PREDICTORS OF CRIMINAL INTENT AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: THE ROLE OF GENDER DIFFERENCES, PEER PRESSURE, AND PARENTING STYLES IN GUMA, BENUE STATE

Abstract

This study examined the role of gender differences, peer pressure, and parentingstyles as predictors of criminal intent among secondary school students, employing a cross-sectional survey design. The simple random sampling was utilised in the administration of twohundred and seventy-one (271) questionnaires, with their demographic characteristics showing(Male = 194 (71.6%), and Female = 77 (28.4%). The age range was between 11 and 17, with amean age of 14.1 (SD = 1.8). Participants responded to three standardised self-reportquestionnaires. Hypotheses were formulated and inferentially tested at the 0.05 level ofsignificance. Results showed no significant difference between males and females on criminalintent behaviours, [t (269) = 1.051; p = .294]. A likely reason is that both males and females in thestudy were exposed to similar environmental, social, and cultural influences, which shaped theircriminal intent behaviours in comparable ways. Also, peer pressure did not predict criminal intent[R=.007, R2=.006, F [1,269] =.015, p>0.05]. One reason could be that other factors, such as familyupbringing, personal values, and socioeconomic conditions, had a stronger influence on criminalintent than peer pressure. However, results revealed that parenting styles jointly predicted criminalintent [R = 415; R2 = .173; F (3, 267) = 18.556; p < 0.05]. Lastly, the results revealed that genderdifferences, peer pressure and parenting styles jointly predicted criminal intent [R = 429; R2 =.184; F (5, 265) = 11.962; p < 0.05]. These findings highlight the importance of guidance andcounselling for parents and adolescents, to help them cope with life challenges and build theirsocial and emotional skills. Additionally, they emphasise the necessity of appointing schoolpsychologists and public health experts to support adolescents in becoming valuable individuals.Additionally, adolescents should be guided in forming good friendships to reduce peer pressureresulting from associating with bad friends.