Truancy and Bullying as a Deviant Behaviours and Academic Performance of Senior Secondary School Students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State: Implications for Counselling

Abstract

This study was carried out to determined truancy and bullying as a deviant behaviours and academic performance of secondary school students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The study addressed three research questions and its corresponding null hypotheses. Correlational research design was used for this study. The population for this study was made up of 12,607 senior public secondary school adolescents in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (Post Primary School Education Board, 2024). The sample for the study was 200 senior secondary school students from 5 schools in Obio/Akpor. Two instruments were used to collect data. The instruments are Deviant Behaviour Inventory (DBI) and Mathematics and English Language Test (MET). To ensure the reliability of the instruments Cronbach alpha () technique was used. The alpha coefficients of 0.67, 0.74 and 0.77 were obtained for truancy, bullying and MET respectively. Simple regression was used to answer research question 1-2 and research question 3 was answered using multiple regression. Also t-test associated with simple regression were used to test the corresponding hypotheses 1-2 while hypothesis 3 was tested using ANOVA associated with multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that truancy and bullying independently and jointly relate with academic performance of secondary school students in Rivers State. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that class teachers should mark attendance register twice daily (morning and afternoon). This will help to detect early signs of truancy and bullying thereby nipping truancy in the bud. Also, parents should be involved more in the academic progress of their children and also monitor their attitude in and out of school. It was also recommended that parents should motivate their children to study hard.