ABSTRACT
This study examined the relationship between peer group pressure and
bullying behavior among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos
metropolis. The descriptive survey design was used in this study. The research
instrument used for this study was a questionnaire tagged PPBBAQ which was
adapted by the researcher. The population of this study covered the students in
selected secondary schools in Ejigbo Local Government area of Lagos State where
data was collected using simple random sampling. Collected data was analyzed
using Pearson moment correlation co-efficient statistical tools, descriptive
statistics. Demographic data such as gender, age, and class were used. Findings
showed that peer pressure has a relationship with bullying. It was concluded
that there is a relationship between bullying and gender of the participants.
It was therefore recommended that school administrators, vice principals and
teachers should refer all victims and perpetrators of bullying to the
counsellor.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Table of Contents
v-vii
Abstract viii
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement
of Problem 4
1.3 Purpose
of the Study 5
1.4 Research
Questions 6
1.5 Research
Hypotheses 6
1.7 Significance
of the Study 7
1.6 Scope
of the Study 8
1.9 Operational
Definition of Terms 8
CHAPTER
TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 The
Concept of Peer Pressure 9
2.2 General
problems encountered by adolescents 11
2.3 Concept
of Bullying 12
2.4 Peer
pressure and bullying 22
2.5 Peer
pressure and anxiety 23
2.6 Peer
pressure and psychological effects 25
2.7 Gender
and Bullying 27
2.8 Effects
of bullying among adolescents 30
2.9 Theories
of bullying behaviour 33
CHAPTER
THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design 35
3.2 Area of the Study 35
3.3 Population of the Study 35
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique 36
3.5 Research Instruments 36
3.6 Validity of Instruments 36
3.7 Reliability of Instruments 36
3.8 Administration of Instrument 37
3.9 Statistical Methods of Data Analysis 37
CHAPTER
FOUR:PRESENTATION OF DATA ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction 38
4.2 Research
Question 38
4.3 Test
of Hypotheses 43
4.4
Summary of Findings 45
4.5 Discussion
of Findings 46
CHAPTER
FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
of the study 49
5.2 Conclusion
49
5.3 Recommendations
50
5.4 Suggestion
for Further Studies 51
5.5 Counselling
implication 51
References 52
Appendix 55
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Schools have always been recognised as an
institution for the transfer of knowledge and culture to the future generation.
It is a dynamic human system dedicated to the nurturing of mutual growth and
understanding between children and adult.
The school is an institution designed for
the teaching of students enrolled in it and part of the purpose of the school
is to develop the student through knowledge acquisition so that he/she may
become a social being. By this, the student is expected to learn how to relate
with fellow students, teachers and significant others in the school on the one
hand, live in a harmonious way (by blending with societal values) in the
society on the other hand. The school is also expected to be a place where
students should feel safe and secure, and where they count on being treated
with respect. The reality, however seem to be that only few students or pupils
can harmoniously with their school mates without experiencing violence in the
school.
Human beings are gregarious and social in
nature. They hardly live in isolation but prefer to live and interact with one
another. The urge to interact creates some challenges, which need to be
addressed. Therefore, in order to achieve development, norms are developed to
guide human interactions. Although, the norms may vary from one place to the
other, there are some commonalities. One of such norms, which promotes
friendship and discourages aggressive behaviours is positive interpersonal
relationship. However, interpersonal relationship among secondary school
students in Nigeria is gradually being threatened by deviant behaviours such as
bullying. Bullying has become a source of concern to counsellors, teachers,
school administrators and parents due to its adverse effects on relationship
among students. Smith (2001) reported that ten percent of children in America
indicated that they had ben bullied by other students, but had not bullied
others. Another six percent stated that they had been bullied and had also
bullied other children. A total of thirteen percent of the students noted
thatthey had bullied other students but had not been bullied. Stephenson and
Smith (1989), Olweus (1991) and Craig and Pepler (1997) observed that most
bullying take place in school and usually encouraged by the audience. The
researchers noted that the victims of bully are the most insecure, the least
likeable and the most unsuccessful in school. Also, children who are
bully-victims appear to be at the greatest risk of adjustment difficulties.
Boys and girls are equally likely to report being victimized by bullies. It was
found that most bullies have littles or no empathy for their victims and show littles
remorse about bullying.
Bullying takes place in social settings
with many onlookers aware of the distress caused to victims. Up until
relatively recently, most researchers have tended to employ a standard,
internationally accepted definition of bullying, and many studies are based on
the work of Olweus (1992): ‘A person is being bullied when she or he is
exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or
more persons.’ Olweus further argues that bullying involves an imbalance of
power. Bullying has various forms, it can be verbal (e.g., name-calling),
physical or indirect (e.g., spreading unpleasant rumours) (Olweus 1992).
Bullying is thus a complex phenomenon, and despite the generally accepted
definition, bullying behaviour has been conceptualized in different ways.
Olweus (1972) coined bullying as
“mobbing,” and defined it as an individual or a group of individuals harassing,
teasing, or pestering another person. Bullying and victimization are prevalent
problems in the area of adolescent peer relationships.
Experiences with peers constitutes an important
developmental context for children and adolescents (Rubin, Bukowski, &
Parker, 2006). Children’s experiences with peers occur on several different
levels: general interactions with peers, friendships, and in groups. Social
competence reflects a child’s capacity to engage successfully with peers at
different levels. This section will provide an introduction and overview of
friendships, peer groups, and socio-metric status, with attention to developmental
changes that occur during childhood and adolescence.
The impact of peer influence on adolescent development
is generally associated with negative connotations. I believe that the use of
the peer group as a vehicle for problem-solving development has not been fully
utilized, even though it presents significant opportunities for childcare
practitioners and educators.
It is wildly accepted that membership in peer groups
is a powerful force during adolescence. These groups provide an important
developmental point of reference through which adolescents gain an
understanding of the world outside of their families. Failure to develop close relationships
with age mates, however, often results in a variety of problems for adolescents
– from delinquency and substance abuse to psychological disordered (Hops,
Davis, Alpert & Longoria 1997). Furthermore, higher peer stress and less
companionship support from peers has been associated with a lower social
self-concept in adolescents (Wenz-Gross, Sipestein, Umtoh, Widaman, 1997).
As children progress through adolescence, they build
knowledge baes that help them navigate social situations. An abundance of
literature has suggested that there is considerable individual variation
regarding cognitive skill development during adolescence as it relates to peer
influence. Dodge’s (1993) research indicated that poor peer relationships were
closely associated with social cognitive skill deficits. He found that
adolescents who had developed positive peer relationships generated more
alternative solutions to problems, proposed more mature solutions, and were
less aggressive than youth who had developed negative peer relationships. Along
those same lines Bansal (1996) found that adolescents who compared themselves
negatively in reference to their peers experienced a reduction in attention to
problem-solving tasks.
Most public and private childcare systems continue to
overlook peer influence despite the growing body of literature indicating that
it represents a powerful force in maintaining orderly, productive and positive
academic and rehabilitative environments (Bellafiore & Salend, 1983;
Brendtro & Lindgren, 1988; Emery, 1990; Gadow & McKibbon, 1984; Gibbs,
Potter, Goldstein, & Brendtro, 1996; Salend, Jantzen, & Geik, 1992;
Wasmund, 1988).
Pettit (1997) found the peer group to be a useful
resource in decreasing violence and aggression in children; Brannon, Larson,
and Doggett (1991) reported that the peer group process facilitated the
disclosure of victimization by adolescent sexual offenders.
Over the past two decades, child and family-service
programs have popularized the term empowerment and, to some extent, have
incorporated peer-referenced paradigms into their approaches with adolescents.
Many programs have failed to truly value children as partners in this process; instead,
they have used peer influence to police the environment and maintain order once
children have broken adult-imposed rules.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
There have been several studies on the
relationship between peer group pressure and other concepts like academic
performance, career choice, class courting, motivation, achievement, study
habit, and truancy etc, with little or no research by scholars in the area of
peer group pressure and bullying behaviour.
In addition there have been several worrisome cases in
secondary schools where adolescents indulge in bullying the less stronger
students and this attitude has been condemned by teachers, parents and
administrators. Despite the fact that schools have rules and regulations to
tackle or curb such deviant or delinquent behaviour it seems or appears
inefficient and ineffective.
Also of recent the rate of bulling
behaviour among adolescents in secondary schools is on the high side and
several brows have been raised that such behaviour has been highly influence by
peer group pressure.
It is therefore rationally viewed that if bullying
behaviour can be curbed among adolescents in secondary schools it will reduce
anxiety, fear and other psychological effects it has on its victims and as a
result help them focus on their academics. The adolescents need to learn how to
develop positive self-thought and have a personal philosophy that will guard
and guide them through this period of storm and stress.
The adolescents needs to be given hints and
speculations on how to select good friends, how to select or pick their friends
and shouldn’t allow their friends pick them. They should vividly understand why
they should move with good groups and not the bad ones because bad
communication they say corrupt good manners. They should also be made to
understand that a person who is a victim of bully can as a result of that
commit suicide while some become fierce, wild, and notorious as a result of
revenge. It is towards this view and assumptions that the study tends to
ascertain the relationship between peer group pressure and bullying behaviour
of adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study will be
directed to investigate the relationship between peer group and bullying
behaviour of adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
This research will specifically seek to;
i.
Ascertain
the relationship between peer group pressure and bullying behaviour among adolescents
in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
ii.
Find
out the relationship between peer group pressure and anxiety among adolescents
in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
iii.
Examine
the significant relationship between peer group pressure and psychological
effects among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
iv.
Ascertain
the relationship between bullying and gender of the participants among
adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
1.4 Research Questions
i.
Is
there any significant relationship between peer group pressure and bullying
behaviour among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis?
ii.
Is
there any significant relationship between peer group pressure and anxiety
among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis?
iii.
Is
there any significant relationship between peer group pressure and
psychological effects among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos
metropolis?
iv.
Is
there any significant relationship between bullying and gender of the
participants among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos
metropolis?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
i.
There
is no significant relationship between peer group pressure and bullying
behaviour among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
ii.
There
is no significant relationship between peer group pressure and anxiety among
adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
iii.
There
is no significant relationship between peer group pressure and psychological
effects among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
iv.
There
is no significant relationship between bullying and gender of the participants
among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Lagos metropolis.
1.6 Significance of the study
The
will be of immense benefit to innumerable members of the society who sees peer
group as a negative or wrong community otherwise known as partners in crime,
hence the saying birds of the same feather flock together. The research is
meant to provide government officials with more information and ideas on how
peer groups and teachers in public schools relate. It will further provide
teachers with ideas on how to provide dynamics that will motivate learners and
adolescents, so as to give room for good academic performance and good
behaviour.
School Authorities: this is necessary so that parents can
gain and will understand the implications and consequences of bullied children
and thus mobilize all resources to curtail the problems arising from the
situation.
Parents: through appropriate parental counselling
programmes, parents will easily checkmate their children if they are moving
with bad gangs and if their child is passing through psychological issues.
Students: it will help students to desist from wrong
company, become selective before they make friends, in other words they will
loop before leaping because bad company they say corrupt good manners. It will
also help students desist from violence, destruction of properties especially
chairs and tables during riot or demonstration or strike. They will become
enlightened that the properties are used by them and destruction of it will or
may hamper the process of teaching and learning.
Government: employment into schools will be strictly
for those that study education and with competent knowledge in behaviour
modification. More so, there will be pre service training and in-service
training for teachers for exposure and experience will serve as feedback for
the government agencies.
Ministry
of education: more indices that
will encourage the sector to determine the psychological level of a child and
the allocation given to school will be properly monitored. Policy that will
bring about positive change in adaptive behaviour that will transcend to the
entire society will emerge.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study covers the relationship between
peer group pressure and bullying behaviours of adolescents’ in selected
secondary schools in Lagos metropolis. It is limited to selected secondary
schools in Ejigbo only.
1.8 Operational definition of terms
Relationship:
this is the way in which
two things are connected e.g peer group pressure and bullying.
Adolescents:
These are young people
developing into adult usually between the age of 11 and 19.
Bullying:
It is the use of force,
threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively dominate others by
adolescents.
Peer
group pressure: Positive or
negative is when your classmates, or other people your age, try to get you to
do something.
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