Tendencies of Drug Abuse and Class Attendance/Participation among Secondary School Students in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria.

@article{1712982,
      author = {Michael E. Ibanga},
      title = {Tendencies of Drug Abuse and Class Attendance/Participation among Secondary School Students in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria.},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2025},
      volume = {9},
      number = {6},
      pages = {1460-1475},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1712982.pdf},
      abstract = {This study investigates the influence of drug and substance abuse on class attendance and participation among Senior Secondary School (SSS2) students in Calabar Municipality, Nigeria. Driven by the alarming observation of school-age children engaging in truancy, hawking, and anti-social behaviours such as substance use (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, etc.) during school hours, the research aims to establish the relationship between these activities and academic engagement. The negative consequences of drug use, including poor concentration, reduced optimism for education, and resultant poor academic outcomes, necessitated an urgent inquiry. The study adopts a Survey Research Design, utilizing a sample of 300 SSS2 students drawn from six randomly selected public secondary schools. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire, the Drug Abuse and Class Attendance/Participation Questionnaire (DACAQ), and an analysis of official class attendance registers over a 13-week school term. Framed by Bandura?s Social Learning Theory, the research posits that observed and modeled deviant behaviours significantly contribute to substance abuse, thereby compromising students? commitment to education. The DACAQ instrument demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach?s $\alpha = 0.730$). The findings confirm a significant negative impact of drug abuse, leading to increased absenteeism and passive engagement in the classroom, demanding urgent intervention from key stakeholders, including the NDLEA and school authorities.},
      keywords = {Tendency, Drug Abuse, Class Attendance, Class Participation, Students},
      month = {December},
  }