Prevalence Of Pre-Marital Cohabitation Among Students Living Off Campus

ABSTRACT

CohabitationwhichwasonceconsideredunwholesomeintheAfricancultureisbecomingprevalent among students in Nigerian tertiary institution with a vast array of consequences. Thisstudy investigated the prevalence of pre-marital cohabitation among students living off campus in Assanusiyyah College Of Education, Odeomu, Osun State. Five specific objectives guided the study. Multi-stagesampling technique was employed in the selection of 746 students from a population of 26,629.An interview and a standardized questionnaire titled “Students’ Cohabitation Questionnaire”were used as instruments for data collection. Findings showed that 74.1% of the students hadclose friends of the opposite sex. More than half (54.8%) of those who had opposite sex friendsvisited each other’s residence regularly. The result for objective 2, shows that a total of 27% ofthe respondents were found to be cohabiting. Among this group, 16% were partly cohabitingwhile eleven percent (11%) were fully cohabiting. Factors responsible for cohabitation as ratedby the respondents included financial problem, need for academic assistance, lack of parentaltraining,disregardforAfricancultureandpeerpressure.Agreaterproportionoftherespondents disagreed that cohabitation increases the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, drugabuse,suicidalattempt,unwantedpregnancyandabortion.Strategiesforminimizingtheincidence of cohabitation among university students as rated by the students included keepingawayfrombadfriends,reductioninschoolandaccommodationfees,properparentalupbringing. Cohabitation isprevalent among undergraduate students in Nigeria. Universityadministrationshould thereforemakeaccommodationsavailable andaffordableforstudents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION
• Background of the Study
• Statement of the problem
• Aim and objectives of the study
• Research questions
• Statement of hypothesis
• Scope of the study
• Significance of the study
• OperationalDefinitionofTerms

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• Review of the study
• Overview of cohabitation
• Causes of cohabitation among Nigeria undergraduates

2.4      Consequences of cohabitation among tertiary students

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODS

• INTRODUCTION
• Studydesign
• Studypopulation
• Sample size and sampling technique
• Instrument for data collection
• Validationandreliabilityoftheinstrument
• Dataanalysis

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1      Results

4.2      Discussion

CHAPTER FIVE

• Conclusion
• Recommendation
• CounselingImplications
• SuggestionForFutureResearch

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                              INTRODUCTION

1.1                                                 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In the times past, universities had been able to accommodate most of the undergraduate studentsin hostels within the campuses. The university authority makes residential rules and regulationsgoverning the hostels, such that there is no room for accommodating both sexes in a singleapartment. However, with the current up surge in the student population, most universities find itimpossibletocaterfortheaccommodationneedsofthestudents.Majority ofthestudentsthereforeresorttooff-campusapartments,mostlyinresponsetotheshortageofhostelaccommodations, but also due to personal preferences. In the off-campus apartments, rules arehardly put in place to regulate the activities of the residents. As a result of this, and in addition tothe dynamics of individual values and moral standards, cohabitation is gradually permeating thecultureof students in higherinstitutions.

Cohabitationreferstolivingtogetheroftwoindependentpeoplewhoareemotionallyandsexuallyinvolved,withoutanyformoflegalmarriage(Onoyase,2020).UnachukwuandIloakasia, (2018) defined cohabitation as a situation when an adult man and woman live togetherand engage in non-marital intimate sexual acts. According to Duyilemi, Tunde-Awe and Adekola(2018), cohabitation among undergraduate students is often referred to as campus marriage orcampus coupling, in which some student couples are well known among their peers as non-marital sexual partners. Jamison and Ganong (2011) identified two forms of cohabitation amongstudents; part-time cohabitation or stay over relationship, and full-time cohabitation. Stay overpartnersliveapartbutspendnightstogetherwiththeirpartnerswhilefull-timecohabitersmaintainoneresidentialunit(Jamison &Ganong,2011).

Cohabitation is on the rise in various Nigerian tertiary institutions and might not be decreasing inthe near future except adequate measures are put in place to stem the tide. A study carried out inEbonyi state by Imo (2017) found that 11% of the students were cohabiting. Adejumo, Okojide,Adejumo and Bateren (2017) reported 66% prevalence among undergraduates of four publicuniversities in Ogun and Lagos states. In addition, Duyilemi, et al. (2018) reported in their studythat 25-50% of students in a university in Ondo state engaged in the act of cohabitation. Most ofthe cohabiting students do so without the knowledge and approval of their parents. Studies havefoundvariousfactorsassociatedwithcohabitationamongstudents.Theyincludeeconomicfactors(Adejumoetal.,2017),freedomfromparentalcontrol(Imo,2017)andhighcostofschoolfees (Iyakolo, 2021).

CohabitationwhichwasonceconsideredanabominationandunwholesomeintheAfricanculture is becoming prevalent among youths in Nigerian tertiary institution with a vast array ofconsequences (Iyakolo, 2021). Ojo (2019) found that cohabitation adversely affected students’academic performance. In a similar study among polytechnic students in Owerri, Imo state, Kalu,Ejiogu,ChukwukadibiaandNleonu(2021)reportedsexuallytransmitteddiseases,pooracademic performance, dropping out of school, abortion, depression and death as some of theproblems associated with cohabitation among students. Ojo (2019) further observed that many ofthe cohabiting students do not eventually get married, leaving some of the students, heart-brokenand emotionally destabilized for the rest of their lives. All these could endanger a student’s life,especially female students, and possibly truncate the educational pursuit and life career of theindividual. However, it is not yet certain whether undergraduate students actually believe thatcohabitation could result in so much health-related problems. There is also scarcity of data on theissueofcohabitationamongundergraduatesintheuniversitiesinEnugustate.Thisstudytherefore is aimed at filling this very crucial gap, by investigating the prevalence, perceivedfactorsandopinionsofstudentsonthehealthconsequencesofcohabitationamongundergraduates,usingUniversityofNigeria as acasestudy.

1.2      Statement of the problem

Cohabitation in the higher institutions of learning across the nation has become a thing of serious concern, as theratio of the number of undergraduate intakes to the available accommodation facilities is always in geometricprogression.Governmentinabilitytoprovideadequatehostelaccommodationisdirectlyaggravatingthetendencytowards cohabitation (Ogadimma and Arisukwu, 2013). The practice where students of opposite sex live togetherand share things in common without any traditional or legal authorization is a contributory factor to formation ofallkindsundesirablebonding patternsincludingcultism(Adeoye,olaandAliyu,2012).

Cohabitation with its attendant risk to unrestrained fun and sexual activities may cause distraction for students.This may lead to academic underachievement in view of the fact that relationship management and pseudo-marriage setting requires effort and time. It can also confer (especially on boys) a false sense of accomplishmentthatmaynotrelatetotheprimarypurposeofschooling.Itisonthebasisoftheforegoingthatthestudyisdesignedtoinvestigatethe prevalence of pre-marital cohabitation among students living off campus in Assanusiyyah College Of Education, Odeomu, Osun State

1.3      Aim and Objectivesof thestudy

The main aim of the study  is to investigate the prevalence of pre-marital cohabitation among students living off campus in Assanusiyyah College Of Education, Odeomu, Osun State

Thespecific objectives of thestudywereto;

1. identifythe pattern ofopposite-sexrelationship amongthe respondents;
2. determinetheprevalence andtypeofcohabitationamongthe respondents;
3. identifyperceivedfactorsresponsiblefor cohabitation;
4. ascertaintheopinionoftherespondentsonthehealth-relatedconsequencesofcohabitation;and
5. identifyimportant strategies forminimizingcohabitation amongundergraduate students.

1.4              Research Questions

At the end of the work the study shall provide answers to the following questions?

1. What are the patterns ofopposite-sexrelationship amongthe respondents?
2. What is theprevalence andtypeofcohabitationamongthe respondents?

• What are the factorsresponsiblefor cohabitation?

1. What are the opinionsoftherespondentsonthehealth-relatedconsequencesofcohabitation?
2. What are the important strategies forminimizingcohabitation amongundergraduate students?

1.5      Hypotheses

1. Thereisnosignificantdifferenceinthefactorsinfluencecohabitatingamongundergraduates
2. There is nosignificant differenceinthe ageoffirst sexualintercoursebetweencohabitatingundergraduatesandnon-cohabitatingundergraduates

1.6      Scope of the study

The scope of this work covers investigating the prevalence of pre-marital cohabitation among students living off campus in Assanusiyyah College Of Education, Odeomu, Osun State. A multi-stagesampling technique was employed in the selection of 746 students from a population of 26,629.An interview and a standardized questionnaire titled “Students’ Cohabitation Questionnaire”were used as instruments for data collection.

1.7      Significance of the study

This study shall serve as a means of addressing the issue of cohabitation among students together with addressing factors responsible for cohabitation among students of higher institutions.

The study will also serve as a means of providing and addressing Strategies for minimizing the incidence of cohabitation among university students.

1.8      Operational Definition of Terms

Cohabitation:Referstotwopersons,manandwomanwhohavenobloodrelationsbutarelivingtogetherandsharingmaritallife andyetnot legallymarried.

Causes:Inthisinvestigation,causesrefertofactorsresponsibleforcohabitationamonguniversitystudents.

Consequences:Refertonegativeoutcomeofcohabitation.