Family Leadership Styles and Deviant Behaviours of Primary School Pupils in Enugu State, Nigeria

OBJECTIVE: This study examined family leadership styles as determinants of deviant behaviours among primary school pupils in Enugu State, Nigeria.

METHODS: The study adopted a correlational research design. A total of 821 pupils were drawn as the sample for the study. A questionnaire was used as an instrument for the study.

RESULTS: The major findings of the study revealed that primary school pupils exhibited 12 out of 15 types of deviant behaviours such as indulging in exam malpractice, not devoted to studies, Bullying weaker pupils, fighting among pupils, lateness to school, and keeping bad friends among others as identified. It also showed that the authoritarian family leadership style had a significant relationship with primary school pupils’ deviant behaviour. Again it was discovered that the authoritative family leadership style also called assertive, democratic or balance family leadership style had a significant relationship with pupils’ deviant behaviours negatively. Moreover, permissive family leadership style had also a significant relationship with primary school pupils’ deviant behaviours. The result also indicated that neglectful family leadership style had a significant relationship with primary school pupils’ deviant behaviours. Furthermore, the result showed that family size had a significant influence on deviant behaviours exhibited by primary school pupils in Enugu state.

CONCLUSION: Rewarding and praising children who have good behaviours and assigning models to role-play by pupils with deviant behaviours may help to curb deviant behaviours among primary school pupils.