1890s - 1910s)

Sociologists have examined the role of societal factors to explain delinquent behaviour. They study

the interrelationships between individual, socio-economic groups, social processes and societal

structures. Kris berg (2015) a sociologist explained that socio-economic conditions and pressures

shape individual and collective behaviour which may lead to delinquent behaviours. Again,

inequality and deprivation are associated with delinquents’ behaviours. Conditions such as; poor

educational achievement, inadequate housing and family dysfunction lead to delinquent behaviours.

Durkheim (2014) clearly stated that delinquent behaviours arise between dominant groups and

Subordinate classes, races, genders, political groups, ethnic groups and religious affiliations. This is

seen when they have often underrated the have-not, with the latter being labeled as criminals and

can at best be controlled by social institutions rather than completely eradicated. Therefore,

sociologist quite believed that delinquent behavior and most social misbehaviors are learned and that

it is learned in the process of social interactions (Sykes & David, 2019) these theories clearly

indicated the dynamic nature of human behavior vis-a-vis delinquency.

2.4 Review of Empirical Studies

Ajiboye (2015) Conducted a research on the influence of parenting styles and peer pressure on

delinquent behaviors among Senior Secondary School Students in Kaduna metropolis. To do this,

25
four objectives, four research questions research hypotheses and four basic assumptions were

formulated. Also, correlational design was adopted and data was collected from 320 students (male

=164 (51.2%); female = 156 (48.8%)) age range 14 – 19years drawn from the ten purposively

selected schools with the population of 2256 in Kaduna metropolis. Data was collected using

parenting style questionnaire that covers democratic parenting style, autocratic parenting style, and

Laissez-faire parenting style. Peer Pressure Questionnaire and Delinquent Behaviour Questionnaire

were also used. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using Pearson‘s Product

Moment Correlation at the .05 levels of significance to test the four hypotheses stated for the study.

Result revealed that there is a significant negative correlation r = -.188; p < .001 between

Democratic Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour which implies that children from homes

where Democratic Parenting Style is used are less likely to be delinquents.Autocratic Parenting

Style and Delinquent behaviour among students strongly and positively correlate r = .504; p

< .000and Laisser-faire Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour r = .662; p < .000 thereby strongly

suggesting that children from homes where Autocratic Parenting Style and Laisser-faire Parenting

Style is practiced are strongly likely to be delinquents. Peer Pressure was also found to strongly

encourage Delinquent behaviour among students r = .683; p < .000.Based on this findings it was

recommended that Parents should adopt a democratic parenting style in the upbringing of their

children. This should involve discussing problems with their children and setting rules that will

guide the behaviour of the children. Autocratic and laissez-faire parenting style should be avoided as

it has a significance relationship with delinquent behaviour. Students should be guided in making

good friends to reduce peer pressure resulting from keeping bad friends.

This study is similar with the present study in terms of independent variable of the study (delinquent

behaviour).

John (2018), Considerable research has addressed whether various academic factors affect

involvement in delinquent behavior among youth. Yet few studies have assessed the association

26
between academic underachievement and delinquency. Academic underachievement is defined as

school performance, such as measured by grades, that falls below what is predicted by standardized

tests of mental/cognitive ability. Using two waves of longitudinal data (n = 11,223), this study

aimed to evaluate this association and determine if it is affected by school attachment, family

relations, parental education, or selfcontrol. The results of the empirical model suggested a modest

association between academic underachievement and delinquent behavior, but it was partially

attenuated by attention deficits, an indicator of low self-control. Additional analyses indicated that

attention deficits were associated with both underachievement and delinquent behavior.

This study is similar with the present study in terms of independent variable of the study (delinquent

behaviour).

Developmental research demonstrates that democratic parenting predicts many positive outcomes

for children and adolescents when compared with autocratic and Laissez – faire. Parenting style

study with toddlers, mothers and their children were video-taped while they performed various tasks

by Dishon and Dodge (2016). The mother was asked to prohibit the child from touching attractive

objects. Video tapes were coded for the type of control used by mothers. Gentle guidance a concept

similar to democratic parenting was defined as controlling the child‘s behavior in a manner that was

not power assertive e.g. using polite requests, positive comments and suggestions. Negative control

concept similar to autocratic parenting was defined as using threats, harsh interventions and negative

statements. Next, the children were left alone with the prohibited attractive objects for a few minutes

to measure the degree to which they had internalized the prohibition. Results showed that children‘s

compliance was associated with maternal use of gentle guidance. Moreover, mothers who used

gentle guidance were more likely to have children who showed a high level of committed

compliance across various tasks. Compared to situational compliance which refers to superficial

obedience to request, committed compliance reflects a genuine eagerness to adopt the mother’s

agenda and is considered the genesis form of internalization and self-regulation (Dishon et al.,

27
2016). Developmental research demonstrates that democratic parenting predicts many positive

outcomes for children and adolescents when compared with autocratic and Laissez – faire. (Coplan,

Hastings, Lagace – Seguin & Moulton, 2012). Research has identified the outcome for children

raised with the different parenting styles.

Dornbusch (2011) found that adolescents who characterized their parents as democratic reported

significantly higher academic competence, lower levels of delinquent development. Adolescents

raised in autocratic homes were similar to those in democratic homes. However, they did not show

as much self-reliance and social competence. The democratic style of parenting is the other studies

conducted in countries with a diversity of cultural values led Knafo and Schwartz (2013) to claim

that the benefits of the democratic parenting transcended the benefits of ethnicity, socio-economic

status and household composition. Additionally, results from studies with poor families also

questioned the idea that the democratic parenting style was also associated with delinquency for

example, Leung, Lau and Lam (2019) found differences in the relationship with democratic

parenting. Dwairy, Achoui, Abouserie and Fara (2015) found that in Arab societies autocratic

parenting did not harm adolescents‘ delinquency as it did in western societies. On the other hand,

another set of studies suggested adolescents who characterize their parents as laissez-faire obtain

equal or higher scores on different delinquency than adolescent who described their parents as

democratic. In another study with German adolescents, those who perceived their parents as laissez-

faire seemed to show a distinctive better psychosocial adjustment by scoring lowest on delinquency

and anxiety ratio and showing high level of active coping.

Baumrind (2011) carried out research on parenting styles and found out that adult who remembered

authoritative parenting i.e. democratic parenting is linked with more positive behavior outcomes

compared with those who recalled the autocratic parenting. Bingham eta l (2016) generally observed

that men had greater number of offence than women in their research work. The outcome of their

28
behavior also shows that men had lower parental monitoring and greater parental democracy, less

parental oriented and had more substance use than women.

Some researches had shown that gender is not a significant factor in adolescent‘s deviant behavior

and subsequent effect on academic achievement (Trivellor, Onyechi, and Okere, 2017). Boys with

poor parental background may become school dropouts who may later graduate to streets boys, bus

conductors or touts.

Influence of autocratic parenting on delinquent behaviour Lamborn, Mount, Steinberg and Dornbush

(2011). supported this research, they said adolescents from autocratic and lasses-fare families would

perfume better in a youth outcomes examined when compared to adolescents from laissez-fare

families were less clear as they showed a mixture of positive and negative outcomes. Chambers et

al (2021) opined that adolescents from autocratic parents –stress but not warm-showed a reasonably

adequate position of obedience and conformity with norms. They did well in school and were less

likely than their peers to be involved in deviant activities. Conversely, they also manifest lower self-

reliance and self-competence and higher psychological distress. Adolescents from laissez-fare

families-warm but not strict-shoved high self-reliance and self-competence, but also showed higher

levels of substance abuse and school problems. Autocratic parenting, characterized by moderate to

high levels of control along with high levels of support. Is related to greater psychological well-

being and lower levels of depressive symptoms and substance use (Maccoby & Martin, 2013).

Given current efforts to enhance adult well-being in later life and lifespan development theories that

stress the influence of early parenting behaviour and adjustment in middle and late adulthood is

worth of examination. Yet, little is known about the connection between parenting styles

experienced in childhood and psychological and behavioural outcomes in adulthood. Parental

support is important because it predicts a strong sense of self-worth and security, great‘s

psychological well-being, and other positive outcomes. (Coplan, Hasting, Lagace-Seguin and

Moulton. 2012; Stein berg, 2011). Investigations of parenting behaviour experienced in childhood

29
and subsequent adult development are limited to parental discipline and considered in association

with a single negative outcome, such as personality disorder, depressive symptoms or substance

abuse (Carter, Joyce, Mulder & Luty, 2011; Sakado, Kuwabara, Sato, Uchara& Someya, 2010).

Autocratic parents that used negative discipline reported greater anxiety in adulthood (Gerisma,

Emmelkamp& Arrindell, 2020). Parents‘ use of either excessive or inadequate control also predicted

increased depressive symptoms in adulthood. Limited work has examined and recalled parenting

styles that encompass both parental support and control. Moreover, studies generally include a

single negative outcome and frequently are limited to clinical samples.

2.5 Review of the related Literature

Delinquent behaviours are growing problems in our society today. Cases of delinquent behaviours

are serially reported on daily basis. For example, the rate youth’s bonfire at Ilupeju, Lagos,

protesting an allegedly shot dead okada rider by a policeman. This resulted to breakdown of law and

order causing many people to close their shops and running back home. This and many are cases of

delinquent behaviours exhibited by the youths. The researcher sort to unearth the influence of

parenting styles and peer pressure on delinquent behaviors, a case study of Senior Secondary

Schools in Dutsin-Ma of Katsina State. The related literature reviewed in this study examined the

conceptual meaning of parenting styles peer pressure and delinquent behavior. Parenting is the

process of actively providing a safe, secure, nurturing environment for your children. It requires

flexibility to meet the needs of your children. Parenting is the standard strategies that parents use in,

their child upbringing, training and rearing with the inculcation of values, norms of the society in

order to be useful to the society. Peer pressure is the collections of adolescents identified by

interests, attitudes, abilities and personal characteristics they have in common. It is the influence

individual exerts that encourages others to change their attitudes, values or behaviours. Delinquent

behavior is any departure from the accepted norms by people who are not yet adult. The various

types of parenting styles were discussed thus, democratic, autocratic and laissez-faire. Albert
30
Bandura social learning theory social learning theory posited that those children‘s real life

experiences and exposures directly or indirectly shape behaviours. Also, Emile Durkheim

sociological theory was reviewed, it stated that the role of societal factors to explain delinquent

behaviour which was the interrelationships between individual, socio-economic groups, social

process and societal structure. He further explained that socio-economic conditions and pressures

shape individual and collective behaviour which may lead to delinquency. Again, the literature

reviewed to substantiate the findings of this research carried out on parenting styles and adolescent

delinquency, shows that there was no significant relationship between authoritarian parenting

styles and adolescent delinquency with F-ratio of .47, df=1/406, P>.05 level of confidence

which was not significant. Again, researches carried out on delinquent behavior shows that 62.6%,

18.6%, were arrested for status offenses such as; truancy, underage drinking and drug abuse.

Uniqueness of the research work

So much research work have been done in the area of parenting styles and peer pressure in relation

to anti-social behaviour, but this research work focused mainly on, among others the three parenting

styles of democratic, autocratic and laissez-faire, how they influence delinquent behaviour. Taking

peer pressure as an independent variable and how it influence delinquent behaviour. The finding

revealed uniquely that there is a significant negative relationship between democratic parenting style

and delinquent behaviour with r = - .188; p> .05 which implies that students from home where

democratic parenting style is used are less likely to be delinquent. This was in contrast to what

Okorodudu, (2010) reported that the use of democratic parenting does not relatively engender low

delinquency that the use of both autocratic and democratic parenting significantly played down

delinquent behaviour. This research revealed that the use of autocratic parenting engenders

delinquent behavioursignificantly, but Chambers et al (2011) opined that adolescents from

autocratic parents showed warm and adequate position of obedience and conformity with norm.

They did well in school and were less likely than their peers to be involved in deviant activities.

31
More so, in the research carried out by Eke, (2014) when he observed that peer pressure was not a

factor in delinquent behaviour, that it finds theoretical explanations in the interaction between

biological and social factors. But in contrast to this, the finding in this research work shows that

there is a positive significant relationship between peer pressure and delinquent behaviour with

correlation r = .683; p< .05. Also, this research work exposed that parents who have difficulty in the

application of different parenting style would find this work useful.

32
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the method to be used in the study. These include Research design,

ppopulation of the study, sample and sampling techniques, iinstrumentation, ppilot testing, vacidity

and reliability of the instrument, pprocedure for data collection and pprocedure for data analysis.

3.2 Research Design

Correlational design was used for this research because it test the degree to which two or more

attributes or measurements on the same group of elements shows a tendency to vary together. It is to

measure relationship between two variables as numerical values. For example, the words positive,

negative, strong and direct correlations are often used as modifiers. Also, it determines whether or

not two variable are correlated. This means, to study whether an increase or decrease in the other

variables. (Montgomery, 2012).

3.3 Population of the Study

The population of the study composed of 4214 male and female students in Senior Secondary

Schools in Dutsin-ma local goverment area of Katsina State. These schools are made up of day and

boarding, boys only, girls only, co-educational students and their age ranges between 15-19 years

Katsina State Ministry of Education (2014).

3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique

Using Krejcie and Morgan (2010) table for determining sample size from a given population, Three

Hundred and Twenty-seven (327) samples were used for this study. The Sample size was

determined using proportionate stratified random sampling technique to determine sample size for

33
each school where it states that the population of school divide by total population and multiply by

the sample size of each school.

3.5 Instrument for data collection

The researcher made use of five (5) instruments to collect the data for this research.

The five (5) instruments of Erinisha, (2012) were adopted for this work. The instruments are;

Democratic Parenting Questionnaire (DPQ), Autocratic Parenting Questionnaire (APQ), Laissez -

faire Parenting Questionnaire (LPQ) Peer Pressure Questionnaire and Delinquent Behaviour

Questionnaire (DBQ).

Democratic Parenting Questionnaire: This is used to measures democratic parenting and find out

from students how their parents exert discipline, conformity to rules and freedom of self-will on

them. It contains ten items (10).The respondents are asked to indicate the extent to which they

strongly agree, 4, agree, 3, disagree, 2, or strongly disagree, 1. Higher scores indicate higher

involvement in democratic parental influence.

Autocratic Parenting Questionnaire: This measures autocratic parenting this is to find out from

the students how their parents apply firm control, compel their children to obey rules and forceful

punitive measures. It has ten items (10). Respondents are asked to indicate the extent to which they

strongly agree, 4, agree, 3, disagree, 2, or strongly disagree, 1.

Lesser faire Parenting Questionnaire: This measures lesser faire parenting – this instrument

measures how parents of the respondents avoid the use of force in disciplining and the level of

freedom given to their children in decision making at home. It contains 10 items. They are to

indicate the extent to which they strongly agree, 4, agree, 3, disagree, 2, or strongly disagree,1.

34
Peer Pressure Questionnaire: The instrument measures how influence students are in their daily

activities with peer. It has fifteen items (15). It will be given to the respondents to find out the level

of influence their peers have on them.

Delinquent Behaviour Questionnaire: The instrument measures delinquent behaviours- this

instrument measures the level of delinquency exhibited by students. The respondents are asked to

indicate the extent to which they strongly agree, 4, agree, 3, disagree, 2, or strongly disagree, 1.

Scoring Procedure: Considering the research questions and hypotheses raised for the study.

Each column is provided with question items to give the best feeling of the respondent on the 4-

pointlikert scale that is Strongly Agree, Agree, Strongly Disagree, and Disagree. The scale will be

scored as follows: Strongly Agree = 4, Agree = 3, Strongly Disagree = 2 Disagree =1.

Higher scores indicate higher involvement in parental influence, peer pressure and delinquent

behaviour respectively. For example, student that scores 30-40 on democratic parenting style scale

shows that such student experience a democratic parent and vise-versa.

3.6 Validity and Reliability of the Instruments

3.6.1 Validity of the instruments

An instrument was valid when it is able to measure what it is designed to measure. To establish the

reliability index of Democratic Parenting Questionnaires (DPQ), Autocratic Parenting

Questionnaires (APQ), Laissez- Faire Parenting Questionnaires (LPQ) Peer Pressure Questionnaires

(PPQ), and Delinquent Behaviour Questionnaires (DBQ). The researcher made copy of the

questionnaires available to the supervisors and other experts from Educational Psychology and

Counselling Department, Federal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina to read, correct and make their

input, the observations were taken and incorporated.

35
3.6.2 Reliability of the instruments

To analyze the data collected for the study, test-re-test reliability technique on SPSS V.20 statistical

software was used. The Cronbach‘s Alpha reliability of test 1 shows- DPQ =0.775, APQ =0.807,

LPQ =0.823, PPQ = 0.849 and DBQ =0.891. While second test shows- DPQ=0.770, APQ=0.839,

LPQ=842, PPQ=0.943 and DPQ=0.809. These instruments are proven reliable for the study because

of the proposition that an instrument is considered reliable if it lays between 0.7 and 1.00 and the

closer it is to 1.00, the more reliable the instrument is. These instrument is therefore fit for the

purpose of this study. The table below shows the summary of statistics and internal consistency of

test-re-test reliability for the variables.

3.7 Procedures for Data Collection

To distribute the instrument to respondents, the researcher collected letter of introduction from the

Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling which was taken to the principals of the

target population for the administration of the questionnaires. Copies of 327 questionnaires plus (5)

five percent of the total questionnaires to take care of the mortality of the questionnaires that was

produced by the researcher for distribution to the target population Senior Secondary School

students of four (4) selected schools. The instruments weredistributed with the help of trained

research assistance recruited for this purpose and this took two weeks. After completion, the

researcher collected them for analysis.

3.8 Procedure for Data Analysis

The data collected from this study was subjected to statistical analysis. Pearson Product Moment

Correlation was used to test Hypotheses one, two three and four. This is because PPMC is used to

test the relationship between two variables. All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance.

36
 CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS

4.1 Introduction

This research work is aimed at investigating the influence of peer pressure and parenting styles

on student’s academic performance in Senior Secondary Schools in Dutsin-Ma LGA, Katsina

State. A total of 320 out of the sampled 327 respondents representing 98.3% were used for the

analysis. The Statistical package SPSS version 20 was used in the analysis of the data. The

descriptive statistics of frequency and percentages, was used for the analysis of demographic

data (sex, class, age, name of school and socioeconomic background of fathers, education and

occupation).The four research hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment

Correlation statisticsat 0.05 level of significance. The results were presented in the subsequent

sections of the chapter.

4.2 Analysis of respondent’s demographic

Table4.2.1 Analysis of respondent’s gender

Gender Frequency Percent

Male 164 51.2

Female 156 48.8

Total 320 100.0

Source:Researchers field work, 2024

The table above shows that 164 or 51.2% of the respondents are males while the rest 156

representing 48.8% are females.

37
Table4.2.2Analysis of respondent’s age

Agerangein years Frequency Percent

14-16 123 38.4

17-19 197 61.6

Total 320 100.0

Source:Researchers field work, 2024

The respondent classification according to their age shows that 123 or 38.4% are between

14-16 years as against 197 or 61.6% that fall within age range of 17-9 years.

Table4.2.3 Analysis of respondent’s Parents (father) level of education

P arents (father) level of education Frequency Percent

University degree and above 117 36.6

NCE /Diploma certificate 65 20.3

Secondary school certificate 87 27.2

Primary school certificate 31 9.7

No formal education 20 6.3

Total 320 100.0

Source:Researchers field work, 2024

According to the above on the socioeconomic background of the respondents above

involving their fathers educational level, 117 or 36.6% possess university degree and

above, while 65 or 20.3% possess NCE/DIPLOMA certificate as against 87 or 27.2% that

possess the secondary school certificates while 31 or 9.7% possess the primary school

certificate and the rest 20 or 6.3% possess the no formal education.

38
Table4.2.4 Analysis of respondent’s Parents (father) occupation

Parents (Father) occupation Frequency Percent

Millionaire businessman 27 8.4

Top executive/top administrator/top politician 23 7.2

Professional with degree e.g. med doctor, lecturer, engineers 74 23.1

Musician, traditional ruler, junior politician e.g. councilor 28 8.8

Small business owner with capital less than N100000 33 10.3

Junior civil servant with university degree 28 8.8

skilled manual worker e.g. mechanic, electrician, carpenter 53 16.6

Unskilled manual worker e.g. laborer, farmer, washman woodcutter 54 16.9

Total 320 100.0

Source:Researchers field work, 2024

The socio-economic background of their fathers’ occupation, 27 or 8.4% are into

millionaire business occupation, while 23 or 7.2% others into top executive top

administrative or top politicians. Another 74 or 23.1 are into professional jobs like

medical doctors university lecturers, engineers. A total of 28 or 8.8% of them are

musicians, traditional rulers and junior politicians, while 33 or 10.3% are small business

owner with capital less than N100000, as against 28 or 8.8% that are junior civil servant

with university degree as against 53 or 16.6% are skilled manual worker e.g. mechanic,

electrician, carpenter and the rest 54 or 16.9% are unskilled manual worker e.g. laborer,

farmer, washman woodcutter.

39
Hypotheses Testing

Null hypothesis one: There is no significant relationship between Democratic Parenting

Style and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma

Local Government Area, Katsina State.

Table4.3.1 Pearson’s correlation analysis between Democratic Parenting Style and

Delinquent behaviour

Variables N Mean Std. Dev. R P

DemocraticParentingStyle 320 31.221 4.849 -.188** .001

Delinquent behaviour 320 28.415 9.852

Source: Researchers field work, 2024

Table 4.3.1 revealed that there is a significant negative correlation r = -.188; p < 0.05 between

Democratic Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour, implying that children from homes

where Democratic Parenting Style is used are less likely to be delinquents. Therefore, the null

hypothesis which state that there is no significant relationship between Democratic Parenting

Style and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students is thereby rejected. It

implies that there was a significant relationship between Democratic Parenting Style and

Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local

Government Area, Katsina State.

Null hypothesis two: there is no significant relationship between Autocratic Parenting Style

and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local

Government Area, Katsina State.

40
Table4.3.2 Pearson’s correlation analysis between Autocratic Parenting Style and
Delinquent behaviour
Variables N Mean Std. Dev. R P

Autocratic Parenting Style 320 22.746 5.512 .504** .000

Delinquent behavior 320 28.415 9.852

Source: Researchers field work, 2024

Table 4.3.2 revealed that there is a strong positive and significant correlation r = .504; p <

0.05 between Autocratic Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour among students,

suggesting that children from homes where Autocratic Parenting Style is used are strongly

likely to be delinquents. Therefore, the null hypotheses which state that there is no significant

relationship between Autocratic Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour among senior

secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State is thereby

rejected. It implies that there was a significant relationship between Autocratic Parenting

Style and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local

Government Area, Katsina State.

Null hypothesis three: There is no significant relationship between Laisser-faire Parenting

Style and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local

Government Area, Katsina State.

Table 4.3.3 Pearson’s correlation analysis between Laisser-faire Parenting Style and
Delinquent behaviour
Variables N Mean Std. Dev. R P

Laisser-faire Parenting Style 320 18.034 6.744 .662** .000

Delinquent behavior 320 28.415 9.852

Source: Researchers field work, 2024

41
Table 4.3.3 result showed that there is a strong positive significant correlation r = .662; p

< 0.05between Laisser-faire Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour among students,

strongly suggesting that children from homes where Laisser-faire Parenting Style is used

are strongly likely to be delinquents. Therefore, the null which state that there is no

significant relationship between Laisser-faire Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour

among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina

State is thereby rejected. It implies that there was a significant relationship between

Laisser-faire Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school

students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State.

Null hypothesis four: There is no significant relationship between Peer Pressure and

Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local

Government Area, Katsina State.

Table4.3.4 Pearson’s correlation analysis between Peer pressure and Delinquent

behavior.

Variables N Mean Std. Dev. r P

Peer Pressure 320 32.640 8.008 .683** .000

Delinquent behavior 320 28.415 9.852

Source:Researchers field work, 2024

Table 4.3.4 showed that there was a strong positive significant correlation r = .683;p <

0.05 between Peer Pressure and Delinquent behaviour among students, thereby strongly

suggesting that Peer Pressure strongly encourages delinquent behaviour among students

and alone without considering other factors, account for 68.3% in causes of delinquent

behaviour. Therefore, the null hypothesis state that there is no significant relationship

between Peer Pressure and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students

42
in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State is thereby rejected. It implies that

there was a significant relationship between Peer Pressure and Delinquent behaviour

among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina

State.

4.3 Summary of findings

Based on the outcome of the analysis, the following are summary of findings;

i. There was a significant negative correlation between Democratic Parenting Style

and Delinquent behaviour, r=-.188;p< 0.05. The null hypothesis was rejected`

ii. There was a significant positive relationship between Autocratic Parenting Style

and Delinquent behaviour,r=.504;p<0 .05.The null hypothesis was also rejected

iii. Laisser-faire Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour among students is strongly

and positively correlated, r=.662;p<0.05.The null hypothesis was thereby rejected

iv. Peer Pressure strongly encourages delinquent behaviour among students is positive

and correlated. The null hypothesis was also rejected, with r= .683;p<0.05.

4.4 Discussion of Findings

The study revealed that significant negative correlation exists between Democratic Parenting

Style and Delinquent behaviour among students of Dustin ma metropolis, implying that

children from homes where Democratic Parenting Style is being used are less likely to be

delinquents. This was corroborated by Lamborn,etal.,(2017)who have found out from

research, that adolescents who characterized their parents as democratic reported significantly

higher academic competence, lower level of delinquent behavior and higher level of

psychosocial development. Hetherington and Parke (2018) also stated that parents on this

43
parenting style are high on responsiveness and demandingness. These parents value both

instrumental and expressive attributes, for example, discipline conformity and freedom of

self-will, yet they assume ultimate responsibility for the behaviour of their children. They are

mindful of their own rights and also acknowledge their children‘s idiosyncratic ways.

The result also showed that significant positive correlation exists between Autocratic

Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour among students, suggesting that children from

homes where Autocratic Parenting Style is used are strongly likely to be delinquents. In line

with this, Pellerin(2015) inconsonance with Baumrind(2016) stated that authoritarian or

autocratic parent apply firm control and require their children to obey with a reasonable set of

rules and guidelines. They are high on demandingness and low on responsiveness. They value

obedience and favour punitive, forceful means. Bornstein and Zlotnik (2018) stated that

compliance, conformity, strict parental control and respect for authority are the major concern

of autocratic parents. They prefer exercising high degree of demands on their children rather

than nurturance and open communication. Children from autocratic homes will be punished

when they disobey the strict rules and regulations which are set by their parents. Authoritarian

parents usually discourage autonomy and disallowed decision making by their children.

The study showed that Laissez-Faire Parenting Style was also found to be significantly and

positively correlated with delinquent behaviours. Result suggested that Laisser-faire Parenting

Style strongly encourage delinquent behaviours among adolescent. This finding is in

agreement with the finings of Spera (2015) submission that permissive parents set no rules

and the adolescents is permitted to do what he/she thinks is right. The underlying believe is

that children will learn by experience, as it says experience is the best teacher. Spera (2015)

further stated that adolescents’ who have grown up in permissive homes tend to become

spoiled. They tend to be uncooperative and in considerate with peers. Also, they lack control,

are rebellious, hostile and aggressive. Baumrind (2018) also stated that permissive parents

44
allow the children to control their own behaviours and establish their own guidelines without

any specific standards.

Peer pressure also showed a significant positive influence on delinquent behaviours among

adolescent students. Result suggested that Peer Pressure strongly encourages delinquent

behaviour among students and alone without considering other factors, account for 68.3% in

causes of delinquent behaviour. This finding is corroborated by Lipsey and Derzon (2018)

who reported that Peer group has a socializing influence on adolescent delinquency. That

Delinquent peer is often seen as the most robust predictor of delinquent behaviour. Kim &

Got (2019) also reported that the influence of peer delinquency seems to be strong regardless

of ethnic group membership. Kim & Got (2020) discovered from research that many ethnic

comparisons of peer influence on delinquent behavior have found that those with peers

participating in negative behavior are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior regardless

of ethnicity. Cash well etal., (2016) also stated that peers provide adolescents with the

attitudes, motivation and rationalization that supports delinquent Behavior and they provide

opportunities to engage in specific delinquent acts. Sekuku, Rimfat, and Ogbonna (2010)

opined that Peer pressure is one of the determinants of adolescence‘s behaviours. The

behavior could be positive or negative depending on where this determinants swing.

Therefore, literatures have reviewed peer pressure as it affects delinquent behaviours but not

much has been done in this area.

45
 CHAPTERFIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introduction

This chapter presented the summary, conclusion and recommendations on influence of peer

pressure and parenting styles on student’s academic performance in senior secondary schools

in Dutsin-ma LGA, Katsina State.

5.2 Summary

The main purpose of this study was to examine the influence of peer pressure and parenting

styles on students academic performance in Senior Secondary Schools in Dutsin-ma Local

Government Area. Hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The researcher employed

descriptive research design. The population of the study consists of 4214 male and female

students in Senior Secondary Schools in Dutsin-ma Local Government Area. The sample size

of the study consists of three hundred and twenty seven (327) male and female students in

senior secondary school in Dutsin-ma Local Government Area. The sampling technique used

for the study was proportionate stratified research sampling technique. The instrument that

was used for data collection in the study was a self-structured questionnaire titled: “Influence

of Peer Pressure and Parenting Styles on Students Academic Performance in Senior

Secondary Schools” (IPPPSSAPSSS). The null hypotheses was tested using t-test statistical

tool at a significance level of 0.05. The findings of the study revealed that the relationship

between democratic parenting style is inversely proportional to delinquent behaviour while

the relationship existing between autocratic parenting style, laissez- faire parenting style and

peer pressure is directly proportional.

46
5.3 Conclusion

The study investigated the influence of peer pressure on delinquent behaviour in selected

Senior Secondary Schools in Dustin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State. Based on the

findings, the researcher concluded that there was a significant relationship between

Democratic Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school

students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State, It was also concluded that there

was a significant relationship between Autocratic Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour

among senior secondary school students in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State.

Finally, the researcher concluded that there was a significant relationship between Laisser-

faire Parenting Style and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school students in

Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State, and that there was a significant

relationship between Peer Pressure and Delinquent behaviour among senior secondary school

students in Dutsin-Ma and Local Government Area, Katsina State.

5.4 Recommendations

The following recommendations were made to guide the study;

1. Parents should adopt a democratic parenting style in the upbringing of their children.

This should involve discussing problems with their children and set rules that will guide

the behavior of the children.

2. Parents should carefully explain to their children reasons they want their children to

carry out the instruction to avoid autocratic parenting style as this has direct significant

relationship between autocratic style and delinquent behaviour and it breeds high

delinquency among students.

47
 3. Parents should be involved in most of their children activities and decisions as laissez-

faire parenting style has direct relationship with delinquent behaviour of their children

which makes them to be delinquent

4. Students should be guided in making good friends to reduce peer pressure resulting

from keeping bad friends as peer pressure has direct significant relationship with

delinquent behaviour.

5.5 Suggestions for further studies

1. Studies on effect of socio-cultural background on the delinquent behavior of

adolescents in Selected Secondary schools in North West region of Nigeria.

2. Studies on impact of parenting styles on the academic achievement of senior

secondary schools students in selected states in Northern region of Nigeria.

3. Studies on influence of peer pressure and gender on delinquent behaviour among

secondary students in Dustin ma.

4. Studies on effect of parenting styles and peer pressure on academic

performance of day and boarding students in Dustin ma metropolis.

48
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 APPENDIXI

Department of Educational Psychology

and Counselling

Federal University Dutsin-ma,

Katsina State.

Dear Respondent,

QUESTIONNAIRE

The researcher is a ………… conducting a research on the influence of peer pressure and

delinquent behaviour on student’s academic performance in senior secondary schools in

Dutsin-ma LGA, Katsina State. Kindly help fill this questionnaires as faithfully as

possible. Your responses will be used for the purpose of this research only. Any

information given by you will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Yours faithfully,

Isah Zakari

60
SECTION A: Personal information.

Instruction: Indicate your responses by ticking (√) the appropriate box.

Sex: M( ) F( )

Name of School:………………………………………………………………

Class:………………………………………………………………………….

Age:14-16 ( ) 17-19 ( )

Socio-economic status:

Father‘s level of education; please tick (√) highest level

I. University degree and above ( )

II. NCE, Diploma Certificate ( )

III. Secondary School Certificate. ( )

IV. Primary School Certificate ( )

V. No formal education ( )

Father’s Occupation

1. Millionaire businessman ( )

2. Top executive/top administrator /Top politician ( )

3. Professional with degree, eg medical doctor, university lecturer, Engineer, secondary

schoolteacher, senior politician. ( )

61
 4. Musician, traditional ruler, junior politician eg counselor. ( )

5. Small business owner withcapitallessthanN1million. ( )

6. Junior civil servant with university degree. ( )

7. Skilled manual worker eg mechanic, electrician, carpenter, mason, welder. ( )

8. Unskilled manual worker eg labourer, farmer, washman, wood cutter. ( )

SECTIONB: Parenting Styles Questionnaires.

Instruction: The following statements are designed to measure how you feel about your

friends and how your friends feel about you. Kindly tick (√) to show your response in

each statement.

S/N ITEMS SA A D SD

DEMOCRATICPARENTINGSCALE

1. My parents explain to me how they feel about me.

2. My parents take my wishes into consideration before they

ask me to do something.

3. My parents encourage me to talk about my feelings and

problems.

4. My parents encourage me to freely speak my mind, even

if they disagrees with me.

62
5. My parents punish me whenam wrong and take

privileges away from me. Eg tv, games or visiting friends.

6. My parents explain the reasons behind their

expectations from me.

7. My parents set rules and explain to me why I should

follow them.

8. If my parents make a decision in the family that hurts

me, they are willing to discuss that and admit if they

make mistake.

9. My parents consider my preferences when making plans

for the family.

10. My parents respect my opinion and encourage me to

express them.

AUTOCRATICPARENTINGSCALE

11. When I ask my parent why I have to do what they tell me

to do, they say it is because they say so.

12. My parents punish me beyond little wrong I do

13. My parents explode in anger toward me when I do little

wrong.

14. My parents spank me in the public with little wrong.

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15. My parents usually disgrace me in the public at little

wrong I do.

16. My parents use threats as a form of punishment with no

justification for it.

17. My parents always try to change the way I think without

explaining why to me.

18. There are no clear rules on what I should not do at home.

19. The relationship between me and my parents is like

master servant

20. My parents take decisions that hurt me and must not

complain.

LAISSER-FAIREPARENTINGSCALE

21. My parents don‘t care about my behaviour at all.

22. My parents sometime don‘t come home.

23. My parents don‘t respond to my school needs.

24. My parents do not ask me where I have been if I do

Not sleep at home.

25. My parents do not punish me when I misbehave.

26. My parents do not set any rules to guide our family.

64
 27. There is little or no communication between my parent

and I.

28. My parents do not view themselves as responsible for

directing and guiding my behaviour.

29. My parents do not feel offended even when I do wrong.

30. My parents allow me to decide most things for myself

without interference.

Scoring

Point values are assigned as follows:

Stronglyagree-4, Agree-3, StronglyDisagree-2, Disagree-1

Scores are derived by summing all responses with a possible range of 30 to120. Higher scores

indicate higher involvement in parental influence or delinquent behaviours.

SECTIONC:

Instruction:

The following items describe how you go along with your friends. Please read each item

and tick how it applies to you.

S/N ITEMS SA A D SD

PEERP RESSURE SCALE

65
1. I think it‘s more important to be my self than to fit in

with friends.

2. I will do something that I know is wrong just to stay on

with my friends.

3. It‘s pretty hard for my friends to get me to change my

mind.

4. I would break the law if my friends say that I should.

5. I always give my true opinion in front of my friends,

even if I think they might make fun of me.

6. I sometimes say things I don‘t really believe because I

think it will make my friends happy.

7. When at school, if my friends ask me to do something, it

will be hard to say no

8. At times, I have done bad things because my friends

encourage me to do so.

9. My friends encourage me to miss classes.

10. I feel pressured to have sex, because alot of my friends

have already done so.

11. At times I feel pressured to take drugs or alcohol because

my friend surge me to

66
 12. I have done things to make me more popular among my

friend seven when I don‘t intend to.

13. I have left some friends because of what other people

might think

14. I would do almost any thing to avoid being seen as a

loser’ among my friends.

15 I have gone to parties just to be part of the crowd.

Scoring;

Scores are derived by summing all responses with a possible range of 15to60. Higher scores

indicate higher involvement in peer influence.

SECTIOND

Instruction:

The following items describe a number of different behaviours. Please read each item and

report how often you have done this using the following scale.

S/N ITEMS SA A D SD

DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR QUESTIONNAIRE

1. I sometimes ask for answer from my friends during

examination.

2. I some times damage school or other property that does

not belong to me.

67
3. I sometimes skip classes without permission.

4. I sometimes carry hidden weapons eg knife, blade,

cutlass and other.

5. I sometimes lie about my age to get into some places,like

to watch movie or to buy alcohol.

6. I sometimes avoid paying for things I buy or pay for a

bus ride.

7. I sometimes collect or give money to have sexual

relations with someone.

8. I sometimes join my friends to fight other people.

9. I some time stake some one‘s purse, wallet or hand set

10. I littered public are as by smashing bottles, and trash

cans etc

11. I easily attack others when provoked

12. I left home for an extended period of time without telling

family.

13. I sell drugs, including marijuana, cough syrup cigarette

14. I was once suspended or expelled from school as a result

of walking out of teacher

68
 15 I leave school before closing time.

Scoring;

Scores are derived by summing all responses with a possible range of 15 to 60. Higher scores

indicate higher involvement in delinquent behaviour.

69