Youth Violence among Households in Southwest Nigeria: The Impact of Family Background

Abstract

Youth violence represents a complete interplay of negative sociocultural and socioeconomic factors; having its burden approaching a pandemic level worldwide. It is not only interesting but also pathetic to know that adolescents, who are the building blocks of any nation, are strictly affected. The study aimed at determining the influence of family background on youth violence in the environment of study. It was a mixed-method study realized through a questionnaire-based survey and in-depth interviews of  members of households in Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State; conducted over a 6-week period. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 and thematic content analysis were used to analyse the quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The leading family influences cited by the respondents to be responsible for youth violence were lack of parental care or support, 191(47.8%); imitating bad behaviour of parents, 173(43.3%); and negative media influence 168(42.%). The family factor cited to be the least cause of youth violence was poor academic standard of parents, 56(14%). The study revealed that poor parental care with   bad parents' behaviour is a key determinant of youth violence. Advocacy should be geared toward the need for parents not only to give children more attention in all ramifications in the course of upbringing but also making themselves a good behavioural template.