Indiscipline Among Senior Secondary School Students: The Contributions of Home Behaviour Control and Religiosity

Abstract

The study investigated the indiscipline of senior secondary school students and the contribution of home behaviour control and religiosity in Cross River State, Nigeria. An ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 62,501 senior secondary school students in three educational zones. A multistage sampling procedure was adopted to select 1250 students from 30 randomly sampled public and private secondary schools. The Student Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) was used for data collection. Experts in measurement and evaluation and educational psychology validated the instrument. The test-retest reliability coefficient ranged from 0.78-0.91. The data collected were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results revealed that home behaviour control and home religiosity significantly influenced secondary school students' indiscipline behaviour. Specifically, students from firm homes and with high levels of religiosity generally exhibited lower indiscipline behaviour across all the dimensions. In comparison, those from lax homes and homes with low levels of religiosity manifested higher levels of indiscipline behaviour. These findings align with role theory, which suggests that individuals' behaviour is shaped by their immediate social environment. Policymakers can use these results to develop programs that promote positive behaviour by encouraging the development of a strong religious foundation in the home and promoting clear expectations and rules for behaviour.