ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and causes of deviant behaviours among university students in Edo State. To guide this study, eight (8) research questions were raised, the first three (3) were answered, while the other five (5) were turned into hypotheses and tested at 0.05 alpha level. The descriptive survey research design was adopted in the study. The population of the study was made up of all the forty-three thousand and twenty-one (43,021) full-time undergraduate students in the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. The sample size was three hundred (300) drawn using the multi-stage sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data used for the study. The questionnaire was adapted from the instrument titled: Correlates of Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour Questionnaire (CSSBQ). The questionnaire was validated by the researcher’s supervisor and two other experts from the Faculty of Education, University of Benin. The reliability of the instrument was established through a Cronbach’s Alpha statistics. Thus, Cronbach’s Alpha values of .641, .664 and .607 respectively obtained as the reliability values of the instrument (questionnaire). Data were analysed using percentage, Independent Sample T-test, one way ANOVA and Linear Regression Statistics. The findings revealed among others that there was a high level of prevalence of deviant behaviour among university students in Edo State. Cultism and academic dishonesty were the most predominant types of deviant behaviour among university students. Family background, peer pressure, poor academic performance and mass media were seen as very high cause of deviant behaviours among university students in Edo State. However, there was a significant influence of socio-economic factor, biological factors such as brain damage or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and parenting style on the causes of deviant behaviour among university xi students in Edo State. It was therefore, recommended among others that the university should implement academic integrity policies and programs to address the common deviant behaviours like academic dishonesty and cultism among university students in Edo State. Faculties within the university community should develop targeted interventions and support services to address the identified causes of deviant behaviour, including family background, poor academic performance, and peer pressure. The government and relevant authorities should develop programs and workshops to engage families in discussions about family types and their effects on students, communication strategies, and the importance of family support in shaping students’ behaviour.
