Locus of Control and Risky Sexual Behaviour Among Nigerian Undergraduates: The Moderating Role of Age, Family Type and Peer Pressure

Abstract

Studies have looked at how adolescents' health locus of control affects their risky sexual behaviour, but the current study goes further in trying to understand how internality or externality influence risky sexual behaviour in university undergraduates in Southwest Nigeria. The study employed the use of a cross-sectional survey research design to obtain data from 1080 students from six purposively selected universities in Southwestern Nigeria.  The Rotter Internal-External locus of control scale and a self-developed sexual behaviour scale was used for this study. The results indicated that students who have external locus of control reported higher level of risky sexual behaviour than students who have internal locus of control. Age, family type, and peer pressure mediated the relationship between locus of control and risky sexual behaviour of undergraduates in Southwestern Nigeria. This study reinforces the importance of personality variables such as locus of control when examining risky sexual behaviour among undergraduates. Understanding the mediating effects of age, family type and peer pressure in the influence locus of control has on risky sexual behaviour would facilitate the development of sexual health education programmes geared toward preventing health risks and promoting health behaviours among undergraduates.