Coping behaviour among adolescent University students: Examining the influence of perceived parenting styles, gender and peer pressure

Abstract

Peer pressure is seen to constitute major problems for adolescents within the society because of its resultant change in behaviour which  is usually in the negative, such as excessive drinking of alcohol, smoking, engaging in unhealthy sexual activity, among other social vices  while home conditions such as poor parent-child relationships, low affection, low economic family status, and strict disciplines are seen as  another contributory factor that affects the behaviour of adolescents. This study examined the influence that parenting styles, gender  and peer pressure has on coping behaviour of adolescent university students. It was survey research utilizing the ex-post facto design  and using 200 undergraduate students comprising of 107 male and 93 female (age range 15-25 years) selected from Federal University,  Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria using a convenience sampling method. Findings from the study showed that gender [t(198)= 1.63, p>.05] and parenting styles [t(198)=.007, p>.05] did not have a significant influence on coping behaviour while parenting styles and peer pressure have no joint  influence on coping behaviour[F(2,197)=1.650, p>.05]. From this study, coping behaviour in school was not influenced by peer groups,  gender and parenting styles but this does not eliminate the importance of good parenting. This finding further shows the need for  establishing and maintaining a good and balanced relationship with school stakeholders which is inbuilt. It was recommended that  adolescent undergraduate students should depend more on this inbuilt coping behaviour which is more important and inevitable to their  success in schools.