INFLUENCE OF FAMILY LIFE AND SEX EDUCATION ON SEXUAL BEHAVIOR OF STUDENT IN TETIARY INSTITUTION

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

Educational is design in a way that it will the achievement and mastery of educational objectives. In school, the extent to which these objectives have been achieved, is determined by their level of factors, ranging from time management to pear group influence and other social activities as students’ success are reflected in their academic performance. Peers play a large role in the social and emotional development of adolescents Allen (2005). Their influence begins at an early age and increases through the teenage years, it is natural, healthy and important for adolescent to have and rely on friends as they grow and mature. A peer could be any one you look up to in behavior or someone who you would think is equal to your age or ability (Hardcastle, 2002). On the other hand, the term “pressure” implies the process that influence people to do something that they might not otherwise choose to do. The family is the most important primary group and the smallest social unit in society. It has its roots in the human biological and physical nature. As such it is universal in the sense that no human society could possibly exist or has existed without some form of family organization. MacIver and Page (1981) define family as a group defined by a sex relationship sufficiently precise and enduring to provide for procreation and upbringing of children. Akubue and Okolo (2008) define family as a group of people who interact and communicate with others such as husband, wife and children. Doob (1997) defines family as a social unit comprised of two or more people who live together and are related by blood, marriage or adoption. Consequently, Doob’s definition suggests that personal ties do not constitute a family, because such ties can exist among couples that are not married. What gives a family character is children. Nevertheless, only in such a family can that intimate personal relationship be established, hence, by which the family can perform its function of rearing, protecting, educating, and transmitting to the children, the social norms and values it has inherited and creating a special bond between all the members. In the context of this study family is a group of people who are united for the purpose of living together as husband and wife with children and other members such as siblings, uncles, and grandparents.  Sex so small a word, yet is an explosive subject which people desperately want answers to related problems. Knowledge and attitude about sex is so vital that people seek it from whatever sources that are available, good or bad. When accurate information is not available, people will ignorantly accept misinformation for truth. This is especially noticeable among youth. The failure of adult to sex related issues openly with young people having several unfortunate consequences. However, reproductive health of both women and men has recently received special attention in many African Countries. Many governments have been concerned with various reproductive health matters of its people especially after the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development. A special focus has been directed towards parental attitudes towards reproductive health of adolescents due global consequences this group of people face in the bid to grow to maturity. Adolescent stage is a wonderful period in one’s life and time filled with new and exciting things and inventions. Family style of educating their children may to a great extent influence the sexuality of their children. According to Gebhard (1953) human sexual behaviour 1 15 refers to any solitary activity between two persons or in a group that induces sexual arousal. For Gebhard there are two determinants of human sexual behaviour namely: the inherited sexual response patterns that have evolved as a means of ensuring reproduction and that part of each individual genetic inheritance. Wikipedia (2011) defines sexual behaviour as that manner in which humans experience and expresses their sexuality. Similarly, Owuamanam (1982) identified five types of sexual behaviours found among pre-adolescent. They include kissing, breast and genital fondling, embracing, holding of arms, and sexual intercourse. However, Alzea (1978) and Soyinka (1979) had earlier identified dating, petting, masturbation, oral genital contact and homosexual contact as sexual behaviors in human. In the context of this study sexuality is the total feeling of being human, of your sex, and how you relate sexually to others. On the other hand sexual behavior is the individuals demonstration or expression of sexual urge orally or by action directed towards other people male or female Many factors could be deduced to be responsible for this laxity including the general belief that sexuality education will encourage promiscuity among the adolescents. With the absence of information from the right sources or expected sources, these boys/girls seek information from their peers, films, internet and mass media. This uninformed information drives the adolescents to imitate and put into practice whatever they watch, see, hear or read from other sources. These encourage risky sexual behavior which has serious consequences of unwanted pregnancy, abortion, early marriage, parenthood and contacting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Adolescents are the critical group of people in the society and country at large which needs protection from the dangers and implication of risky sexual behaviors through early and accurate information on sexual issues. This is very necessary if adolescents are to live and have a successful growth to adulthood. The state of the youths requires preparing them for roles and responsibilities of family living. The individual families need to train youths on knowledge of human development, interpersonal relationship, and family living. Some societies transmit this knowledge through formal means such as puberty or initiation rites, for the most part, of Africa and indeed Nigeria. Children learn about ways of living in the family from their observations of roles played by family members and their own participation in family activities as well as their interactions with other families around them.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Family life education is crucial in packaging social and sexual life of family members. Family life education according to Adeyemo and Brieger (1995) is a process of imparting both factual knowledge about human development, sexual relationship, preparation for parenthood, pregnancy, contraceptive, and sexually transmitted diseases. Furthermore, value, attitude and perceptions that will enhance health, self concepts and relationships are given through family life education to members of the family in particular and society in general. Holmdel (1995) defines Family Life Education as a program aimed at developing an understanding of the physical, mental, emotional, social, economic, and psychological aspects of interpersonal relationships; the physiological, psychological and cultural foundations of human development, sexuality, and reproduction, at various stages of growth; and the opportunity for pupils to acquire knowledge which will support the development of responsible personal behavior, strengthen their own family life now, and aid in establishing strong family life for themselves in the future thereby contributing to the enrichment of the community. It is in view of this that the researcher intend to investigate the influence of family life and sex education on sexual behavior of students in tertiary institution.

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of family life and sex education on the sexual behavior of students in tertiary institution in Nigeria. But for the successful completion of the study the researcher intend to achieve the following sub-objectives;

1. To determine the influence of family life on the sexual behavior of the student
2. To ascertain the effect of sex education on the sexual behavior of the student

• Ascertain the extent of influence of family life education on sexual behavior of students;

1. Ascertain whether influence of family life education on sexual behavior of students is dependent on location.
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study the following research hypotheses were formulated

H₀: family life has no significant influence on the sexual behavior of the students

H₁: family life has a significant influence on the sexual behavior of the student

H₀: sex education does not have any effect on the sexual behavior of the students

H₂: sex education has a significant effect on the sexual behavior of the student

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study has both theoretical and practical significance. The findings of the study will be significant in various ways. The finding will be beneficial to parents, sociologists, guidance counselors, teachers, students, and curriculum planners. Theoretically, the study is anchored on social learning theory. This theory assumed that children learn new behaviors mainly by observation and imitating what others do, that behavior is strengthened by reinforcement and that when behavior is reinforced on an irregular basis it tends to persist. Sexual behaviors can be imitated from parent in the family. Family life education hinges on good models from the parents for children to imitate. The findings of this study will guide parents to socialize their children early in life on the consequences of negative sexual behaviors. Parents will also know the importance of discussing family life education with their children irrespective of cultural barriers. The knowledge parents gained will be used to guide children to plan their reproductive life early in life. The findings of the study will guide teachers in teaching family life education whenever it appears in the curriculum. The findings will also guide teachers in explaining some of the loopholes that make teenage children degenerate into dropouts as well as experience early pregnancies or abortion in life. Findings of the study will be presented at seminar organized by the researcher in collaboration with the state based non-governmental organization promoting awareness on sexual communicable diseases to the teachers of secondary schools in the state.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the influence of life and sex education provided by the parents to the students as well as ascertaining the extent of influence of family life education on sexual behavior of students. But in the course of the study, there are some factors which limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study.
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities        and examinations with the study.
3. c) FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the        researcher has other academic bills to cover.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Sexual intercourse

Sexual intercourse, or coitus or copulation, is principally the insertion and thrusting of the penis, usually when erect, into the vagina for sexual pleasure, reproduction, or both.

Sexual behavior

Sexual behavior includes all responses directly associated with genital stimulation and copulation, whether homosexual or heterosexual.

Sex education

Sex education is instruction on issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations and responsibilities, human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual reproduction, age of consent, reproductive health, reproductive rights, safe sex, birth control and sexual abstinence

Tertiary

9   ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows. Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (background of the study), statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope of the study etc. Chapter two being the review of the related literature presents the theoretical framework, conceptual framework and other areas concerning the subject matter.     Chapter three is a research methodology covers deals on the research design and methods adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

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