Cohabitation and Academic Performance of Undergraduates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State – Nigeria

This study examined the influence of cohabitation on academic performance of undergraduates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The study objectives included to identify factors responsible for cohabitation amongst the undergraduates, effects of cohabitation on the undergraduates and measures that can be taken to curb cohabitation among undergraduates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The anomie theory formed the theoretical framework of the study. Mixed methods research design was used for the study and a sample size of 204 respondents was selected for the administration of the instrument. The instrument of data collection was the questionnaire. The study used multi-stage sampling procedure comprising of simple random and systematic sampling techniques to select the respondents. The data generated from the field through the questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics such as the frequency counts and simple percentages. The hypothesis formulated to guide the study was tested using Chi-square ( ) test statistic. The study found that cohabitation is a serious problem among students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Factors responsible for cohabitation include financial problems such as lack of feeding money, inadequate hostel space, lack of parental guidance and peer pressure. Negative effects of cohabitation were found to include unwanted pregnancies, exposure to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and poor academic performance. Based on these findings, the study recommended amongst others the need for the creation of more hostels by the university management to reduce cases of cohabitation among students. The University administration also needs to engage the undergraduates in awareness creation about cohabitation and its negative consequences in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria and the society at large.