CAUSES, FORMS AND CONSEQUENCES OF IMMORALITY AMONG STUDENTS OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN BORNO STATE, NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNSELLING

The study identified causes, forms, and consequences of students’ immorality determined the relationships between immorality and parents’ educational background and socio-economic status by gender. The target population of the study comprised 247,825 SS 11 students in private secondary schools in Borno State, Nigeria however, 416 subjects constituted the sample. A stratified random sampling technique was used in selecting the respondents based on gender, school location, age, parents’ educational background, and socioeconomic status. 216(52%) of the subjects were males while 200(48%) were females. Researchers’ self-authored 47 items instrument tagged “Students Immorality Questionnaire” (SIQ) was used to elicit data for the study. The SIQ had a reliability coefficient of .87. Six objectives, four research questions, and two null hypotheses guided the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings of the study revealed poor parental rearing and influence of mass media as some of the causes, plagiarism and mortgaging body for marks were some of the forms while drop out of school and brain impairment were some of the consequences of immorality among students of private schools in the study area. The first null-hypothesis was endorsed and the second was rejected in favour of the alternative. Involvement of parents/guardians and counsellors were some of the counselling implications considered and recommendations were proffered.