Personality Types and Conduct Disorder among Secondary School Students in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria: Implication for Counseling

Personality Types and Conduct Disorder among Secondary School Students in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria: Implication for Counseling

Anyadi Eugene Chukwukaodinaka

Department of Guidance and Counselling

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2024.11110054

Received: 22 November 2024; Accepted: 28 November 2024; Published: 14 December 2024

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the influence of personality types and conduct disorder among secondary school students in Calabar education zone, Nigeria. To achieve the aim of this study, two (2) research questions and two research hypotheses were formulated. Extant literature review was done according to the variables under study. Ex-post facto design was deemed appropriate for the study, this is because, the researcher has no control over the independent variables since their manifestations had already occurred in the population. 539 respondents were selected using the multi-stage sampling technique. To test the hypotheses under study, independent t-test analysis was employed. The result of the analysis revealed that, persuasive personality type and aesthetic personality type significantly influence conduct disorder among secondary school students in the study area. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended, amongst others, that, administrators of the school system should devise effective means of supervising the teachers and students, as a means of controlling deviant behaviour.

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INTRODUCTION

The rate at which some secondary school students exhibit conduct disorders in the present-day society is alarming. It has left many parents and school managers speechless, confused and overwhelmed. This repetitive and persistent pattern of behaviour is found among almost all adolescents in all secondary school in Nigeria. Presently, these adolescents with conduct disorders show no respect to the rights of their fellows, some even snub and confront teachers when attempts are made to correct them. In exhibiting these conducts, students injure their fellows, destroy property, lie, steal, and violate institutional and societal laws of good conducts. The aggressiveness seen replicated among the secondary school adolescents have kept many thinking, if these manifestations are psychiatric syndromes.
Conduct disorder is an overarching term that refers to a persistent pattern of antisocial behavior in which the individual repeatedly breaks social rules and carries out aggressive acts that upset other people and could also be termed delinquency (American Psychiatric association, 2013). Similarly, Joseph, Mphil and David (2010) defined conduct disorder (CD) as delinquent behavioral problems involving violation of major rules, societal norms and laws. They went further to indicate that both terms refer to the same thing. Ekpang, and Unimna (2022) described delinquency as a form of deviation from the commonly accepted form of conduct in society.

Conduct disorders displayed among students in secondary school are stubbornness, disrespect, insult, absenteeism, truancy, destructive tendencies, aggression, violence, cult like activities, among others. Research findings by Omoteso (2010), Umoh (2010) and others, have shown that acts of misconducts and disorder have continued to be a major agenda in Parent and Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, seminars, or workshops where most times argument about students conduct disorder and its solutions do hinder the discussion of other issues on the agenda from being deliberated upon. A visible consequence of these behaviours is the parents and teachers’ excessive anxiety over what the future holds for their secondary school children and the society.

Research findings have revealed that students who manifest conduct disorder, impact negatively on personal, the institutional, and society development. For instance, truants perform poorly and those with higher rate of truancy have the lowest academic achievement rates and are more likely to drop out of school (US Department of Truancy and Delinquency Prevention, 2001). Chee-Leong (2006) observed that most children with conduct disorders always lack concentration, good self-esteem, perform poorly in tests and examinations, which most times may lead to dropping out. Many of these dropouts usually degenerate into social nuisance with high tendencies towards criminal activities.

It is worrisome to observe that many of these students who indulge in conduct disorder are mostly of calm personality outlook. Some are quite intelligent, one therefore wonders what personality stuff they were made of, if they could be of quiet disposition and still engage in notorious behaviors that are inimical to societal norms. In this dilemma, personality formation of a student comes to question. The question, however, remains, what facts informed a student’s conduct disorder? whether he is of persuasive personality when there are innate traits like risk taking, innovativeness, autonomy, self-efficacy, internal loss of control and optimism or is he of artistic where there are self-reported creative behaviors and creative thinking. If these be the case, would a child with these traits still be involved with misconduct? Could social personality type be responsible for a student’s conduct disorder? Perhaps it is significant to remark that when a student is too sociable, he may become prey to peer group pressure which may lead him to conduct disorder to conform and satisfy his peers.

The menace of these conduct disorder among students is more to the fact that, it exposes them to negative health outcomes like substances addiction, high risk sexual behaviors with it resultant sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, full blown crime, academic set back, traumatic incidence, and death. What could be the attraction to ill behaviors as against acceptable norms, has become the curiosity of the researcher, he wonders if it could be lack of sufficient care, disorganized home, or outburst of bottled aggression against the family and society at large. All these will the researcher find out. Querying the personality stuff of the adolescent children, the researcher still wonders which personality type could tilt adolescent towards this magnitude of conduct disorder.

Enterprising personality is characterized by positive traits like achievement, risk taking, innovation, autonomy, optimism. in the other hand, artistic and social types pride themselves with array of self-reputation, creative behavior, creative thinking, conformity, frankness, genuineness, hard headedness, inflexibility etc. the researcher also thinks of the role families of all types could be playing in the whole menace of conduct disorder; Could a child who is well fed at home still pilfer in school to sustain himself? Could a child who was happy from home become aggressive in school? Could a child who is well trained at home insult and assault others and even teachers?

The magnitude of restiveness among students with conduct disorders transcends beyond ordinary behavioral disorder to physical violence against whoever that challenges their fantasy. The researcher is not alone in this concern of conduct disorder in schools, homes and society at large. Conduct disorder according to Paul-Cookey & Iwulama (2011) is one of the major world-wide concerns in all segments of society. The reports of ongoing battles, shooting, bombing etc. are abounding. These events are some of the most extreme examples of aggression that take place daily.

Other facts that can make adolescent deteriorate in conduct include; desire for leadership and popularity. Many truant adolescents/cultists have testified that they joined cultism to acquire fame and power; these helps provide them the opportunity to construct the social reputation they desire. Some other people have lent their thoughts to the worries of conduct disorder, Christie (2002) noted that parents and families have tremendous roles to play in the conduct of adolescent at home. She said the family constitutes a training ground for good conduct. She also observed that children who have educated parents have less content of disorder than children from illiterate parents. Some families are not intact while some are too large to care for every growing child. Could the family structure and size contribute to aggression, tantrum, and other misconduct in students? Again conduct disorder cannot be isolated from poverty and joblessness. They have their effects on family interactions and relationships among young people. It is on the above background of explicit concern of menace of conduct disorder that the researcher seeks to examine the influence of personality types on conduct disorder among secondary school students in Calabar educational zone of Cross River State.

Purpose of the study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate personality types, family variables on conduct disorder among secondary school students in Calabar education zone, Nigeria. Specifically, the study seeks to:

i. Investigate the influence of persuasive (Enterprising) personality type and conduct disorder.
ii. Ascertain the influence of aesthetic (Artistic) personality type and conduct disorder.

Hypotheses

Based on the research questions, the following hypotheses were developed for the study

i. Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type does not significantly influence conduct disorder among secondary school students.
ii. There is no significant influence of aesthetic (Artistic) personality type on conduct disorder among secondary school students.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Persuasive (Enterprising) Personality Type and Conduct Disorder

Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type is characterized with achievement motivation, risk-taking, innovativeness, autonomy, self-efficacy, stress tolerance, internal locus of control, and optimism. Also, persuasiveness has been explained as a tendency to prove and act dutifully, self- discipline and aimed on achievement. Comparisons between entrepreneurs and other populations reveal that the former score higher on specific traits such as achievement motivation, risk-taking, innovativeness, and internal locus of control (Collins, Hanges, & Locke, 2004; Rauch &Frese, 2007a; Stewart & Roth, 2004). Innovativeness, self-efficacy, and proactive personality show significant and positive relationships with entrepreneurial success, whereas internal locus of control and autonomy have been established as valid predictors of both entrepreneurial creation and success in business (Rauch & Frese, 2007a).

According to Safdar, Gulap & Saif (2013), there exists a significant relationship between Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type and delinquent behaviours. The purpose of the study was to i) find out different personality types of secondary school students. ii) to identify the relationship between student’s different personality types and delinquent behaviours iii) to give recommendations to improve the situation and for further research. Descriptive survey design was used for this study. All the secondary school students of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan constituted population of the study. Out of 25 districts 2 districts were randomly selected (Bannu & Lakki Marwat). Out of 12009 students who were studying in the secondary schools of these districts 800 students of 10th class were selected through multistage random sampling method using proportional allocation technique as a sample of the study. A self-developed questionnaire was used as a research instrument. Personally collected data was entered in SPSS-16. Percentage, Mean, Standard Deviation and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were applied as statistical test to achieve the objectives of the study. Results of the study revealed that ‘‘persuasive’’ personality traits were found high in secondary school students. Overall there was no significant relationship found between persuasive students’ personality type and conduct disorder.

Furthermore, Lindsey (2019) study on Facets of persuasiveness in relation to student’s delinquent behaviour across programs of study. Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type and its facets which are (achievement, motivation, risk-taking, innovativeness, self-efficacy, stress tolerance and autonomy) were examined in relation to conduct disorder for undergraduate university students. The aim of the study was to determine the degree to which Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type, relates with student’s delinquent behaviour in varying programs, and to compare these results to previous findings. The programs examined were psychology, business, science/engineering, and general arts (i.e. B.A. programs other than psychology). Students were screened using Johnson’s (2014) ‘‘IPIP-NEO-120’’ (a 120-item version of the International Personality Item Pool-NEO: which measures constructs similar to those in the NEO Personality Inventory). Multiple regression analyses of the data revealed variations in concurrent validity of the facets of Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type across majors. The result revealed a no significant relationship between Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type and delinquency.

Izuchi, Uchechi, & Ahamefule (2015) investigated the influence of personality on conduct disorder among adolescents in Secondary School in Ehime Mban local government area of Imo state. The design for this study was ex-post facto. The sample size for this study was 316 (three hundred and sixteen) adolescents. students were recruited using the purposive sampling techniques Two instruments were used to collect data for the study. These instruments are the Revised Neo-Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and the Conduct Disorder Inventory It was guided by two research questions and two hypotheses, Data was collected using two instruments tagged the Revised Neo-personality inventory and Crime Behaviour Batter. The hypotheses were tested with an independent t-test. After data analysis, it was found that, aesthetic and persuasive personalities were significant to the development of conduct disorder. Socioeconomic status were also implicated in the development of conduct disorder among secondary school adolescents. Based on the findings, it was recommended that educational programmes should be organized to help young people learn how to engage in positive self-appraisal, deal with conflict and control aggression.

Elizabeth, Adeolu, & Uzor (2018) investigated the influence of students’ personality characteristics and delinquent behaviour in secondary schools in Ogun state. The participants of these study were 201 students from 4 secondary schools in Ogun state. Ninety-eight of the participants were males and one hundred and three were females. The ex-post facto research design and the convenient sampling method were adopted in the study. Two hypotheses were stated and tested using multiple regression analysis and t-test for independent samples respectively. The result revealed that persuasive personality type made significant contributions to the changes in students’ delinquent behaviour (β=.264, p<.01). Furthermore, the result of t-test for independent samples showed a significant difference in male and female delinquent behaviour [t (199) = -5.256, p<.01)] and persuasiveness [t (199) = -3.270, p<.01)]. Female students had lower delinquent behaviour (=3.1262) and persuasiveness (=33.1553) when compared to their male counterpart [(=2.6327) and (=30.2653) respectively]. It was concluded that the trait of persuasive personality type had significant positive influence on students’ delinquent behaviour. Consequently, the study recommended that the persuasive (enterprising) personality type be instilled in students with special attention on the male students.

In another related research study, Nicole & Marc (2012) while examining persuasiveness and delinquency established that no relationship exists between the personality type of persuasiveness and delinquent behaviours. The study extends prior research by using a path analysis model to explore various proximal traits that may mediate this relationship in a sample of two hundred and twenty-three secondary school students. Inconsistent with previous research, a relationship was found between persuasiveness and delinquent behaviours. Of greater importance, two factors were found to mediate this relationship: risk-taking and autonomy. The study illustrates the complex nature of the relation between personality types and delinquent behaviours, and thus indicates that personality likely has a distal effect on delinquent behaviours through more proximal characteristics.

Andy’s (2016) study on influence of personality types on students’ delinquent behaviour among secondary school students in Ilorin, Nigeria, found a significant relationship between personality types and students’ delinquent behaviour. The study utilized data from 105 students in 5 secondary schools. findings indicated that persuasive (r = .413), aesthetics (r = .335), were all significantly related to students’ delinquent behaviour. Consistent with our expectations, students high in persuasiveness were better as a little significant relationship was revealed. Implications and directions for future research are noted.

Perhaps it is significant to remark that Egwu’s (2007) study on persuasive personality types revealed that this variable seems to be more consistently and strongly connected with success but to the detriment of behavioural approaches. Abiodun (2009) also found out that persuasive and aesthetic compensate one another mutually to predict student’s delinquent behaviour in the secondary school level. Contrary to above mentioned research findings, Umoh (2010) examines the relationship between persuasiveness and delinquent behevioural performance in groups engaged in a creative task. The results of the study highlighted a significant negative relationship between group persuasiveness and delinquent behaviours. Findings further revealed that persuasive (enterprising) personality type describes task and goal directed behaviour and socially required impulse control. So, it deals with willingness to achieve, dependability, persistence and self-control.

Aesthetic (Artistic) Personality Type and conduct disorder

Artistic personality type is a personality type characterized by creative skills seen replicated in dramatic and crafty works. Artistic personality type of people loves dance, music and creative writing. They are bored by protocol, being stereotype and repetitive activities. The people in this category manifest strong self-expression and relations with other people indirectly through artistic expressions and activities. They have little interest in problems that are highly structured or that require gross physical efforts. They are independent, original, unconventional, expressive and tense. The orientation is more feminine than masculine, and show relatively little self-control and express emotion more readily than most people. They like creative related jobs such as for an artist, author, cartoonist, composer, dramatic coach, musician amongst others (Osipow, 1993).

Many aspects of aesthetic consumption require an efficient and organized world, particularly where the production of aesthetic works are assured as seen in the practice and rehearsals when playing music, setting aside time for painting, drawing or collaborating in the performing arts, a high level of conscientiousness might well be desirable for these, as well as for the advance planning that is required for planning and booking theatre tickets, etc. Whether agreeableness should be related to aesthetic activities is far from clear. Many of aesthetic and artistic activities are carried out socially in groups, such as dramatic and musical performances on stage or found space, attending concerts among others. But there is also a possibility that creativity requires artists to restrict their social activities in order to obtain the time and space that is required to perform.

Ledeh (2018) study on Aesthetic (Artistic) personality type and delinquent behaviour of adolescents in selected secondary schools in Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State is worth recounting here briefly in that regard. The descriptive survey research design was used to assess the opinions of selected respondents with the application of the questionnaire and the sampling technique. A total of 120 (One hundred and twenty) respondents were selected and used as samples in the study. These representatives represent the entire population of the study. similarly, a total of four null hypotheses were formulated and tested in the study using the independent t-test and the Pearson Product Moment Statistical tools at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that; i There is a significant relationship between youth personality and their delinquent behaviour. ii There is a significant gender difference in the personality of the adolescents in school. iii There is a significant gender difference in the delinquent behaviour of the youths in school. iv there is a significant relationship between Aesthetic (Artistic) personality type of youths and delinquent behaviour.

Aesthetic activities are the integral of activity over a relatively long period of time, whereas attitudes are a description of what the person feels at the present instance. Furnham & Chamorro-Premuzic (2004) found correlations of r ¼ :50 between activities and attitudes. They argued that early exposure to arts activities through primary and secondary socialization at home and in the school influences activities which in turn lead to further, voluntary, leisure-based activities, and reduces conduct disorder. Findings revealed that individual activities and groups of activities, sometimes for obvious reasons such as specific education, have particular background influences on behaviours and conduct. However, it is also clear that there is an overall tendency for there to be a general factor underlying aesthetic activities, individuals who are involved with one form of Activity typically also being involved with others (the obvious exception being watching television, which is negatively correlated with the other activities).

Research on relating artistic personality type and delinquent behaviour, Alkali (2016) argues that observation also helps to explain some of the everyday conduct disorder scenario experienced among students in schools. For instance, a student steps on another’s feet and hurriedly pass but with a wave of hand, says; ‘‘I’m sorry please’‘. On the receiver’s end, the individual who has been stepped on, and was unable to decode the non-verbalized sorry, burst out with abusive words. This scenario is common in the classroom, football field, playground, on queue, in the assembly ground, and many other such places that students gather and interact. The misinterpreted signal leads to misunderstanding and, as a result, could lead to anger outburst, verbal attack and even revenge attempt on the offender. This further links artistic personality type to fewer tendencies of conduct disorders. Findings also showed that ineffective encoding or decoding of information could pose a serious hazard to healthy interpersonal relationships and this can be a reason for delinquent behaviour.

On their own part, Nnamon, Jane & Okorafor (2012) research, examine personality type as a wire through which currents of thoughts are transmitted to influence another person’s thoughts. Their findings revealed that, one’s thought could be distorted by the way of personality type. They further revealed that artistic personality types are very significant with conduct disorder/delinquent behaviour as they (artistic personality) are the true culprits. Emmanuel (2013) adds that artistic personality communication goes beyond information exchange rather it includes understanding of the emotion behind the information exchanged. This implies that, messages not well understood make one get angry or lose self-control or even behave discourteously towards others. Albrecht’s (2006) agrees with them and further asserts that much of social dumbness come from missing all the cues, both verbalized and non-verbalized. To this end, developing effective communication skills for this personality type could reduce the manifest of unruly behaviours and conduct disorder.

On their own part, Adeolu, Oluwale, Clement & Oremi (2015) seeks to examine possible associations between individual personality and delinquent behaviours of mid-adolescence in four local government areas in Osun state, Nigeria. The sample (n – 6406) comprised participants from the four local government areas. Thirteen delinquent behaviours spanning destructive tendencies, substance use, self-harm, vehicle- related injury, criminality and physical inactivity were assessed in mid-adolescence (age 15-16 years). Associations between three personality types, notably (i) individual delinquent behaviour and (ii) the total number of delinquent behaviours were examined. For a one-category reduction in social class, maternal education or income, the odds of having a greater number of multiple delinquent behaviours increased by 22, 15 and 12%, respectively. At the individual level, there was evidence of a strong relationship with decreasing aesthetic and criminality, car passenger risk, TV viewing, scooter risk, early sexual behaviour and weekly tobacco use but insufficient evidence of a relationship for physical inactivity, cycling without a helmet and illicit substance use. There was strong evidence of association between aesthetic personality type and delinquent behaviours/conduct disorder behaviours such as, assault, bullying, truancy, hazardous drinking, self-harm, cannabis use and unprotected sex.

METHODOLOGY

The study adopted the ex-post facto research design. The study was conducted in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State. The population for this study was made up of five thousand, two hundred and nine (5,209) SS2 students of 2023/2024 academic session in all the eighty-five (85) public secondary schools in Calabar Education Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria. The sample size was 539 Senior Secondary II students (with 318 females and 221 males) selected through the stratified and simple random sampling technique from 15 schools in the zone. The instrument used for data collection was tagged “Personality Type and Conduct Disorder Questionnaire (PTCDQ)” developed by the researcher. The instrument was validated by two lecturers in Educational foundations, University of Calabar. The instrument had three sections A, B, C section A solicited information on demographic variables of the students such as gender, age. Section B was made up of eighteen (18) items on four points scale designed to measure enterprising, artistic personality types while Section C of the Instrument comprised of twenty-five (25) items used to measure students’ conduct disorder in terms of stealing, bullying, truancy, drug abuse and cheating behaviour. Each item required the respondents to indicate how much the items in the questionnaire reflect their behaviour, by ticking (√) strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree. A Cronbach coefficient alpha with internal consistency reliably of 0.81 was obtained. Data was analyzed using independent t-test analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Hypothesis one

Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type does not significantly influence conduct disorder among secondary school students. The independent variable in this hypothesis is enterprising personality type which is categorized into two (high and low), while the dependent variable is students’ conduct disorder in terms of stealing, bullying, drug abuse, truancy, and cheating behaviour. To test this hypothesis, each of the two categories of enterprising personality type (high and low) was compared with the five dimensions of students’ conduct disorder in terms of stealing, bullying, drug abuse, truancy and cheating behaviour using independent t-test analysis. The result is presented in Table 1.

Table 1 Independent t-test analysis of the influence of enterprising personality type on students’ conduct disorder (n=514)

Conduct disorder	Enterprising personality	n	X̄	sd	t-value
	High	328	16.25	1.76
Stealing					-6.48*
	Low	186	17.17	1.62
	High	328	18.03	1.18
Bullying					9.14*
	Low	186	17.56	1.59
	High	328	17.88	1.26
Drug abuse					1.97*
	Low	186	17.7	1.43
	High	328	18.44	3.39
Truancy					-2.08*
	Low	186	18.13	2.87
Cheating behaviour	High	328	16.12	2.83	-3.80*
	Low	186	15.63	2.44

* Significant at .05 level, critical t=1.98, df = 512

Source: Fieldwork, 2024

The result of the analysis in Table 1 reveals that the calculated t-value for stealing (-6.48), bullying (9.14), truancy (-2.08) and cheating behaviour (-3.80) are respectively higher than the critical t-value of 1.98 at .05 level of significance with 512 degrees of freedom. However, t-value for drug abuse (1.97), was less than the critical t-value of 1.98. This shows no significant influence in drug abuse in terms of enterprising personality type (high and low). The negative values attached to the calculated t-value shows that those behaviours are significantly low in terms of enterprising personality type. Whereas bullying behaviour with a high t-value of (9.14) shows significantly high influence in terms of enterprising personality type. Therefore, the null hypothesis (of not significance) is rejected for stealing, bullying, truancy and cheating behaviour, but retained for drug abuse. This implies that enterprising personality type does not significantly influence their conduct disorder in terms of drugs abuse. The result further proved that enterprising personality type has significant influences on students’ conduct disorder in terms of stealing, bullying, truancy and cheating behaviour at .05 level of significance among secondary school students in the Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State.

Hypothesis two

There is no significant influence of aesthetic (Artistic) personality type on conduct disorder among secondary school students. The independent variable in this hypothesis is aesthetic (Artistic) personality type which is categorized into two (high and low), while the dependent variable is students’ conduct disorder in terms of stealing, bullying, drug abuse, truancy, and cheating behaviour. To test this hypothesis, each of the two categories of aesthetic personality type (high and low) was compared with the five dimensions of students’ conduct disorder in terms of stealing, bullying, drug abuse, truancy and cheating behaviour using independent t-test analysis. The result is presented in Table 2.

Table 2 Independent t-test analysis of the influence of aesthetic (Artistic) personality type on students’ conduct disorder (n=514)

Conduct disorder	Aesthetic personality	n	X̄	Sd	t-value
	High	293	19.62	1.48
Stealing					-4.21*
	Low	221	17.48	1.97
	High	293	18.52	1.3
Bullying					7.35*
	Low	221	17.47	1.96
	High	293	17.52	1.23
Drug abuse					1.99*
	Low	221	17.3	1.42
	High	293	16.26	2.36
Truancy					-3.17*
	Low	221	16.71	1.82
Cheating behaviour	High	293	16.31	2.83	-3.26*
	Low	221	16.93	2.44

* Significant at .05 level, critical t=1.98, df = 512

Source: Fieldwork, 2024

The result of the analysis in Table 2 reveals that the calculated t-value for stealing (-4.21), bullying (7.35), truancy (-3.17) and cheating behaviour (-3.26) are respectively higher than the critical t-value of 1.98 at .05 level of significance with 512 degrees of freedom. However, t-value for drug abuse (1.99), was less than the critical t-value of 1.98. This shows no significant influence in drug abuse in terms of aesthetic personality type (high and low). The negative values attached to the calculated t-value shows that those behaviours are significantly low in terms of enterprising personality type. Whereas bullying behaviour with a high t-value of (7.35) shows significantly high influence in terms of aesthetic personality type. Therefore, the null hypothesis (of not significance) is rejected for stealing, bullying, truancy and cheating behaviour, but retained for drug abuse. This implies that aesthetic personality type does not significantly influence their conduct disorder in terms of drugs abuse. The result further proved that aesthetic personality type has significant influences on students’ conduct disorder in terms of stealing, bullying, truancy and cheating behaviour at .05 level of significance among secondary school students in the Calabar education zone of Cross River State.

DISCUSSION

This section is devoted to the discussion of findings of the hypotheses formulated to direct the study. This discussion was done hypothesis by hypothesis.

Persuasive (Enterprising) Personality Type and Conduct Disorder

It is not surprising that Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type significantly influences conduct disorder of students. Students who are of persuasive (enterprising) personality develop self-esteem which invariably boosts their social functioning. This results in low conduct disorder in some cases, while in other cases they tend to use their persuasiveness to talk their peers into conduct disorder.

This finding agrees with Izuchi, Uchechi, & Ahamefule (2015) report that persuasive (enterprising) personality type most times lead to poor social development, poor interpersonal relations, and pitiable emotions, which often pushes them into conduct disorder. In a similar vein, Elizabeth, Adeolu, & Uzor (2018), research which revealed that the inability of management of schools to help students to get properly adjusted to rules and regulations has resulted to endemic level of indiscipline in Nigerian schools. They pointed out that lack of infrastructure deters students, especially enterprising ones, from engaging themselves resourcefully thereby ending up in conduct disorder behaviours. This is why Egwu (2007) through his findings point out that Persuasive (enterprising) Personality Type was more consistently and strongly connected with success but to the detriment of behavioural approaches.

However, in contrast to these findings, Nicole & Marc (2012), while examining persuasiveness and delinquency found out that no relationship exists between the personality type of persuasiveness and delinquent behaviour. They resolved that personality has a distal effect on delinquent behaviour through more proximal characteristics.

Aesthetic (Artistic) Personality Type and Conduct Disorder

The striking revelation of this study is that Aesthetic (Artistic) personality type has a significant influence on students’ conduct disorder after the null hypothesis was rejected. This outcome corroborates the findings of Ledeh (2018) who stated that students with Aesthetic (Artistic) personality are less serious in their dealings which invariably explains their involvement in conduct disorder. Ledeh went further to point those students with Aesthetic (Artistic) personality type show relatively little self-control and express emotions more readily than their peers. Emmanuel (2013) also avers that, artistic personality communication goes beyond information exchange rather it includes understanding of the emotions behind the information exchanged. This implies that messages not well understood make one get angry or lose self-control or even behave discourteously towards others. Adeolu, Oluwale, Clement and Oremi (2015) agreed further by adding that artistic personality type of students tend to joke and make caricature of everything at their disposal, thus making them lag in terms of behavioural standards.

In contrast to this finding, Furnham and Chamorro-Premuzic (2004) argued that early exposure to art activities through primary and secondary socialization at home and in the school influences activities which in turn lead to further, voluntary, leisure-based activities and reduces conduct disorders.

Summary of the study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of Personality types, family variables and Conduct Disorder among secondary school students’ in Calabar education zone, Nigeria.To achieve the purpose of this study, the following null hypotheses were generated to direct the study.

1. Persuasive (Enterprising) Personality Type does not significantly influence conduct disorder among secondary school students.

2. There is no significant influence of aesthetic (Artistic) Personality Type on conduct disorder among secondary school students.

Literature review was done according to the variables under study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. This design was considered appropriate because the researcher has no direct control of the independent variables because they cannot be manipulated. A sample of One -thousand and sixty three (1,063) students were randomly selected for the study. The selection was done through the stratified and random sampling techniques. This was to give equal and independent opportunity to all the members of the population to be selected for the study.

The questionnaire title Personality type, and Conduct disorder Questionnaire (PTCDQ) was the main instruments used for data collection. The instrument was subjected to face validation by the supervisors and experts in measurement and evaluation in the Faculty of Education, University of Calabar. Split-half reliability method was adopted for the study.

Independent t-test statistical analysis technique was adopted to test the hypotheses under study to ascertain whether to reject or retain them. This statistical tool was used because of the nature of the variables involved in the study. All hypotheses were subjected to testing at .05 level of significance with relative degrees of freedom. Findings revealed that persuasive (enterprising) personality type and aesthetic (artistic) personality type, significantly influence deviant behaviour. Based on the results and findings of the study, the following conclusions were reached:

Persuasive (Enterprising) personality type has an influence on students’ conduct disorder in terms of stealing, bullying, truancy, and cheating behaviour. Though it revealed a no significant influence in terms of drug abuse, the researcher believes further research might produce more insightful result. Aesthetic (Artistic) personality type has an influence on students’ conduct disorder in terms of stealing, bullying, truancy, and cheating behaviour.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made:

i. Teachers should be encouraged to devise means of controlling conduct disorder among students in school for instance, a prompt and open discipline of culprits and prompt and open reward of good behaviour should be imbibed

ii. Administrators of the school system should sit up, by devising effective means of supervising the teachers and students, as a means of controlling deviant behaviour.

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