Gender Differences in Manifestation of University Students’ Problem Behaviours: A Case of Kibabii University, Kenya

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VII, Issue VIII, August 2020 | ISSN 2321–2705

Gender Differences in Manifestation of University Students’ Problem Behaviours: A Case of Kibabii University, Kenya

Carolyne Otieno Wakoli
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Alupe University College (A Constituent of Moi University) Kenya

Abstract: In the recent past, universities have witnessed violent protests and destruction of property including those of the community, risky sexual behaviour which has ended in many female students becoming pregnant and careless drinking by students in the villages surrounding the universities. Kibabii University like any other in Kenya has depression such symptoms in students which has occasioned students committing suicide. All these types of behaviour have been of concern to parents, lecturers, counselors, the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders. The study concluded that there is a structural gender variation differences emerging in terms of both externalized problem behaviors and internalized problem behaviors.

Key words: Gender; Manifestation; Problem behavior.

I. INTRODUCTION

Gender substitute is a structure of social practice that establishes relations of power, attitudes, and hierarchies, not only among people, but also among groups and institutions which would simply overcome the analysis or individual perception of being male or female (Brisbane, 2010). Studies done on young adults indicate that there are gender differences in the manifestation of problem behaviour and these differences are more significant during adolescence than at any other stage in development (Bansel, 2010). The author states that boys are more likely to exhibit externalized problem behaviours while girls are more likely to exhibit internalized problem behaviours. Whereas females are less likely than male to engage in serious forms of violence, boys carry weapons and engage in physical fighting at rate double than that of girls (Aloka & Bujuwoye, 2013). The authors say that girls who fight and who engage in cruel behaviours are most likely to direct anger towards themselves rather than towards others. Such self- directed anger may be manifested in the form of self- injuries behaviour.
There have been questions as to whether problem behaviours manifests similarly in male and female youths (Berkout, Yong, & Gross, 2011). Previous studies have shown conduct disorder to be more prevalent among male than female youths (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). However, some have questioned whether this is an artifact of the process used to generate and validate the diagnostic criteria, which has relied largely on samples of male youths (Moffitt et al., 2008).

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