Influence of Asymmetric Warfare on Maladaptive Behaviours Among Secondary School Students in North-Central, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of asymmetric warfare on maladaptive behaviours among secondary school students in North-central, Nigeria. The population of the study comprised 181,769 Senior Secondary School One (SSS I) students across seven states, from which a sample of 2,649 students from twelve selected schools was drawn. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and three instruments a checklist, a structured questionnaire titled Asymmetric Warfare and Maladaptive Behaviours Questionnaire (AWMB-Q), and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentages) and inferential statistics (t-test and multiple regression) at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that asymmetric warfare significantly predisposes students to maladaptive behaviours such as absenteeism, substance abuse, aggression, truancy, hostility towards authority, and imitation of violent behaviours, thereby undermining their academic performance and social adjustment. However, there was no significant difference between male and female students, nor between students in rural and urban areas, in their susceptibility to maladaptive behaviours resulting from insecurity. The study concluded that asymmetric warfare adversely impacts students’ psychosocial wellbeing and educational outcomes. It recommended that policymakers strengthen school-based guidance and counselling services, intensify security interventions, and design resilience-building programs for adolescents in conflict-prone areas.