Abstract

The work title “The Effects of Peer Pressure on the Emotional Regulation of Adolescents in some Secondary Schools in the Buea Sub-Division”, it was carried out in the University of Buea. It examined four research questions which are : to find out the effects of aggression on the emotional regulation of adolescents, to find out the effects of drug abuse and the emotional regulation of adolescents, to find out the effects of alcohol on the emotional regulation of adolescents,  and to find out the effects of social-network and the emotional regulation of adolescents,  which sort to explore the effects of peer pressure on the emotional regulation of adolescents.

The literature review to this study was reviewed and some theories were exploited which are ; the psycho-social learning theory of Eric Erickson, the ecological theory of Urie Brofenbrenner (2006) and the social learning theory of Albert Bandura.  The target population were adolescents in some schools in Fako Division and their accessible population were adolescents of different schools in Buea municipality which were Government High School Buea town, Baptist High School Buea and Salvation High School Buea.

The sampling technique used for the research was the simple random technique with a sample of 90 students was selected for the purpose of the study. The questionnaire was used as the research instrument for data collection. Data was analyzed using frequency distribution tables and percentages.

At the end of the study, it showed that aggression has an insignificant positive effect on the emotional regulation of adolescents, also drug abuse has an insignificant positive effect on the emotional regulation of adolescents, in addition, alcohol has an insignificant positive effect on the emotional regulation of adolescents, lastly, social network has a significant positive effect on the emotional regulation of adolescent.

CHAPTER ONE

GENARAL INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Peers are people who are part of the same social group (Vishala; 2008). Peer pressure is the influence of the peer group to an individual, causing them to change their attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviour. Whatever it may be, sometimes others put the pressure on you to participate in something you may not want to do (Hayes; 1989). During this period of adolescence, young people begin to separate themselves from their parents to join people of their same age (Vishala; 2008). The adolescent spends much of his time with the members of his peer group.

Nothing can be more devastating to the adolescent than to be rejected by his age mates (Vishala; 2008). Adolescents are mainly influenced by their peers in such a way that their attitudes, beliefs and behaviours are conditioned by what is conceived by other people. Muzafer (1987) studied how people were influenced by other people’s opinions.

He carried out his study by performing an experiment and observing individuals involved in what was called the auto kinetic effect experiment. The auto kinetic effect is a phenomenon of human visual perception in which a stationary, small point of light in an otherwise dark environment appears to move (Dawey; 2008).

The stage of adolescence tends to be the most difficult one throughout the life cycle for it is characterized by dramatic physical, psychological and social changed that are often not well understood by adults. During this transition, the adolescents face the dilemma of a desire to become socially

acceptable adults. Different authors have given their respective stages of adolescents, one of the prominent writer of adolescent is Eric Erickson (1963) who said adolescent ranged from teenage, 13 years to early adulthood 19 hears, a period he terms identity versus role confusion. At home, adults largely determine the course of events, whereas within the group, they enjoy some degree of self-determination.

They are not only free from adult control; they are free from what they consider as over protection (Lindgren; 1980). This is how gives them the opportunity to be influenced by their peers and easily accept what the peers recommend. This study is therefore set out to study the effect of peer pressure on the emotional regulation of adolescent in some secondary schools in Buea sub-division. This chapter focuses on the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope of the study, operational definition of terms and summary.

Background of the Study

Peers are people who are part of the same social group facing similar social ills. Peer pressure is the influence of the peer group to an individual, causing them to change their attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviour. Whatever it may be, sometimes others put the pressure on you to participate in something you may not want to (Hayes; 1989).

Adolescence is a time of transformation in many areas of an individual’s life. In the midst of these periods, rapid physical, emotional and social changes.

Youths begin to question adult standards and the need for parental guidance. It is also a time for individuals to make important decisions about their commitment to academics, family and perhaps religion. Young adults begin to ask questions such as “Is school important to me?” and “How do I want to spend my time?” The choices that adolescents make regarding their motivation, engagement and achievement in school and in life and the satisfaction they obtain from their choices depend, in part and on the context in which they make such choices (Ryan; 2000).

Teachers, parents and peers all provide adolescents with suggestions and feedback about what they should think and how they should behave in social situations. These models can be a source of motivation. Modeling refers to individual changes in cognition, behaviour or effects that result from the observation of others (Ryan; 2000). Observing others perform a particular behaviour or voice a certain opinion can introduce an individual to new behaviours and viewpoints that may be different from his or her own. Observation also enlightens an individual on the consequences of such behaviour and opinions.

Depending on these consequences, observation of a model can strengthen or weaken the likelihood the observer will engage in such behaviour or adopt such beliefs in the future. The current literature review focuses on peer groups which the adolescents relate with provide social reference points for these adolescents. Palmer (2008) noted that peer groups are among the most significant social contexts in adolescence.

They help to establish norms of behaviours and normally develop a culture that manifests itself in like language, dress, hairstyle and drinking habits. Adolescents often experience peer influence to be like other peers at a time when they are trying to be more independent (Tutamwebwa; 2006). Peer groups create and maintain a culture separate from home in which adolescents are raised. Many young people spend more time with peers than with parents or other family members (Gara; 2006).

Conceptually, the following concepts will be examined and explained under the following: drug abuse, alcoholism, aggression and social network. In Uganda, teachers often write reports cases on students’ capable of violent behaviours also academically, if he or she changed his or her friends “or poor work due to bad company, bad or poor emotional trauma triage” (Tizifa; 1993, p.1).

Peer group influence has been recognized as a powerful socializing agent, from the traditional societies to the present modern societies (Tizifa; 1993). It was further observed that negative peer influences contribute a lot to increased use of substances (Johnson, O’ Malley and Bachman, 2000).

Peer group influence is a common source for the involvement in negative activities for adolescents and friends’ influence is a major factor in adolescence’s alcohol use (Berndt; 1996). It is within the peer group that the young person learns to relate to different roles and to experiment with interpersonal interaction skills that will eventually transfer to the world of adults (Carter &McGoldrick, 2005).

Community may create problems sometimes when peer influence each other to participate in deviant activities. For instance, several studies have revealed connection between peer pressure and substance abuse (Flannery et al; 1994, Dielman; 1994, Thomas and Hsiu; 1993), Cigarette smoking (Newman; 1984) and early sexual behaviour (Duncan-Risks; 1992).

In adolescence, a foundation for identity (Brion and Kinney; 1994, Parker and Asher; 1993) is led. Peer who enjoy positive relationship with other children appear to experience level of emotional well-being, beliefs about psychosexual theory of Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939). Freud Central concern was the development of the self-called the latency period (a period of relative sexual calm between the turbulence of early childhood and the storminers of adolescence).

Drug abuse refers to a maladaptive of drugs leading to clinically significant impairment. Students who use drugs seek out peers who also use it and in turn are influenced by those peers (Curran; 1997). In a 16 years longitudinal study of adulthood, New Comb (1997) found out that the use and abuse of drugs in adolescents was associated with a number of problem behaviours, including cigarette smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, precocious sexual involvement, disinterest in studies resulting to poor academic performance, deviant attitudes and delinquent behaviour. Drug abuse is also related to the propensity to take risk and even encounter injuries at the end (Spirit et al; 2000).

Positive peer influence is the ability to develop healthy friendship and peer relationship which depends on a teen’s self-identity, self-esteem and self-reliance. With the influence offered by positive peer groups, it can mobilize you teen’s energy, motivate for success and encourage teen’s to confirm to healthy behaviour (Brown; 1982). Peers can also act as positive role models as they often understand the frustration, challenges associated with being a teenager.

It is important to note that not all peer pressure us negative. Peers serve as important socializing agents during adolescence by teaching each other to explore new interests and relationships (Erickson; 1968). There is a tendency for adults to assume that peer influence leads to participation in drug abuse, vandalism, escaping from classes.

Alcohol is one of the illegal drugs prohibited on adolescents under the age 18 years. The excessive intake of liquid made of fermented sugar caused some of these youths to go astray in decision making and turn to believe in their peer decisions. There is heritable component in the kind of alcoholism that begins in adolescence and is linked to anti-social behaviour as violence, rape, criminality, absenteeism from school (Bohman et al; 1987).

Alcohol can damage every organ in the body, but it is especially harmful to the liver and it is the major cause of cirrhosis which kills 26.000 people each year (Neimark et al; 1994). Also, it has been found that the cerebral costex which is part of the brain of alcoholics is reduced or shrinks as compared to that of non-alcoholic using Brain-Sean (Jernigan et al; 1991).

Peer pressure influence can also be negative; for instance, aggressive teens turned to associate with peers who are equally aggressive (Espetage et; 2003), and like the peers of academically inclined teens, the friends of teens include use of tobacco, alcohol, drug abuse, indulgence in early sexual activities or other substances with increase the odds that teenagers will adopt these practices (Cleverland and Weibe; 2003).

Contextually, the study will examine in most of our secondary schools in Buea sub-division, and a comparative analysis with the outside world. Looking at the topics, the effect of peer pressure on the emotional regulation of adolescents in some secondary school in Buea sub-division, peer pressure really cut across from the globe to Cameroon in particular.

Some communities in Cameroon may create problems sometimes when peer influence each other to participate in deviant activities. For instance, several studies have revealed connection between peer pressure and substance abuse (Flannery et al; 1994, Dielman; 1994), cigarette smoking especially in the Molyko neighbourhood where majority of its population are students who are adolescents (Newman; 1984) and early sexual behaviour (Duncan-Risks; 1992). In adolescence, a foundation for identity is led (Brian and Kenny; 1994, Parker and Asher; 1993). Peers who enjoy positive relationships with other children appear to experience levels of emotional well-being, belief about psychosexual theory of Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1936).

Teachers, parents and peer all provoke adolescent emotional regulation with suggestions and feedback about what they should think and how they should behave in social situations. These models can be a source of motivation. Modeling refers to individual change in cognition, behaviour or effect that results from the observation of others (Ryan; 2000).

Theoretically, we shall focus on three theories that will help us in this work which are Erickson’s Social Learning Theory (1968), Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1986) and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory (1977).

Statement of the Problem

Peer pressure causes one to feel and believe that there can be nothing more existing than belonging to a peer group. The fear of isolation drives adolescents into peer groups who might be doing everything just to fit in. through the interaction with peer, there is the problem of indulging in harmful activities such as drug abuse, alcohol, early sexual activities and eating pattern, which turn to affect them negatively in their life especially on their emotional regulation.

There is an outcry on the behaviour of some of the students in some secondary schools and people are wondering what could be behind this indiscipline among some students. At the end of it all, the general attitude of students are affected and this will bear a serious impact on their future.

As a result of the above aspects, students sometimes cannot study comfortably and effectively. Despite the efforts, the school structures and parental home guidance are playing on these adolescents; peer pressure remains the main determinant influencing adolescents’ emotional regulation. Therefore, this study seeks to find out the effect of peer pressure on the emotional regulation of adolescents in some secondary schools in Buea sub-division.

Objectives of the Study

General Objective

The main objective of the study is to find out the effect of peer pressure on the emotional regulation of adolescents in some secondary schools in Buea sub-division.

Specific Objectives

1. To find out the effect of aggression on the emotional regulation of adolescents in some secondary school in the Buea sub-division.
2. To investigate the effect of drug abuse on the emotional regulation of adolescents in some secondary school in the Buea sub-division.
3. To find out the effect of alcohol on the emotional regulation of adolescents in some secondary school in the Buea sub-division.
4. To investigate the effect of social network on the emotional regulation of adolescents in some secondary school in the Buea sub-division.