A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS TOWARDS ABORTION: AN IMPLICATION FOR COUNSELLING

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS TOWARDS ABORTION: AN IMPLICATION FOR COUNSELLING

Abstract

This investigation adopted cross-sectional survey research design to ascertain the attitude of female undergraduates and secondary school students towards abortion. A random sample of 1,300 was drawn with Table of Random Numbers from the 5,353,534 population of female students in Nigeria for the study. Data collection instrument was Abortion Attitude Questionnaire that had 0.89 Cronbach’s Alpha reliability and Exploratory Factor Analysis that revealed very high validity as all the 15 items loaded highly on one and the same factor loading that accounted for 77% of the variability in attitude towards abortion. Each of the six null hypotheses was rejected. Female students’ education level, age, religious believe, marital status, and location significantly influenced their attitude towards abortion. Virtually all the respondents, 1186 (91.2%), very strongly asserted that abortion should be legalized. Legalization of abortion in line with pro-abortion theories was recommended.