Psychosocial determinants of delinquency among in-school adolescents in Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

Delinquency among in-school adolescents is a persistent issue with significant implications for individuals, families, and society. Adolescence is a critical period marked by profound physical, emotional, and psychological transformations, where individuals navigate the challenging terrain of identity formation, peer relationships, and ‘societal expectations. Amid this developmental backdrop, the emergence of delinquent behaviours can have far-reaching consequences for both the adolescents themselves and the communities they are part of. Therefore this research investigates the predictive influence of personality traits, emotional intelligence, attachment style and family conflict on delinquency among in-school adolescents in Akinyele local government area, Oyo State. The study employed a descriptive research design of correlational type. Multi-stage sampling technique was used. 6 schools were selected at the initial stage and from the selected 6 schools 50 students were selected making a total of 300 that served as participants for this study. The instrument used for this study was standardized questionnaire with six sections. Section A elicit demographic information of respondents followed by delinquency scale, Big five personality scale, trait emotional intelligence, Attachment style and family conflict scale. The data collected were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and multiple regression. The result of the study showed that some of the predictor variables; e.g.: family conflict (r = 0.450), openness (r = -0.298), emotional intelligence (r = 0.192), attachment style (r = 0.200), extraversion (r = -0.261), and conscientiousness (r = -0.139) have statistically significant correlation with delinquency. On the other hand, the variables of agreeableness (r = 0.094) and neuroticism (r = 0.061), did not show significant relationships with delinquency. Multiple regression analysis revealed that personality traits, emotional intelligence, attachment style, and family conflict jointly accounted for 31.7% of the variance in delinquency among in-school adolescents (R² = 0.317, p < .05). Among the predictors, family conflict emerged as the strongest positive contributor, while openness to experience, extraversion, and conscientiousness showed significant negative associations with delinquency. The study calls for collaboration among school counsellors, educators, parents, and policymakers. Coordinated efforts can lead to comprehensive, multi-faceted interventions that address the various factors contributing to delinquency. The study also recommends that longitudinal designs should be employed to capture the understanding of delinquency and its predictors over time. This would enhance the current understanding of causal relationships and contribute to the identification of critical intervention points.