Abstract

This study examined the multi-faceted factors predicting clubbing behaviour among youths in Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Three hundred youths were randomly selected from various club houses within the city of Ibadan. Their ages ranged between 18 and 40 years with a mean of 29.0. An adequately validated structured questionnaire consisting of demographic section, and standardized scales on self-esteem, parenting styles, peer influence, social media, socio-economic status, broken home, loneliness and clubbing behaviour was used to collect data. Seven hypotheses and two research questions were used to direct the study while Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple regression Analysis statistical methods were used to analyse data collected. The findings revealed that while there was a significant negative relationship between self-esteem and clubbing behaviour (r= -.384, p<0.05), and no significant relationship between parenting styles and clubbing behaviour (r= .140, p>0.05) as well as loneliness (r= .154, p>0.05), all other variables have significant positive relationship with clubbing behaviour; namely: Peer influence (r= .308, p<0.05), Social media (r= .546, p<0.05), Socio-economic status (r= .249, p<0.05), Broken home (r= .549, p<0.05). The seven independent variables jointly accounted for 61.7% variance in predicting clubbing behaviour among Nigerian youths. It was recommended that Nigerian youths should be encouraged and guided about the kind of friends they move with and eschew away from peers and friends suspicious of aberrant behaviours. Also, they should be assisted, encouraged and guided by policymakers to engage in meaningful activities that would eventually contribute to national development.