Parental Moral Training and Adolescents’ Sexual Values in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Nigeria
Beatrice O. Ajidahun *
Department of Guidance and Counselling, Faculty of Education, Adekunle Ajasin University, P.M.B. 001, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study investigated the parental moral training and adolescents’ sexual values. The research assumption is based on Kohlberg’s theory of moral reason, which is at the conventional level for adolescents. At this level, parents play a significant role, and so the parenting styles were used as determinants of adolescents’ moral values. The study considered the relationship between parental moral training, peer pressure, media information and adolescents’ sexual values.
A total number of 300 adolescents were randomly selected from Adekunle Ajasin University in Ondo State. The age range of the respondents were from 17-21 years. The subjects were exposed to Adolescents’ Sexual Value Questionnaire which consists of 30 items. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Chi-square statistics was used. Peers pressure, parental moral training and media information were significantly related. This implies that parental moral training (the chi-square cal. 179.84), peer pressure (the chi-square cal 191.20), media (the chi-square cal 211.68) information were significant because they were greater than the table value of 3.841 in determining the moral values of the adolescents. It was recommended that parenting styles should be based on setting realistic values for adolescents to be demonstrated by parents as model. Such values should be introduced very early in adolescents ‘life. Adolescents should be counselled to watch decent programmes both on television screen and social media. Undue pressure from peers to drop good family values should be avoided.
Keywords: Adolescents, sexual values, parenting styles, parental moral training, peer pressure