SEXUALITY EDUCATION AND SEXUAL RISK TAKING BEHAVIOUR AMONG UNIVERSITY FRESHMEN IN ABEOKUTA METROPOLIS AND COUNSELLING IMPLICATIONS

Freshmen in Universities tend to engage in sexual risk taking behaviour largely due to the new environment coupled with freedom which hitherto was not enjoyed prior to their entry into the institutions. This paper investigated sex education and sexual risk taking behaviour among university freshmen in Abeokuta metropolis and the counselling implications. Three hypotheses were postulated at 0.05 level of significance. A sample of one hundred and twenty participants was drawn from three universities within Abeokuta metropolis. Data was generated using the Sexual Risk-Protective Behavioural scale which was adapted from Premarital Sexual Permissiveness Scale (PSPS) by Reiss (1967) and analysed using chi square and t-test statistical methods. Findings revealed no significant difference in sex education outcomes of respondents; there was a significant difference between the sex education outcome of direct entry and UTME University freshmen and the difference between male and female manifestation of sex education outcome behaviour was found to be significant; consequently, the counselling implications of the findings were discussed. The study concluded by recommending comprehensive sex education programme for the Nigerian University authorities in order to maintain healthy lifestyle in tertiary institutions with its attendant benefit on national development.