INFLUENCE OF PEER PRESSURE AND PARENTING STYLES ON THE PERCEPTION OF FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TOWARDS ABORTION
ABSTRACT
The study explored the influence of peer pressure and parenting styles on the perception of female university students towards abortion. The independent variables are peer pressure and parenting styles, while abortion serves as the dependent variable. Sex, age, level and department were included as control variables because of their relative influence with the dependent variable. The study was carried out using a total of 481 participants that were randomly selected using Convenience Sampling Technique on undergraduate students in Lagos State University, Ojo campus. The result supported some of the hypothesis stated; there is significant positive relationship betweenparenting style and perception of abortion among female university students [r=.114, df (407), P<.05], parenting style is significantly related to perception of abortion among female university students [r=.130, df (407), P<.01], there is significant joint influence of peer pressure and parenting style on perception of abortion among female university students [R² = .023, F=4.703, P<.05], there is no significant influence of age on perception of abortion among female university students (t=.257, df 407, P>.05). Based on this finding, the study recommended that the counselling psychologists should try new strategies such as counselling on proper parenting styles in helping parents that they would in turn draw from while raising their children and to help female undergraduate students stay away from risky sexual activities that would give rise to abortion.