PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT AS CORRELATE OF INTERNET FRAUD AND DRUG ABUSE AMONG YOUTHS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Authors

  • Ursula Ifeoma Oparaugo Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria orcid.org/0000-0002-8618-5182
  • Rejoice Kodichukwumma Ikenwa Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria orcid.org/0009-0003-8103-8739
  • Rejoice Kodichukwumma Ikenwa Department of General Educational Psychology/G&C, Faculty of Education, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria orcid.org/0009-0006-1894-313X
  • Nwaru Patricial Ego Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
  • Eucharia Chinwe Oshia Department of Educational Management and Policy, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i7.6778

Keywords:

psychological adjustment, internet fraud, drug abuse, parental stress, youths

Abstract

Psychological adjustment entails the process of maintaining a harmonious relationship between man and his environment. The psychological adjustment among youths can be affected by certain psychological factors such as tension, fear and parental stress, among others. An individual can psychologically adjust positively or negatively. If the youths psychologically adjust positively, possibly the society will have peace and security will be strictly assured, but if they happen to adjust negatively, the society will be porous and filthy, and certain abnormal behaviours such as drug abuse and internet fraud will eventually emerge, leading to a lack of peace and insecurity in the society. It is based on this that this study investigated the correlation between psychological adjustments, drug abuse and internet fraud among youths, specifically in Anambra State, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational research design. Three research questions and three null hypotheses were used for the study. A sample of 480 youths was drawn out of 2,225,408 youths in Anambra State using accidental sampling techniques. Three instruments titled “Psychological Adjustment Questionnaire (PAQ), Drug Abuse Questionnaire (DAQ) and Internet Fraud Questionnaire (IFQ) were used for data collection. The instruments were validated by three experts at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Cronbach’s alpha method was used to obtain the reliability value of the instrument, which yielded 0.78 for psychological adjustment questionnaire, 0.84 for Drug abuse and 0.88 for Internet fraud, respectively. The researchers adopted direct delivery techniques (DDT) for data collection. Data collected were analysed using Pearson (r) moment product correlation for the research questions and hypothesis three, while simple regression analysis was used for hypotheses one and two. Results showed, among others, that drug abuse strongly relates to the psychological adjustment of youths in Anambra State. It also revealed that drug abuse and internet fraud do not jointly correlates youths’ psychological adjustment. Based on the findings, it was concluded that psychological adjustment does not jointly correlates drug abuse and internet fraud among youths. Therefore, it was recommended among others that parents should be careful with the type of language they use on their children to avoid criticism that can lead these youths into frustration, which undoubtedly might lead them to drug abuse and internet fraud.

Author Biographies

  • Ursula Ifeoma Oparaugo, Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria orcid.org/0000-0002-8618-5182

    Ursula Ifeoma Oparaugo (PhD) is an academic staff in the Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. She holds PhD degree in Educational Psychology. She is widely published in both national and international reputable journals. Her area of research interest is in human Psychology and development. She has published many journal articles focusing on human growth, management and adaptation. She has attended many academic workshorps and conferences with papers presented to her credit.

    Email: ui.oparaugo@unizik.edu.ng

  • Rejoice Kodichukwumma Ikenwa, Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria orcid.org/0009-0003-8103-8739

    Rejoice Kodichukwumma Ikenwa is an academic staff in the Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Her research interest is in Educational Psychology, Earlychildhood, Primary Education and Reading disabilities.

    Email: ir.udoka@unizik.edu.ng

  • Rejoice Kodichukwumma Ikenwa, Department of General Educational Psychology/G&C, Faculty of Education, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria orcid.org/0009-0006-1894-313X

    Victor Chidi Nwanguma is an academic staff in the Department of Educational Psychology / Guidance and Counseling, Faculty of Education, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri. He holds PhD degree in Educational Psychology. His area of research interest is in Adolescents behaviour and lifelong learning.

    Email: victor.nwangua@alvanikoku.edu.ng

  • Nwaru Patricial Ego, Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

    Nwaru Patricia Ego is an academic staff in the Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Her research interest is on social studies and behavioral adaptation/coping mechanisms.

    Email: patricianwaru57@gmail.com

  • Eucharia Chinwe Oshia, Department of Educational Management and Policy, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

    Eucharia Chinwe Oshia (PhD) earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. She serves as an academic staff in the Department of Educational Management and Policy at the Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Her research interests include educational management, school leadership, planning and policy implementation. She has conducted rigorous research and made significant contributions to the field of educational management.

    Email: ec.oshia@unizik.edu.ng

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Published

2026-06-08

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 7 (2026)

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Articles

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