International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue X, October 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
Causes of Premarital Sex Among Undergraduate Students of University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
Ayodele Mandela; ASEBIOMO (Ph.D), & Adebayo Lawrence; OJO (M.Ed)
Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Sheda-Abuja, Nigeria
Abstract: This study examined the causes of premarital sex among undergraduate students of University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was employed while a total of 200 male and female students were purposively and accidentally selected. A 35 items questionnaire named Causes of Premarital Sex Questionnaire (CPSQ) developed by the researchers was used to generate data for the study. The instrument was validated by expert’s and a reliability index of 0.84 was obtained using the Person Product Moment Correlation. Data generated were analyzed using percentage and multiple regression to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. On the basis of findings, the study concludes that premarital sex among undergraduate students of University of Ilorin were caused by peers, media, single parenthood, economic reason, academic progression and curiosity. Recommendations are made, among which is that sex education curriculum should be developed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for higher institution of learning in Nigeria. This will contribute to the understanding of students on the dangers associated with premarital sex and prepare them on how to manage sexual urges.
Key words: Undergraduate students, Causes, Premarital sex, University of Ilorin
I. INTRODUCTION
Undergraduates are students of universities and colleges, they have graduated from secondary school and have been accepted to college, but they have not graduated yet. Undergraduate classes are usually much larger and less individualized. It typically includes all the academic programmes up to the level of a bachelor’s degree. Bachelor’s degree typically takes at least four or five years to complete.
Premarital sex is sexual activity practiced by persons who are unmarried and it has been considered a taboo in some cultures and sin in numerous religions. Premarital sex is the involvement in sexual intercourse by persons who have not engaged in marital vow or culturally recognized as having been enrolled in marriage institution. In most cases, premarital sex is not always a problem to individuals who are sexually matured since they may view it as a natural response to a natural stimulus. However, premarital sex is morally unacceptable in almost every human society that regards marriage as the legitimate requirement for sexual permissiveness, and especially among youths who are considered vulnerable to health – related problems (Ajiboye, Aina, Oyebanji & Awoniyi, 2014).