Influence of Peer Pressure and Drug use on Dropouts among Students in Senior High Schools in Adansi North District, Ghana Abdul Malik Busumuru Adams

Abstract

This study investigated the extent to which influence of peer pressure and drug use impacted students’ dropouts. The study employed quantitative research design. The study targeted three senior high schools with a population of 5,812 students in Adansi North District Assembly of Ashanti Region Ghana, West Africa. Multiple sampling techniques such as census, proportional, and systematic sampling techniques were used to select the sample. The accessible population was 3,350 and 357 (193 males and 164 females) sample size comprising students in forms two and three between the ages 12 and 23 years were selected. The main instrument for data collection was questionnaire. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 22. The mean and standard deviation were used to measure the extent to which peer pressure influenced students’ dropout, the relationship between drug use and students’ dropouts, and the risk factors that contribute to students’ dropout. Multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses. The study established that there is a significant relationship between influence of peer, drug use and students’ dropouts. The study recommended that parents and guardians should monitor the activities of their children and the kind of friends these children make. The Guidance and Counselling Coordinators and teachers from various senior high schools should provide students who seem to experience influence of peer and drug use more preventive services to keep them in school.